View source for Rostock

{{Short description|Largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox German place
|type               = City
| image_skyline            = {{multiple image
| border = infobox
| perrow = 1/2/2/2
| total_width = 280
| align = center
| caption_align = center
| image1 = 2018 - Petrikirche - Rostock.jpg
| caption1 = View across the [[Unterwarnow|Lower Warnow]]
| image2 = Rostock nördl Altstadt mit der Marienkirche.jpg
| caption2 = [[St. Mary's Church, Rostock|St. Mary's Church]]
| image3 = DE Rostock Kropelinerstr.JPG
| caption3 = Kröpeliner Straße
| image4 = Rostocker Rathaus.jpg
| caption4 = City hall
| image5 = Petrikirche in Rostock IMG 1681.JPG
| caption5 = [[St. Peter's Church, Rostock|St. Peter's Church]]
| image6 = Warnemünde (24652641811).jpg
| caption6 = [[Warnemünde Lighthouse]]
| image7 = Strand von Warnemünde mit Hotel Neptun.jpg
| caption7 = Beach of Warnemünde }}
|image_flag         = Flagge der Hansestadt Rostock.svg
|image_coa          = Rostock Wappen.svg
|coordinates        = {{coord|54|5|N|12|8|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan         = Rostock Verwaltungsgliederung.png
|plantext           = Administrative divisions of Rostock
|state              = Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
|district           = urban
|elevation          = 13
|area               = 181.44
|postal_code        = 18001–18147
|area_code          = 0381
|licence            = HRO
|Gemeindeschlüssel  = 13 0 03 000
|divisions          = 21 boroughs
|website            = {{URL|https://www.rostock.de/en/|rostock.de}}
|mayor              = [[Eva-Maria Kröger]]
|leader_term        = 2023&ndash;30
|Bürgermeistertitel = Oberbürgermeister
|party              = The Left
}}
[[File:Rostock Ostsee (49832531778).jpg|thumb|Rostock]]
'''Rostock''' ({{IPA|de|ˈʁɔstɔk|lang|De-Rostock2.ogg}}), officially the '''[[Hanseatic]] and University City of Rostock''' ({{langx|de|link=no|Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock}}), is the largest city in the German [[States of Germany|state]] of [[Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania]] and lies in the [[Mecklenburg]]ian part of the state, close to the border with [[Pomerania]].{{efn|Closest border point with Pomerania from Rostock in [[Ribnitz-Damgarten]] between Ribnitz (Mecklenburg) and Damgarten (Pomerania). Border constituted by [[River Recknitz]].}} With around 210,000 inhabitants, it is the third-largest city on the German [[Baltic Sea|Baltic]] coast after [[Kiel]] and [[Lübeck]], the eighth-largest city in the area of former [[East Germany]], as well as the [[List of cities in Germany by population|39th-largest city]] of Germany. Rostock was the largest coastal and most important port city in East Germany.

Rostock stands on the estuary of the [[Warnow|River Warnow]] into the [[Bay of Mecklenburg]] of the Baltic Sea. The city stretches for about {{convert|16|km|0|abbr=on}} along the river. The river flows into the sea in the very north of the city, between the boroughs of [[Warnemünde]] and Hohe Düne. The city center lies further upstream, in the very south of the city. Most of Rostock's inhabitants live on the western side of the Warnow; the area east of the river is dominated by the port, industrial estates, and the forested [[Rostock Heath]]. The city's coastline east and west of the river mouth is relatively undeveloped, with long sandy beaches prevailing. The name of the city is of [[Polabian Slavs|Slavic]] origin.

Rostock is the economic center of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the state's only [[regiopolis]] (a city outside the core of a metropolitan area). The port of Rostock is the fourth largest port in Germany after the [[North Sea]] ports of [[Hamburg]], [[Bremen]]/[[Bremerhaven]], and [[Wilhelmshaven]], and the largest port on the German Baltic coast. The ferry routes between Rostock to [[Gedser]] in Denmark and to [[Trelleborg]] in Southern Sweden are among the busiest between Germany and [[Scandinavia]]. [[Rostock–Laage Airport]] lies in a [[Rostock (district)|rural region]] [[Laage|southeast of the city]].

