Schwerin, city in north central Germany on Lake Schwerin, capital of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It is a marketing center of an agricultural region; the chief manufactures in the city are furniture, pharmaceuticals, machinery, soap, and dyes. Set on gently rolling hills among seven lakes, Schwerin is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. Noteworthy buildings include the Gothic cathedral, which was built mainly during the 14th and 15th centuries, and the former grand ducal palace, built in the mid-19th century. Schwerin, originally a settlement of the Wends, was first mentioned in 1018. It received a municipal charter in 1160 from Henry the Lion, duke of Saxony. After 1358, the city served as the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg, later Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and from 1934 to 1952 as capital of Mecklenburg State. From 1952 to 1990 it was capital of Schwerin District, East Germany. In 1990, West and East Germany united and became the Federal Republic of Germany. Population (1997) 118,291.
