Groß Kiesow: Church, Pilgrimage Routes and Cycling

Groß Kiesow draws attention to St. Lawrence’s Church, pilgrimage routes and a section of cycle path along district road VG 13. In the centre of the village, a medieval cemetery gate leads into the cemetery surrounding the church. Together, the building’s history, the route design and the cycling infrastructure give visitors several concrete starting points for planning a trip.

St. Lawrence’s Church: fieldstone, brick and medieval architectural history

The choir of St. Lawrence’s Church was built from hewn, layered fieldstones in the second half of the 13th century. The nave and brick east gable were added in the 14th century. The church therefore brings together different materials and construction phases. As a medieval monument, it is of great importance for heritage conservation.

The interior also offers specific points of cultural and historical interest: the church contains 17th-century wall paintings. The coat-of-arms panels, also dating from the 17th century, are considered popular sights in the Lutheran church. Those interested in architectural and church history will therefore find more here than just one medieval architectural feature.

Pilgrimage routes and their distinctive waymarkers

A pilgrimage path with eight stations begins beside the church; each station is marked by a glacial erratic. Along this route, the spire of St. Lawrence’s Church remains visible to walkers as a central landmark and point of orientation. The church also has a starting stone, which is also the destination of the circular pilgrimage route and is called the “Stone of Offense.”

Seven Lord’s Prayer stones guide pilgrims along a route around Groß Kiesow. Their relief panels bear the seven petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. Another specific measure of scale is the 18-kilometre pilgrimage route, which passes through fields, meadows and villages. The waymarkers, the visible church tower landmark and the landscape each give the pilgrimage its own character. When planning your days, you can therefore take the route’s length into account and decide whether to focus mainly on the stations, the religious imagery or the landscape.

Cycle path section along district road VG 13

A section of cycle path about 1,100 metres long runs along district road VG 13 from Klein Kiesow to the entrance to Groß Kiesow. The resurfaced section has a two-layer asphalt surface and is 2.50 metres wide. On 5 May 2025, it was described as fully accessible and safe for everyday, leisure and school traffic. This assessment is tied to that date; if you are planning to cycle today, check current conditions before setting out.

For days planned together, there are several different themes to choose from: the church’s architectural history, pilgrimage routes with their waymarkers, and a specifically described section of cycle path. You can match these interests to your desired daily activities when choosing accommodation, without limiting your stay to just one activity.

Vorpommern-Greifswald as a wider travel area

The wider travel destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald offers more to explore beyond Groß Kiesow. The district’s three nature parks cover almost 40 percent of its area. Ueckermünde Zoo is home to more than 1,120 native and exotic animals representing 95 species; feeding demonstrations take place daily. Before visiting, it is worth checking the latest information on the animal collection and feeding demonstrations.

Choose where to stay based on the experiences that matter most to your trip.

Discover more destinations: Ziethen, Bandelin, Wrangelsburg, Groß Polzin, Lühmannsdorf, Schmatzin, Karlsburg, Rubkow.

Back to the wider travel overview: Amt Züssow.