SCHWERIN, a German town, capital of the former republic of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, situated at the south-west corner of the lake of Schwerin 129 m. by rail N.W. of Berlin, and 20 M. S. of the Baltic. Pop. (1933) 53,571. Schwerin is mentioned as a Wendish stronghold in 1 o18, its name (Zwarin or Swarin) being a Slavonic word signifying "game-preserve." The town, founded in 1161 by Henry the Lion in opposition to this pagan fortress, received civic rights in 1166. From 1170 to 1624 it gave name to a bishopric ; and it was also the capital of the duchy of Schwe rin, which formed the western part of the grand-duchy of Meck lenburg-Schwerin. Destructive fires, the hardships of the Thirty Years' War, and the removal of the court to Ludwigslust in 1756 seriously depressed the town.
The town is closely surrounded and hemmed in by a number of lakelets. Though Schwelin is the oldest town in Mecklen burg, its aspect is comparatively modern, a fact due to destructive fires, which have swept away most of the ancient houses. The
most conspicuous of the many fine buildings is the former ducal palace built in in the French Renaissance style. It stands on a small round island between Castle lake and the lake of Schwerin, formerly the site of a Wendish fortress and of a later mediaeval castle. The older palace, the government buildings and the museum all stand in the "old garden," an open space at the end of the bridge leading to the new palace. Among the other secular buildings are the former palace of the heir-apparent, and the library. The cathedral was originally consecrated in 1248, though the present building—a brick structure in the Baltic Gothic style, with an unfinished tower—dates for the most part from the 15th century. The chief industry is the making of furniture, and there are also some manufactures of dyes, pianos, wool yarn, sugar, cement and soap.