The city is famous for its rich medieval heritage of Brick Gothic architecture, including the world's best preserved defensive wall of this style as well as a Concert Church (Saint Mary), the home venue of the Neubrandenburg Philharmonic.

During the dramatic advance of the Swedish army of Gustavus Adolphus into Germany, the city was garrisoned by Swedes, but it was retaken by Imperial Catholic League forces in 1631.

Later, according to the Scottish soldier of fortune Robert Munro, 18th Baron of Foulis, when the Swedes themselves adopted a "no prisoners" policy, they would cut short any pleas for mercy with the cry of "New Brandenburg!".

From 1701 to 1934, it formed a part of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a small, primarily rural, and socio-economically backward state of northeastern Germany, being its largest or second-largest city (closely tied with Neustrelitz, the capital).

During the Second World War, two German prisoner-of-war camps for Allied POWs of various nationalities were located in Fünfeichen within the city limits: the large Stalag II-A and the adjacent Oflag II-E/67 for officers.

[5] In 1945, a few days before the end of the Second World War, 80% of the old town was burned down by the Red Army in a great fire that destroyed, inter alia, City Hall (incl.

[6] After the war, within the newly-founded Socialist GDR (East Germany), the city centre was slowly rebuilt in the 1950s and 60s in a simplified neoclassicist and neo-Renaissance style.

The demolished market square area was reshaped by the Haus der Kultur und Bildung (House of Culture and Education), a Socialist-style civic centre, complemented by a 56 m highrise.

Brigitte Reimann, a prominent GDR writer whose works deal with the attempt at building a Socialist society, spent her last years (1968-1973) in the city.

The economic situation finally slowly improved, many historical buildings were renovated, e.g. St. Mary's Church that was refurbished as a concert hall.

Of these, one of the most impressive is the Stargarder Tor (pictured), with its characteristic gable-like shape and the filigree tracery and rosettes on the outer defence side.

The tallest highrise in the city is the 56 m tower of the Haus der Kultur und Bildung (HKB, House of Culture & Education), opened in 1965.

The city is famous for being home to various Olympic medal winners and talents in sports, especially in canoeing (Andreas Dittmer, Martin Hollstein), discus throwing and shotputting (Astrid Kumbernuss, Ralf Bartels, Franka Dietzsch) and running (Katrin Krabbe).