Stäbelow: Village Church, Village Pond and Fahrenholzer Forest

Discover Stäbelow through three very different features: the Gothic village church, the village pond as a meeting place, and the landscape around Fahrenholzer Forest.

Village Church and Meeting Place by the Village Pond

Stäbelow Village Church was built toward the end of the 13th century as a Gothic brick structure on a granite-stone foundation. Its rectangular floor plan, low-set rib vaults and sacristy on the north side define its architectural form. The construction period, floor plan and materials come together to give a coherent picture of this historic building: different building elements combine, from the brickwork to the granite foundation.

The grounds around the village pond lie directly beside the church. Surrounded by mature trees, the area serves as a popular meeting place for young and old alike and is also used as a festival venue for various events. Two distinct features of the village come together here: the church’s history and a place that brings community life and events together. The specific event program may vary depending on the occasion.

Forest, Meadow Valley and Late-Summer Run

Fahrenholzer Forest, designated a landscape conservation area, borders Stäbelow to the south. Between Stäbelow and Bliesekow, the Waidbach winds through a broad meadow valley. The forest and meadow valley give the surrounding area distinct landscape features: here is the protected woodland, while there the stream runs broadly through the meadows.

The Fahrenholzer Forest has nature trails that host the late-summer run. Traditionally held in September, the race runs through Fahrenholzer Holz near Rostock. For 2026, the 17th edition was announced for September 13 on the nature trails in Fahrenholzer Forest, with the start scheduled to be in Stäbelow. If you plan your trip around a particular race, check the dates for the year you have in mind.

Bliesekow is also part of the municipality of Stäbelow. It is home to the restored former manor house, which is over 400 years old. Together with the church and landscape, it offers another historic point of interest in the municipality.

Getting There and Finding Accommodation

There is a bus service between Stäbelow and the Hanseatic city of Rostock, with services in both directions. Check the current timetable for your travel dates. Stäbelow is also connected to the A20 via the B103 motorway access road.

If the village church, village pond and the landscape around the village are your main interests, focus your search on Stäbelow. If you would also like to include other places and activities in the Rostock destination, a broader search area may be a better fit for your plans. This comparison concerns the regional focus you want, not specific accommodation amenities.

The Wider Rostock Destination

The wider Rostock destination offers other landscape and activity options. The Rostock region is surrounded by 62 kilometers of Baltic Sea coastline with a number of seaside resorts; the coastal hinterland includes the river valleys of the Warnow and Recknitz. This regional variety offers a different focus from the village church, village pond and landscape around Stäbelow.

Active options in the wider Rostock destination include the Schwaan Climbing and Adventure Forest, with seven courses for children, beginners and advanced climbers. Its 116.5-meter-long Flying Fox zip line runs directly over the lake. If you are more interested in an outing with a historic connection, the Molli narrow-gauge railway runs between Kühlungsborn and Bad Doberan and is the oldest narrow-gauge railway on the Baltic coast. These different examples can help you define the focus you want for your trip as a whole, without conflating Stäbelow’s local features with destinations elsewhere in the wider Rostock destination.

Discover more destinations: Elmenhorst/Lichtenhagen, Papendorf, Lambrechtshagen, Pölchow, Kritzmow, Ziesendorf

Go to the main travel overview: Amt Warnow-West.