The city is home to the oldest university in the [[Baltic region]] and one of the [[List of oldest universities in continuous operation|oldest universities in the world]], the [[University of Rostock]], founded in 1419. The university's hospital, ''Universitätsmedizin Rostock'', is one of two university hospitals in the state, along with [[Greifswald University Hospital|''Universitätsmedizin Greifswald'']] of the [[University of Greifswald]] in [[Western Pomerania]].

==History==
{{unreferenced section|date = June 2022}}
{{see also|Timeline of Rostock}}

===Early history===

In the 11th century [[Polabian Slavs]] founded a settlement at the Warnow river called ''Roztoc'' (*''ras-tokŭ'', Slavic for "fork of a river"); the name Rostock is derived from that designation.

The Danish king [[Valdemar I of Denmark|Valdemar I]] set the town on fire in 1161. Afterwards the place was settled by German traders. Initially there were three separate cities:
* ''Altstadt'' (Old Town) around the ''Alter Markt'' (Old Market), which had [[St. Petrikirche, Rostock|St. Petri]] (St. Peter's Church),
* ''Mittelstadt'' (Middle Town) around the ''Neuer Markt'' (New Market), with St. Marien ([[St. Mary's Church, Rostock|St. Mary's Church]]) and
[[File:Rostocker Stadtbestätigung 1213.png|thumb|left|upright=0.8|Confirmation of [[Lübeck law]] city rights, 1218]]
* ''Neustadt'' (New Town) around the ''Hopfenmarkt'' (Hop Market, now University Square), with St. Jakobi (St. James's Church, demolished after World War II).

In 1218, Rostock was granted [[Lübeck law]] city rights by [[Henry Borwin I, Lord of Mecklenburg|Heinrich Borwin]], prince of Mecklenburg.

===Hanseatic League===
[[File:Rostock asv2018-05 img29 University.jpg|thumb|right|[[University of Rostock|Rostock University]], the oldest university in continental northern Europe and the [[Baltic Sea]] area, founded in 1419]]
During the [[first partition of Mecklenburg]] following the death of [[Henry Borwin II, Lord of Mecklenburg|Henry Borwin II of Mecklenburg]] in 1226, Rostock became the seat of the [[Lordship of Rostock]], which survived for almost a century. In 1251, the city became a member of the [[Hanseatic League]]. In the 14th century it was a powerful seaport town with 12,000 inhabitants and the largest city in [[Mecklenburg]]. [[Cog (ship)|Ships]] for cruising the [[Baltic Sea]] were constructed in Rostock. The formerly independent fishing village of [[Warnemünde]] at the Baltic Sea became a part of Rostock in 1323, to secure the city's access to the sea.

In 1419, the [[University of Rostock]] was founded, the oldest university in continental northern Europe and the [[Baltic Sea]] area.

===15th to 18th centuries===
[[File:Rostock 1550-60.jpg|thumb|left|Rostock in the 16th century]]
[[File:Rostock um 1650.jpg|thumb|left|Rostock in the 17th century]]
At the end of the 15th century, the dukes of [[Duchy of Mecklenburg|Mecklenburg]] succeeded in enforcing their rule over the town of Rostock, which had until then been only nominally subject to their rule and essentially independent. They took advantage of a riot known as ''Domfehde'', a failed uprising of the [[poverty|impoverished]] population. Subsequent quarrels with the dukes and persistent plundering led ultimately to a loss of the city's economic and political power.
[[File:Plan von Rostock gez 1780-1790 J.M. von Tarnows.jpg|thumb|right|Rostock 1780–90]]

In 1565 there were further clashes with [[Schwerin]] that had far-reaching consequences. Among other things, the nobility introduced a beer [[excise]] that favoured the dukes. [[John Albert I, Duke of Mecklenburg|John Albert I]] advanced on the city with 500 horsemen, after Rostock had refused to take the formal oath of allegiance, and had the city wall razed (slighted) to have a fortress built. The conflict did not end until the first [[Rostock Inheritance Agreement]] of 21 September 1573, in which the state princes were guaranteed hereditary rule over the city for centuries and recognizing them as the supreme judicial authority; this bound Rostock for a long time. The citizens razed (or slighted) the fortress the following spring.

