Gützkow Castle (Slavic Chozcho), first mentioned in documents in 1140, was the political and economic center of a region of the Slavic tribe of the Lutizians. The seat of Prince Mizlaw was the site of a new, large pagan temple. In 1163 and 1177, King Waldemar I of Denmark destroyed Chozcho on his campaigns. At the foot of the hill, the remains of a Slavic settlement with wooden buildings and many valuable finds were discovered.
Around 1230, Jaczo, Vogt of Salzwedel, was granted the county. His sons founded the family of the Counts of Gützkow. A castle was built on the castle hill in the 13th century. A deep ditch was dug between the castle hill and the town, and the castle hill was raised with the excavated material. In 1392, the cities of Stralsund and Greifswald destroyed the castle.