Nucleus

Stralendorf 1 aka Hünenbett ohne Kammer von Stralendorf aka Zülow is an impressive unchambered trapezoid north-south oriented long barrow dating to 3500–2800 BC. It lies today at the western edge of the village of Stralendorf, in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, directly beside a road called Gartenweg. At 125 metres in length it is the longest megalithic monument in Mecklenburg and one of the longest in Germany. Its width narrows from about 4.0 m at the southern end to just 1.5 m at the north, and the stones themselves get smaller towards the north as well.

The mound was still largely intact in 1934. It was excavated and reconstructed in 1964 by Ewald Schuldt, whose work showed that every one of the kerbstones had survived. Beneath the mound, six separate stone pavements — laid both across and along the barrow’s axis — were found, a construction feature typical of this monument type. The excavator concluded that the barrow was originally only 38 m long and was later extended to its present length.

Unlike most Giants Beds of this type, this one has no chamber at all — no human bones were recovered here, only grave goods: 108 pottery sherds, five arrowheads, four amphorae, four blades, four scrapers, two funnel beakers, a dagger, a flat axe, a hollow chisel, a transverse arrowhead, a hammerstone, a wide-mouthed pot and a bowl. Its sheer length alone makes it worth the detour even for visitors who have seen plenty of chambered tombs elsewhere.

Coming from Schwerin, head towards Hagenow/Pampow, turn off towards Pampow and drive through the village in the direction of Stralendorf. In Stralendorf, follow the

Taken from the on-site information board:

Giants Bed
Neolithic period

This Neolithic burial site is a ‘megalithic tomb without a chamber’ featuring a trapezoidal stone enclosure. A burial chamber built from large stone blocks – otherwise characteristic of megalithic tombs (large stone tombs) – is not present here.

Measuring 125 metres in length, this burial site ranks among the longest Neolithic sites of its kind.

During the archaeological investigation carried out by E. Schuldt in 1964, six individual burials were identified in the earthen embankment; these had been dug lengthways and crossways into the natural sandy soil and were each covered with a layer of stones roughly the size of a fist.

The finds: a flat axe, a hollow chisel, a dagger, blades, scrapers and flint arrowheads. Also, shards of ceramic funnel-beakers and amphorae.

Everstorfer Forst Nord 10, like Everstorfer Forst Nord 9, was known solely as a Bronze Age burial mound until it was excavated by E. Schuldt. These are the remains of a small chamber, which has since receded somewhat back into the hill.It has two supporting stones on each of its long sides. One of the supporting stones has toppled into the chamber. The northern keystone is also still in place. The opposite side is only half-closed by a stone; this was apparently where the entrance was located. A stone lying next to it is probably the remains of an enclosure. Several other stones are scattered across the hill. One of the capstones was taken to Hamberge, some two kilometres further west, in 1922 and erected there as a memorial to the victims of the First World War. It is adorned with numerous small cup marks.

Everstorfer Forst Nord 10 lies about 500 metres west of the signposted northern group of megalithic tombs. Take the road that runs past this group and continue towards Grevesmühlen. Just before the woodland begins to the north of the road, a path branches off to the south into the woods (it’s easy to find a parking space here). Follow the path and, after a short while, you will come across two very conspicuous mounds on which the two stone tombs are situated. Everstorfer Forst Nord 10 is the western of the two.

Visited June 2026

Taken from the on-site information board:

During the Bronze Age (2nd millennium BCE), burial mounds were constructed from turf, earth or stones as tombs for a single individual. Initially, burials in wooden coffins were carried out in such mounds. Later, after religious beliefs had evidently changed and cremation had become widespread from the Middle Bronze Age onwards, the charred skeletal remains were initially scattered in the space originally intended for the wooden coffin within the mound, and later urn burials were carried out.

It is not uncommon to find secondary burials in such mounds, some of which took place much later. Originally, the majority of megalithic tombs (also known as giant’s tombs) were also located in or beneath mounds. Burial mounds were often clustered together. Like the megalithic tombs, they were defining features of the Mecklenburg landscape until the introduction of land consolidation. They served as landmarks for travellers and as boundary markers for the local population.