From 1575 to 1577 the city walls were rebuilt, as was the ''Lagebusch'' tower and the ''Stein'' Gate, in the Dutch Renaissance style. The inscription ''sit intra te concordia et publica felicitas'' ("Let there be harmony and public happiness within you"), can still be read on the gate, and refers directly to the conflict with the Duke. In 1584 the Second Rostock Inheritance Agreement was enforced, which resulted in a further loss of former city tax privileges. At the same time, these inheritance contracts put paid to Rostock's ambition of achieving [[imperial immediacy]], as [[Lübeck]] had done in 1226.

The strategic location of Rostock provoked the envy of its rivals. [[Denmark|Danes]] and Swedes occupied the city twice, first during the [[Thirty Years' War]] (1618–48) and again from 1700 to 1721. Later in the early 19th century, the [[First French Empire|French]], under [[Napoleon]], occupied the town for about a decade until 1813. In nearby [[Lübeck]]-[[Ratekau]], [[Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher]], who was born in Rostock and who was one of few generals to fight on after defeat at the [[Battle of Jena]], surrendered to the French in 1806. This was only after furious street fighting in the [[Battle of Lübeck]], in which he led some of the [[cavalry charge]]s himself. By the time of the surrender, the exhausted [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]]ns had neither food nor ammunition.

===19th century===
[[File:Rostock asv2018-05 img38 NeuerMarkt.jpg|thumb|right|Colourful gabled houses of Rostock]]
In the first half of the 19th century, Rostock regained much of its economic importance, due at first to the wheat trade, then, from the 1850s, to industry, especially its shipyards. The first propeller-driven steamers in Germany were constructed here.

The city grew in area and population, with new quarters developing in the south and west of the ancient borders of the city. Two notable developments were added to house the increasing population at around 1900:
* ''Steintor-Vorstadt'' in the south, stretching from the old city wall to the facilities of the new ''Lloydbahnhof'' (Lloyd Railway Station, now [[Rostock Hauptbahnhof]]), was designed as a living quarter. It consisted mostly of large single houses, once inhabited by wealthy citizens.
* ''Kröpeliner-Tor-Vorstadt'' in the west, was designed to house the working population as well as to provide smaller and larger industrial facilities, such as the Mahn & Ohlerich's Brewery (now Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock). The main shipyard, ''Neptun'', was nearby at the shore of the river.

===20th century===
In the 20th century, important aircraft manufacturing facilities were situated in the city, such as the [[Arado Flugzeugwerke]] in [[Warnemünde]] and the [[Heinkel]] Works with facilities at various places, including their secondary [[Vienna International Airport|''Heinkel-Süd'' facility in Schwechat, Austria]], as the original Heinkel firm's Rostock facilities had been renamed ''Heinkel-Nord''. The world's first [[Heinkel He 178|airworthy jet plane prototype]] made its test flights at their facilities in what used to be named the ''Rostock''-{{ill|Marienehe|lt=''Marienehe''|de}} neighborhood (today's ''Rostock''-[[:de:Schmarl|''Schmarl'']] community, along the west bank of the [[Unterwarnow]] estuary).

In the early 1930s, the Nazi Party gained in popularity among Rostock's voters, many of whom had suffered economic hardship during the 1920s. In [[German federal election, July 1932|elections]] in the summer of 1932, when the Nazis achieved 37.3 percent, their greatest national showing in a free election, they polled 40.3 percent in Rostock. A year later, after the [[Nazi seizure of power]] and the suppression of other political parties, the Rostock city council (''Stadtrat'') was composed entirely of Nazis. During ''[[Kristallnacht]]'' on 10 November 1938, the synagogue in Rostock's Augustenstrasse was destroyed by arson and dozens of Jews were beaten and imprisoned.

Feverish rearmament by the Nazi regime boosted Rostock's industrial importance in the late 1930s, and employment soared at the [[Heinkel]] and [[Arado Flugzeugwerke|Arado]] factories, and at the Neptunwerft shipyard. The city's population grew from 100,000 in 1935 to 121,192 in 1939.

