The approximately two-kilometer-long rampart encircles Greifswald's old town like a belt, stretching from the university cafeteria to the small zoo. The rampart is less than a kilometer from the train station, providing quick access to the city center. Paths lead down into the old town roughly every 50 meters.
The rampart has been used as a fortification against enemy attacks since the city's founding in 1250 and consists of a system of moats, earthworks, towers, watchtowers, gates, and a wall. However, even the rampart could not prevent the city's capture by the Catholic general Wallenstein in 1627.
Because the rampart severely restricted the city center and did not offer sufficient protection, the city wall was dismantled and the rampart planted with vegetation in the 18th century. The aim was to create a recreational and walking area for the residents of Greifswald.
Three monuments can be found within the rampart, waiting to be discovered. One memorial is dedicated to the city's students who fell in World War I, another commemorates the city's citizens who died in internment camps between 1945 and 1950, and the third honors the botany professor Julius Münter, who died in 1885. He played a key role in the 18th-century redesign of the city wall, and its restoration has continued to this day.
However, not all sections of the wall have been removed, so visitors can still see some during a stroll. But it's not just the wall sections that are worth discovering. From the wall, visitors can easily explore other sights, including the museum harbor, the cathedral, St. Mary's Church, old gabled houses, and the prison tower, all within easy walking distance.
The city wall is ideally suited for a leisurely stroll along the city's historic ramparts due to its proximity to the city center.