Angermünde - an Atmospheric Town Near the Polish Border

I love visiting holiday, little-known towns with a storybook atmosphere. It’s rare that I find such charming gems, but this year I have had incredible luck finding such places. Recently, I visited Brandenburg and was captivated by Angermünde, a town located by Lake Mündesee. This is a place where time seems to slow down, peaceful and picturesque. It is only 25 minutes from Poland, so I think it is an ideal spot for a trip if you want to feast your eyes and recharge your batteries.

Let’s explore Angermünde; I hope the photos taken by Maciek will help capture the amazing atmosphere of the town.

Table of Contents

1 Old Town in Angermünde
2 City Walls
3 Castle Ruins
4 Market Square and Town Hall in Angermünde
5 St. Mary’s Church
6 Mündesee
7 City of Stone
8 Franciscan Monastery Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
9 Angermünde Museum
10 Angermünde Zoo

Old Town in Angermünde

It is worth knowing that although the town is small, Angermünde is one of the largest municipalities in Germany, comparable in size to Dresden or Munich.

The historic appearance of the old town has been largely preserved. With the exception of a few buildings, all in the town center have been renovated, especially the Franciscan monastery and St. Mary’s Church. The square layout of the town, dating back to around 1230, is a testament to careful urban planning.

City Walls

Angermünde was deliberately founded, which is evident in the orderly layout of its spaces. The impressive churches and the defensive wall that still partially surrounds the Old Town are witnesses to ancient times. A walk along the walls is over 2 kilometers. The Powder Tower, which is part of the city walls, can also be visited. It is a great viewpoint, measuring 18 meters high. These historic buildings remind us of the years when Angermünde was a center of trade and craftsmanship. More specifically, the town was located at the crossroads of important trade routes.

Castle Ruins

In the town, there are the ruins of a small castle. Built presumably in the 12th century, only the outer walls remain today. This structure is made of brick, with its foundations of boulders and fieldstones.

Market Square and Town Hall in Angermünde

The market square in Angermünde is undeniably charming. You can sit in a café, have a coffee, or admire the unusual, multi-part fountain that tells the history of the town. There is a boat, a cat, and figures symbolizing the town’s residents.

The Baroque town hall was built in 1699. Currently, exhibitions can be admired on the first floor of the town hall, and right in front of it stands a wooden donkey. The donkeys have been there since 1713 – in the past, fraudsters had to ride it as punishment.

Market Square and Town Hall in Angermünde

St. Mary’s Church

The main Protestant church in Angermünde is the medieval city parish church of St. Mary. Built in the 13th century from fieldstone blocks, it achieved its current appearance in the 15th and 16th centuries through brick-Gothic style extensions and renovations. The interior features furnishings from 1868. We can admire the Baroque organ, made by Joachim Wagner between 1742-1744, consisting of about 2000 pipes. The church is not open daily, but events are held there, including extraordinary concerts on the aforementioned organ. If you want to visit, you can get more details at the information center next to the town hall.

Mündesee

You can’t talk about Angermünde without mentioning Mündesee. It is a picturesque lake with an area of 122 hectares. The route around the lake is just under 8 kilometers, but you can also walk a shorter promenade. Interestingly, in the past, Mündesee was used by women to do laundry. In the middle of the lake, on a shoal under the water’s surface, lies a boulder.

Angermünde is connected to three key long-distance bike routes: the Uckermärkische trail, the Berlin-Usedom route, and the Oder-Neisse path.

City of Stone

Angermünde hosts the largest rock sculpture conference in northern Europe. Therefore, while walking around the old town and along the lake promenade, you can come across picturesque sculptures. The sculptures are made from glacial erratics from the Uckermark region, as well as large stones from the ice age, weighing several tons.

Franciscan Monastery Church of St. Peter and St. Paul

The monastery church, the only surviving building of the former Franciscan complex, is one of the oldest and most important monuments not only of the town but also of the entire Brandenburg. Currently, we can admire it only from the outside; entry is possible only during important events.

Angermünde Museum

In the Market Square, you can admire the renovated half-timbered houses that directly adjoin the town hall. This building ensemble was erected in 1692-1695 and is a key element of the historic center of Angermünde. More precisely, it houses the Angermünde Local History Museum, founded in 1913 by the Angermünde Local History Association.

Angermünde Zoo

Angermünde Zoo, founded in 1963, is the only zoo in the Uckermark region. On an area of 7 hectares, about 250 animals live, representing 45 species from different continents. One of the zoo’s unique attractions is the collection of all six species of camels: the dromedary, Bactrian camel, guanaco, llama, alpaca, and vicuña.

If you are planning a trip to Brandenburg, I highly recommend visiting this town. Angermünde charmed me with its atmosphere and ambiance. Besides, it is truly beautiful. It was the last stop on my journey through Germany, and I sincerely regretted that it was already time to return home. I will come back to Angermünde, this time for a leisurely vacation.

And if you are looking for travel inspiration in Germany, check out the following posts:

Angermünde – an Atmospheric Town Near the Polish Border