According to the information board on site, Everstorfer Forst Nord 9 is a rather badly damaged, extended dolmen situated on a considerably high mound. One supporting stone remains in situ, probably a keystone of the chamber. Another stone is no longer in situ; part of it may also have been blasted away. A third stone lies within the chamber, the approximate dimensions of which can be discerned from the hole at the top of the mound. A presumed fourth supporting stone lies on the slope of the hill. Until its excavation by E. Schuldt in 1967, this tomb (also by Sprockhoff) was known only as a burial mound.

Everstorfer Forst Nord 9 lies about 500 metres west of the signposted northern group of megalithic tombs. Take the road that runs past this group and continue towards Grevesmühlen. Just before the woodland begins to the north of the road, a path branches off to the south into the woods (it’s easy to find a parking space here). Follow the path and, after a short while, you will come across two very conspicuous mounds on which the two stone tombs are situated. Everstorfer Forst Nord 9 is the eastern of the two.

Everstorfer Forst Nord 7, a partially destroyed dolmen, lies next to Everstorfer Forst Nord 6. It is probably a small chamber that once had two capstones. Only three supporting stones appear to remain more or less in situ. Other stones have been displaced, including, in all likelihood, a capstone.

This is the last and westernmost of the eight graves in the northern group, which lie close together. It is situated approximately 30 metres west of Everstorfer Forst Nord 6. The two remaining tombs (Everstorfer Forst Nord 9 and Everstorfer Forst Nord 10) in the northern group are located some 600 metres further west.

Visited June 2026

If Everstorfer Forst Süd 1 is the pinnacle tomb of the southern group, Everstorfer Forst Nord 6 is the outstanding tomb of the northern group.

Among all the monuments of the northern group, this long barrow has the greatest length, and one of its guardian stones still stands — though one end and several kerbstones are missing. The chamber has an obliquely-set passage of flat slabs, which is unusual for a simple dolmen; only a very small number of dolmens lie obliquely within their barrow as a whole. The roughly 1.1 m high, 2.0 m long and 0.8 m wide chamber lies as a “transverse-liner” in the western part of an at least 45 m long and 5.5 m wide rectangular, east-west oriented long barrow. The chamber’s own capstone is missing, but the capstone covering the passage area survives.

Everstorfer Forst Nord 6 is situated about 40 metres further west of the heavily damaged extendend dolmen Everstorfer Forst Nord 5.

Visited June 2026

Everstorfer Forst Nord 5 is an extended dolmen of which only three large supporting stones and numerous small stones remain. The supporting stones appear to be in situ, making it possible to reconstruct the dimensions of the chamber. The capstones are no longer present.

Despite its ruinous state, the site still functions as a clear waypoint along the row — the long barrow of Everstorfer Forst Nord 6 lies about 40 m further west, while looking back east, the long barrow of Everstorfer Forst Nord 3 is visible roughly 70 m away in the background.

Everstorfer Forst Nord 8 is a simple dolmen that was only discovered during Ewald Schuldt’s 1966 excavations, hidden beneath a flat earthen mound — which is why it never received a Sprockhoff number. The gangless chamber, about 0.8 m high, 2.4 m long and 0.8 m wide, is oriented north-south. Its capstone appears to have been broken into two pieces, apparently by blasting or splitting.

This is the only dolmen in Schuldt’s entire excavation series found lying sunk below the original ground level rather than raised within a visible mound — probably the reason it stayed hidden from Sprockhoff’s original 1930s survey and only came to light decades later.

It lies about 30 m from the long barrow Everstorfer Forst Nord 3.

Visited June 2026

This long barrow lies parallel south of grave Everstorfer Forst Nord 3 and has been quite heavily disturbed; the original length of the monument may have been around 44 metres according to the on site information sign. It has not yet been excavated and examined.

Unlike its immediate neighbours to the north, this barrow sits slightly off the main east–west row, on the southern side — worth watching for as you move along the line of tombs, since it’s easy to walk straight past it.

Everstorfer Forst Nord 4 lies just to the south of Everstorfer Forst Nord 3 position.

Visited June 2026