Around 1700 Strelitz enjoyed a contemplative existence as a little town of land- cultivating people. Its further development was the immediate result of the so-called Hamburg Agreement: In the year 1701 Mecklenburg was divided into the dukedoms Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz. From then on, Strelitz was a residential town.
Duke Adolf Friedrich III initiated the extension of the nearby Glieneke hunting lodge into a residence. The work took place between 1726 and 1731. Simultaneously, the baroque castle gardens were laid out according to the designs of Christoph Julius Löwe. During the early 19th century the grounds were altered according to English landscape gardening. Although the castle burnt down in 1945 and its remains were torn down completely four years later, the park is still a popular tourist attraction today with its temples, sculptures and the orangery. Since 2001 the Castle Garden Festival (Schlossgartenfestspiele) has been held here.
When the construction work on the residential castle had been completed in 1733, a new town was also established. Its streets lead radially to the central market. The first baroque construction phase was determined by Christoph Julius Löwe. During the 19th century the architect Friedrich Wilhelm Buttel was in charge of the construction. In the course of his activities the classicistic town hall was created, among others (1841).
Between 1918 and 1933 Neustrelitz was the capital of the Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. After 1945 the town grew considerably. Neustrelitz is the administrative centre of the district of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
Touristinformation
Am Markt 1
17235 Neustrelitz
phone: 03981-253119
fax: 03981-2396870
e-mail: touristinformation@neustrelitz.de
Internet: www.neustrelitz.de