{{anchor|Allied air attacks}}During [[World War II]], Rostock was subjected to repeated and increasingly heavy bombing attacks, especially by the British [[Royal Air Force]]. Targets included the Heinkel and Arado plants and the shipyard, but churches and other historic structures in the city centre were also heavily damaged, among them the 14th-century Nikolaikirche (St Nicholas Church) and Jakobikirche (St Jacob's Church). The ruins of the latter were pulled down in 1960.

The city was eventually captured by the Soviet [[2nd Belorussian Front]] on 2 May 1945 during the [[Battle of the Oder–Neisse|Stettin-Rostock offensive operation]].

After the war, Rostock – now in the [[German Democratic Republic]] – became East Germany's largest seaport. The state expanded the national shipyards in the district of [[Warnemünde]]. The city's population, boosted in part by resettled ethnic German refugees who had been expelled from territories in the east, increased in the GDR years to a peak of 260,000. Following the [[German reunification|reunification]] of Germany in 1990, Rostock lost its privileged position as the No. 1 port of the GDR, and the city's population declined to about 200,000. However, after 2006, the population increased again. Today, Rostock and Warnemünde are significant tourist destinations on the Baltic Sea.

In August 1992, Rostock was the site of the xenophobic [[Rostock-Lichtenhagen riots]], during which asylum seekers were attacked by right-wing extremists.

<gallery widths="100px" heights="100px">
Lisch-Rostock Beginenberg.jpg|Depiction of Rostock in 1845
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1985-0306-032, Rostock, zerstörte Krämerstrasse.jpg|Rostock bomb damage, 1942
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-H28029, Rostock, Marktplatz mit Rathaus.jpg|City hall, Market Square after war
Rostock Panorama Nikolaikirche nach Norden 2011-03-08.jpg|Rostock in 2011
Rostock asv2018-05 img47 Steintor.jpg|The 16th-century ''Steintor'' city gate
Rostock Marienkirche 2011-03-08.jpg|St. Mary's Church (''Marienkirche''), 2011
</gallery>

==Population==
{{Historical populations|1378|10785|1773|9000|1871|30980|1900|54713|1910|65383|1919|67953|1925|77669|1933|90150|1935|104585|1939|121315|1950|133109|1955|150004|1960|158630|1965|184204|1970|198636|1975|213475|1980|232506|1985|244444|1990|248088|1995|227535|2000|200506|2005|199288|2011|200265|2022|203470|footnote=Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.<ref>[[:de:Demografie Rostocks|Link]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=August 2019}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Germany: States and Major Cities|url=https://citypopulation.de/en/germany/cities/}}</ref>}}

Rostock has a population of about 210,000 people and is the largest city in [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] state. Rostock became a member of [[Hanseatic League]] in 15th century, which made Rostock a larger city. Rostock reached its peak of over 100,000 in 1935. In the [[East Germany]] era, Rostock was the largest and most important port of East Germany where many sailors and boatmen moved to this city. It also brought many harbour and other industiries to Rostock. Rostock reached its historical peak of population in 1988 with population of about 254,000. After the [[German Reunification]], population Rostock decline due to many people who moved to former West Germany. Since 2003, Rostock's population starts to grow again due to students and new companies.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! style="background:#efefef;"|Rank
! style="background:#efefef;"|Nationality
! style="background:#efefef;"|Population (31.12.2022)
|-
|1||{{flag|Ukraine}}||2,816
|-
|2||{{flag|Syria}}||2,439
|-
|3||{{flag|Poland}}||1,574
|-
|4||{{flag|Vietnam}}||1,382
|-
|5||{{flag|Russia}}||1,033
|-
|6||{{flag|Afghanistan}}||794
|-
|7||{{flag|Romania}}||714
|-
|8||{{flag|Iran}}||545
|-
|9||{{flag|India}}||465
|-
|10||{{flag|Bulgaria}}||385
|}

==Politics==

===Districts===
{{wide image|Rostock1788.jpg|400px|1788 historic map of Rostock, showing earlier district names}}
{{wide image|Rostock subdivisions.svg|400px|Modern Districts of Rostock}}

===Symbols===
[[File:Rostock Wappen.svg|thumb|upright|right|Coat of arms]]
[[File:Rostock Wahlspruch.jpg|thumb|[[Motto]]: ''Within your walls may be harmony and happiness'' {{in lang|la}}]]

Rostock has had three different coats of arms, known as the ''Signum'', the ''Secretum'' and the ''Sigillum''. The Signum, which can be traced back to 1367, was developed last and is to this day the coat of arms of the city.

