Waren was founded around 1260. Favoured by its commercially convenient location on the Müritz waterway, the town developed quickly.
The old town grew around Georgenkirche. Already at the end of the 13th century a new town also existed. Its parish church was the Marienkirche, erected in the 14th century. Around 1320 the two parts of the town merged. A common city wall was built. When a side branch of the Princes zu Werle settled here in 1347, Waren became a residential town.
Several large fires between 1568 and 1699 as well as the Thirty Years' War destroyed the formerly prosperous town almost completely. A renewed economic upswing did not come until the end of the 18th century, when the Elde was canalised (1798 -1803) and the Bolte Canal was built (1831). In 1838 a vocational school was opened, and in the following year the "Savings Institution" was founded.
In the 19th century tourism was recognized as a new source of income: In 1845 the first bathing beaches developed along the Müritz. When Waren was connected to the railway network, the town became a reachable holiday destination for long distance travellers. Already in the year 1920 a health resort tax on visitors could be imposed. Waren advanced to become the administrative and cultural centre of the whole Müritz region.
During the Second World War armament industry settled in the town. In 1945 the town was occupied by the Red Army. As late as 1988 Soviet atomic missiles were stored in the part of the town called Warenhof. After 1949 the industrial development of Waren continued. Since German Unification the historical old town of Waren has been reconstructed. Today the town presents itself to its visitors in all its beauty. Tourism has also returned to Waren. Since 1999 the town bears the title "climatic health resort".
Waren is the administrative centre of the district of Müritz.
Waren (Müritz) - Information
Neuer Markt 21
17192 Waren (Müritz)
phone: 03991-67398-47, -48, -49
e-mail: waren-tourist@t-online.de
Internet: www.waren-mueritz.de