Kasnevitz: Church Art and Traces of Caspar David Friedrich

Kasnevitz offers two notable themes: the historic artworks of St. James’s Church and Caspar David Friedrich’s traces in the surrounding area. Church art, a named painters’ route and hiking trails provide concrete starting points for days spent enjoying culture and outdoor activities.

Art and History in St. James’s Church

The chancel of St. James’s Church contains four large sandstone epitaphs dating from 1600. The church also has a Baroque pulpit from 1708/09. A life-size late-medieval figure of Jesus on the cross was restored in 2016 and returned to the church. Together, these details span different periods in the history of church art—from the epitaphs and pulpit to the restoration of the figure.

St. James’s Church has a summer concert tradition spanning more than 25 years: during the summer months, concerts were held every Thursday evening. Before your trip, check which dates fall during your stay.

Follow in the Footsteps of Caspar David Friedrich

Some sketches created in the area around Kasnevitz formed the basis for Caspar David Friedrich’s 1810 painting “Landscape with Rainbow.” A themed hiking trail in the area is marked with information boards and QR codes, enabling locals and tourists alike to follow in the painter’s footsteps. It brings together a specific connection to the story behind the creation of a painting and a route that explores the subject while hiking.

The CDF Painters’ Circular Trail starts at the village hall in Kasnevitz. On the “Around Putbus on Rügen” cycling tour, Kasnevitz is signposted to the left after Ketelshagen. Use these details as a guide, and check the signposting and route information before setting out by bike, as they may change.

Putbus: Townscape and Culture

Putbus, the wider travel destination, is also worth exploring. The town lies in southeast Rügen, right within the Southeast Rügen UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. In 1810, Prince Wilhelm Malte zu Putbus planned Putbus as a purpose-built residential town centered around the palace. Its townscape includes a Neoclassical ensemble of whitewashed residential and commercial buildings around the Circus.

Putbus’s cultural venues offer a range of experiences: the Orangerie hosts changing exhibitions by the Rügen Cultural Foundation. The Palace Church was created in the late 19th century by converting a former ballroom in the park and was consecrated in 1892. The Marstall, built between 1821 and 1824, served the princely family as a stable and coach house and is now used as a venue for the Rügen Festival; the program may vary.

The Putbus Theatre offers drama, musical theatre, cabaret, children’s performances, concerts and guest performances throughout the year. It is a venue for the Vorpommern Theatre and the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival. Alongside its architecture, Putbus therefore offers a range of stage performances to choose from.

Routes and Landscapes in the Putbus Travel Destination

Cycling over predominantly flat terrain and hiking through gently rolling countryside are recommended activities in the area around Putbus. Specific hiking routes include the full-day circular tour “In the Footsteps of Prince Malte” and the shorter “From the Circus to Hexenbusch,” which is also suitable for hiking.

Another option is the easy Bodden Loop: about 12 kilometers long, it starts in Putbus, passes through Lauterbach and the Goor forest, and returns through the palace park. The route is flat, family-friendly and offers views of the Rügischer Bodden; check trail conditions before cycling. Putbus Palace Park itself is an English landscape park covering about 75 hectares and is one of the most significant surviving park landscapes in northern Germany.

The Rasender Roland is another useful landmark for getting around the wider travel destination. This steam-powered narrow-gauge railway, with a track gauge of 750 millimeters, has operated on Rügen since 1895 and connects Putbus with Binz, Sellin, Baabe and Göhren; the route includes 24.2 kilometers of track in total. As timetables vary seasonally, check them for your travel dates.

Focus your search on the place whose themes interest you most.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Vilmnitz, Güstelitz, Neuendorf, Groß-Stresow, Pastitz, Lauterbach, Lonvitz.

Go to the wider travel overview: Putbus.