The Signum depicts a golden [[griffin]] on a blue background, with bars of silver and red, the colours of the [[Hanseatic League]], below. It can be seen not only on flags and houses, and at bus stops, but also on bridges, gullies, fences, ships and restaurants.

===Administration===
[[File:Rostock asv2018-05 img37 NeuerMarkt.jpg|thumb|Restored Rostock City Hall, a mixture of Baroque and [[Brick Gothic]] architecture]]
Since the 13th century, the governing body of the city has been the city council (''Rat''), first consisting of ten, later of 24 elected [[alderman|aldermen]] (''Ratsherren''). The chairman of the city council was the city mayor. In the 19th century there were three mayors. Since 1925, the head of the city has borne the title of [[Mayor]]. Having been elected by the city council for centuries, since 2002 this position is now elected directly by the citizens of Rostock, following a reform. If a candidate does not achieve an absolute majority in the first round, the two candidates with the most votes stand in a second round.

[[File:2022 Rostock mayoral election (2nd round).svg|thumb|300px|Results of the second round of the 2022 mayoral election]]
The current mayor of Rostock is Eva-Maria Kröger of [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]], who was elected mayor in 2022 and took office on 1 February 2023.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/Rostock-Neue-Oberbuergermeisterin-Eva-Maria-Kroeger-tritt-Amt-an,kurzmeldungmv9434.html|title=Rostock: New Mayor Eva-Maria Kröger takes office|date=1 February 2023|language=de|website=[[Norddeutscher Rundfunk]]}}</ref> She won in the second round with 58.4% of votes against senior police officer Michael Ebert, an [[Independent politician|independent]] backed by the [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]], Independent Citizens for Rostock, and [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/rostock-eva-maria-kroeger-wird-neue-oberbuergermeisterin-a-cb7f56f7-c60a-4d4b-b48a-58d22fd3a6b1|title=Left's Eva-Maria Kröger becomes the new mayor of Rostock|date=27 November 2022|language=de|website=[[Der Spiegel]]}}</ref>

The most recent mayoral election was held on 13 November 2022, with a runoff held on 27 November, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Candidate
! rowspan=2| Party
! colspan=2| First round
! colspan=2| Second round
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[Eva-Maria Kröger]]
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]
| 18,885
| 25.3
| 36,546
| 58.4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Michael Ebert
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]] ([[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|CDU]]/UFR/[[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|FDP]])
| 17,598
| 23.6
| 26,082
| 41.6
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Carmen-Alina Botezatu
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]
| 12,339
| 16.5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| Claudia Müller
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]]
| 6,414
| 8.6
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| Michael Meister
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]]
| 4,812
| 6.5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Jörg Kibellus
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 3,836
| 5.1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Jens Kaufmann
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 3,007
| 4.0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Robert Uhde
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 1,807
| 2.4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Karol Langnickel
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 1,442
| 1.9
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Holger Luckstein
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 1,182
| 1.6
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Niels Burmeister
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 1,109
| 1.5
|-
| 
| align=left| Rebecca Thoß
| align=left| German Beer Drinkers Union
| 669
| 0.9
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Niklas Zimathis
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 453
| 0.6
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Roland Ulrich
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 369
| 0.5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Matthias Bräuer
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 312
| 0.4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Kai Oppermann
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 196
| 0.3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| Alina Kreis
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| 155
| 0.2
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 71,585
! 99.4
! 62,628
! 99.1
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 476
! 0.6
! 563
! 0.9
|-
! colspan=3| Total
! 75,061
! 100.0
! 63,191
! 100.0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 171,884
! 43.7
! 171,464
! 36.9
|-
| colspan=7| Source: City of Rostock ([https://wahlen.sv.rostock.de/obw2022/ 1st round], [https://rathaus.rostock.de/wahlen/obw2022Stich/oberbuergermeisterstichwahl.html 2nd round])
|}

