Where is Charenza located today?

Scholars now place Charenza at the Venz rampart, in the municipality of Trent on the island of Rügen, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Was Charenza at Garz?

That was long assumed, but recent research attributes the site to Venz instead, based on place-name evidence and geography that better match medieval sources.

What remains visible on site?

An earthen rampart up to about ten metres high, enclosing a large interior area, with nothing else built there.

What happened at Charenza in 1168?

The stronghold surrendered without a fight to the Danes after the fall of Arkona, its pagan temples were destroyed, and the population was baptised.

Can Charenza be visited freely?

The site lies in open countryside with no set hours or fees, but also no visitor facilities.

Charenza

Landkreis Vorpommern-Rügen

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Landkreis Vorpommern-Rügen

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Schloss Putbus (Putbus Castle)Open to visitors20 km

Sleep nearby

Charenza stands in Landkreis Vorpommern-Rügen (Landkreis Vorpommern-Rügen), in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. No visits are on record for this building.

Charenza was a Slavic stronghold on the island of Rügen, the princely seat and religious centre of the Rani people before its surrender to the Danes in 1168. For a long time identified with Garz, the site is now attributed by scholars to Venz, in the municipality of Trent, following interdisciplinary research carried out in the early 2000s. What remains to see is mainly the earthwork itself, a substantial rampart rising above surrounding marshy meadows near sea level, with no visitor facilities on site. Inside once stood tightly packed timber buildings and the temples of the gods Rugievit, Porevit and Porenut.

Written from Charenza

What to know

The site is an open-air earthen rampart, with no building or museum on location.
Its identification with Venz rather than the long-assumed Garz remains a matter of scholarly debate.
The surrounding ground is marshy and close to sea level, so sturdy footwear is advisable.
There are no set opening hours or admission fees, as access is to open countryside.
No visitor facilities, dedicated parking or marked trails are known to exist here.

Where this château is

Landkreis Vorpommern-Rügen · Landkreis Vorpommern-Rügen · Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Loading the map…

This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

G828+PH, 18569 Trent

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

Get directions View on a map

5.0 / 5from 1 Google reviews

Heritage status: Protection status unknown

In pictures

Frequently asked

Where is Charenza located today?: Scholars now place Charenza at the Venz rampart, in the municipality of Trent on the island of Rügen, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Was Charenza at Garz?: That was long assumed, but recent research attributes the site to Venz instead, based on place-name evidence and geography that better match medieval sources.
What remains visible on site?: An earthen rampart up to about ten metres high, enclosing a large interior area, with nothing else built there.
What happened at Charenza in 1168?: The stronghold surrendered without a fight to the Danes after the fall of Arkona, its pagan temples were destroyed, and the population was baptised.
Can Charenza be visited freely?: The site lies in open countryside with no set hours or fees, but also no visitor facilities.