A little gem on the Peene River: Nestled between Anklam, Greifswald, and the island of Usedom lies Quilow, a moated castle over 450 years old. It is situated directly within the Peenetal River Landscape Nature Park. The castle was built in 1575 and is one of the few surviving Renaissance manor houses in Western Pomerania. Today, it is recognized as a monument of national significance. The 16th-century manor house has witnessed 450 years of agricultural, economic, and social change. It served as a residence for the lower nobility and as the center of rural life in the GDR. Much of its original structure is still visible. Today, visitors can enjoy a café and an exhibition here.

After reunification, the castle stood empty for 30 years. Renovation efforts failed, and decay set in. Like many manor houses in the region, Quilow seemed lost. But the castle was saved. After extensive restoration, it reopened its doors in 2020.

Today, the moated castle is a place for everyone. Open to culture and tourism. For locals and vacationers. For art, commerce, amateurs, and professionals. For young and old. The concept: never be finished. The project is meant to be allowed to evolve.

Those seeking a manor-house atmosphere in the style of days gone by will be surprised. Parts of the castle showcase a “transparent approach to preservation.” Traces of different eras lie side by side and on top of one another. Old wounds remain visible. So do the attempts to heal them. Thus, the castle itself becomes an exhibit. It offers spaces for workshops, art, and much more.

The Exhibition: 52 Draft Oxen, Four Handkerchiefs, and a Gay Cavalry Captain

A constant ebb and flow: Four sisters and a death, a gay cavalry captain who finally finds a home, and a 27-year-old widow who makes the best of 52 draft oxen and four handkerchiefs: How did the Quilow estate economy change over four centuries? What was life like for the estate owners? And for their subordinates? And who or what, exactly, are Kossaten?
Stove tiles and cream jars, portraits and snapshots, inventory lists and cadastral maps, funeral sermons and personal memories tell us of privileges and oppressive duties, successes and defeats of times past. Piece by piece, a picture emerges for the visitor of the rise and fall of the estate’s lordship and economy in one of the countless small Pomeranian estate villages.