On September 5, 1774, Caspar David Friedrich was born as the sixth son of the soap maker and candle maker Adolf Gottlieb Friedrich in his parents' residential and commercial building on Langen Strasse. He spent a large part of his childhood there with his family before he went to Copenhagen and Dresden to study art and later paved the way for the Romantic era with his paintings. It was the beautiful city of Greifswald that first inspired him in 1811 to choose cityscapes as a motif for his pictures. Although he settled in Dresden after studying art, he was always drawn back to his homeland. He travels to Rügen and all of Western Pomerania and records his impressions with a brush or pencil.
Caspar David Friedrich
Discover the birthplace and paintings of the famous painter.
Caspar David Friedrich Image Trail
Discover Greifswald through the eyes of Caspar David Friedrich - this is possible at the 15 stations of the Caspar David Friedrich Pictorial Trail. Important stages of life, motifs and vantage points can be viewed during the tour. The path leads from the old town via the museum harbor to the Eldena monastery ruins and can be explored on foot or by bicycle. Visitors can explore the path individually with the help of a brochure or as part of a guided tour. The brochure as well as information about the guided tours with pictures are available in the Greifswald information center at the market.
Caspar David Friedrich Center
The Caspar David Friedrich Center is located in the former residential and commercial building of the Friedrich family and commemorates the great painter and son of the city. On several floors, visitors discover lovingly designed rooms such as the father's soap factory in the historic cellar vault, the family cabinet with the family tree and the Rügen and Eldena room with famous motifs from Friedrich's work. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the Caspar-David-Friedrich-Gallery shows changing exhibitions of contemporary art related to historical romanticism.
Pomeranian State Museum
The Caspar-David-Friedrich-Bildweg ends at the Pomeranian State Museum. The former city school houses seven original paintings by the painter as well as a collection of graphics. Friedrich's drawing teacher himself designed the building, which today houses paintings by well-known artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Carl Gustav Carus. In addition, there are exhibitions on the geological and regional history of Western Pomerania in the Pomeranian State Museum.
Monastery ruins Eldena
Caspar David Friedrich made the former Cistercian abbey world-famous and a symbol of Romanticism. As the central motif of some of the paintings by the Greifswald painter, such as "Eldena Monastery Ruins in the Giant Mountains", the monastery ruins attracted attention and were renovated on the occasion of their 800th anniversary. In summer it serves as a backdrop for numerous events and concerts, such as the Eldena Jazz Evenings.
Caspar David Friedrich Monument
The bronze sculpture was made in 2009 by the Lübeck sculptor Claus-Martin Götz. Since 2010 it has been on Lappstrasse and thus in the immediate vicinity of the Caspar David Friedrich Center and the Greifswald Cathedral, Friedrich's baptismal church. The sculpture was created through a private initiative. The monument was financed by the Schwerin Ministry of Education and thanks to numerous donations from citizens, companies and institutions in the region.
Guided Tours
Visitors can explore the Caspar-David-Friedrich-Bildweg individually with the help of a folding map (available from Greifswald Information) or as part of a guided tour.
As part of the anniversary year, we are also offering an exclusive CDF anniversary tour together with the Pomeranian State Museum and the Caspar David Friedrich Center.
» Dates CDF anniversary tour and picture tours
North German Romantic Route
The theme route leads over 54 km from Greifswald to Wolgast in the footsteps of the early romantic painters CD Friedrich, Klinkowström, Runge and the poet Karl Lappe. The life and motive stations can be explored either with the help of the information boards or with the help of an audio guide.
Two days with Caspar David Friedrich
Every year on the last weekend in August, Greifswald celebrates its famous son and invites you to take a journey back in time into historical romance. The city's cultural institutions open their doors on this day and provide insights into the painter's life and work with exhibitions, guided tours and concerts.
» Two days with Caspar David Friedrich
Additional information
If you would like to find out more about the life and work of Caspar David Friedrich in Greifswald, then visit the website www.caspar-david-friedrich-greifswald.de.
Header photo: Signposts of the Caspar David Friedrich picture path © Wally Pruß
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