Discover Göhlen: Bloomery Furnaces, Cycling Routes and Leussow

Göhlen tells its story through extraordinary traces of iron smelting: the remains of more than 500 bloomery furnaces, iron slag and a blacksmith’s workplace bear witness to one of northern Germany’s largest iron-smelting sites. There are also cycling tours through the area and a distinct historical focus in Leussow. This makes it possible to plan a stay combining archaeological heritage, cycling and village history.

Bloomery Furnaces and Iron Smelting

On the outskirts of Göhlen, a reconstructed bloomery furnace from the Migration Period stands in a glass case. Here, you can see how bog iron ore was used to produce iron around 1,600 years ago. The finds and the reconstructed furnace offer different perspectives on the subject: both traces of a large iron-smelting site and a vivid example of the technology of the time are on display here.

A specific smelting also forms part of the furnace’s history: on 18 August 2005, iron was produced there from bog iron ore, wood and peat. This reflected the Germanic iron-smelting techniques practised in Göhlen in the 4th and 5th centuries. Those interested in crafts and everyday history will find a special way into the area’s long history here—not just through buildings, but through the process that produced the iron.

Two Cycling Tours of Different Lengths

The 24-kilometre Kleine Klump Tour is a circular route for a half-day trip and is considered suitable for families with children as well as less experienced cyclists. It starts in Glaisin and Göhlen and passes the Germanic iron-smelting site and the bloomery furnace model in Göhlen. This makes it possible to combine cycling with local traces of iron smelting. Check the current trail conditions before setting off.

As a longer option, the 46-kilometre Raseneisenstein-Dörfer Tour passes through the Griese Gegend and Göhlen. It is described as a day trip for experienced cyclists. Comparing the two tours can help with planning: the Kleine Klump Tour is designed to take half a day, while the longer village tour allows more time for a full-day ride.

Göhlen is also a stop and a village along the Raseneisenstein Cycle Route – Dörfertour. The route is signposted throughout with blue TOUR signs. The route as a whole is characterised by predominantly flat, level terrain, few inclines and paths that are generally easy to cycle.

Leussow: Church and Restoration

In Leussow, a district of Göhlen, the church, churchyard and rectory are considered visitor attractions. The landmark church was built in 1872/73 in the neo-Gothic style. It replaced a Romanesque brick building with a wooden tower. The change from the older building to the neo-Gothic church makes the area’s architectural history tangible through a specific example.

The Dörchforthsbeck stream is also part of Leussow’s history. It was restored with EU funding, allowing animal and plant species that had disappeared to be reintroduced. The former bathing facility was incorporated into the project. It became a place for recreation and relaxation, also used by people from outside the municipality. The municipality of Göhlen is part of the region of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Flusslandschaft Elbe Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Another Cultural Highlight in Ludwigslust-Parchim

In the wider destination of Ludwigslust-Parchim, Ludwigslust Palace represents a different cultural and historical focus. It was the former residence of the Mecklenburg dukes and forms, together with its park and the town, an ensemble known as the “Little Versailles of the North.” The palace is also the centrepiece of an almost completely preserved late Baroque town complex with a former court church and an English-style landscape park. While Göhlen tells its story primarily through iron smelting, Ludwigslust Palace showcases courtly residential culture and urban planning.

Choose Göhlen as Your Accommodation Destination

If you are looking for accommodation in Göhlen, your preferred itinerary can help guide your choice of location. The Kleine Klump Tour also starts in Göhlen and combines cycling with local iron-smelting attractions. Leussow adds a church, architectural history and restoration to your stay. So consider whether you mainly plan to take a half-day tour and explore archaeological history, or whether you would also like to include Leussow’s local history.

Discover more destinations: Uelitz, Bresegard Bei Eldena, Sülstorf, Lübesse, Groß Laasch, Lüblow, Alt Krenzlin, Wöbbelin.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Amt Ludwigslust-Land.