[[File:2019 Rostock City Council election - Wahlbezirke.svg|thumb|300px|Winning party by precinct in the 2019 city council election]]
[[File:2019 Rostock City Council election - Results.svg|thumb|300px|Seat distribution in the 2019 city council election]]
The city parliament (''Bürgerschaft'') represents the citizens. Representative are elected for five years. The number of representatives is currently 53. The city parliament is presided by the ''Präsident der Bürgerschaft'', who heads and prepares the sessions and, together with the mayor, represents the city. The most recent city council election was held on 26 May 2019, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! colspan=2| Party
! Votes
! %
! +/-
! Seats
! +/-
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (Die Linke)
| 58,405
| 19.9
| {{decrease}} 6.5
| 11
| {{decrease}} 3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (Grüne)
| 55,616
| 19.0
| {{increase}} 7.5
| 10
| {{increase}} 4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
| 42,422
| 14.5
| {{decrease}} 6.0
| 8
| {{decrease}} 3
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
| 42,269
| 14.4
| {{decrease}} 2.5
| 8
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD)
| 28,294
| 9.6
| {{increase}} 5.2
| 5
| {{increase}} 3
|-
| 
| align=left| Independent Citizens for Rostock (UFR)
| 21,483
| 7.3
| {{decrease}} 0.8
| 4
| ±0
|-
| 
| align=left| Rostock Alliance (RB)
| 12,086
| 4.1
| {{decrease}} 0.5
| 2
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
| 9,645
| 3.3
| {{increase}} 0.8
| 2
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}| 
| align=left| [[Die PARTEI]] (PARTEI)
| 7,373
| 2.5
| New
| 1
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Voters}}| 
| align=left| [[Free Voters]] (FW)
| 3,790
| 1.3
| New
| 1
| New
|-
| 
| align=left| New Start 09 (A'09)
| 2,897
| 1.0
| {{decrease}} 0.5
| 1
| ±0
|-
| colspan=7 bgcolor=lightgrey| 
|-
| 
| align=left| The Grays - For All Generations (Graue)
| 1,869
| 0.6
| {{decrease}} 0.1
| 0
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Pirate Party Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Pirate Party Germany]] (Piraten)
| 1,714
| 0.6
| New
| 0
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|National Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[National Democratic Party of Germany|National Democratic Party]] (NPD)
| 1,633
| 0.6
| {{decrease}} 1.2
| 0
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent politician}}| 
| align=left| [[Independent politician|Independents]]
| 3,779
| 1.3
| 
| 0
| ±0
|-
! colspan=2| Valid votes
! 293,275
! 98.6
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=2| Invalid votes
! 4,179
! 1.4
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=2| Total
! 102,304
! 100.0
! 
! 53
! ±0
|-
! colspan=2| Electorate/voter turnout
! 173,650
! 58.9
! {{increase}} 18.4
! 
! 
|-
| colspan=7| Source: [https://rathaus.rostock.de/wahlen/bsw2019/buergerschaftswahl.html City of Rostock]
|}

[[File:Regiopole Rostock Verflechtungen.jpg|thumb|upright|Geographical position of the Rostock [[Regiopolis]]]]

===Regiopolis Rostock===
Rostock is the first city region that defines itself not only as a city in its boundaries, but as a [[regiopolis]], with a supra-regional sphere of influence. A regiopolis can be compared to a [[metropolis]], but on a smaller scale. This is a sign for the inter-regional cooperation and economic dynamics that can be found in the Rostock area. A taskforce with different actors such as the hanseatic city of Rostock, the administrative [[Rostock (district)|district of Rostock]], the ''Regional Planning Association Middle Mecklenburg/Rostock'' and the local business organisations are working on the promotion and advancement of the concept.<ref>[http://www.regiopole-rostock.de/ Regiopole Rostock] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426204809/http://www.regiopole-rostock.de/ |date=26 April 2014 }} (German)</ref>

==Geography==
===Geographic location===
Rostock is located nearly centrally on [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]'s [[Baltic Sea]] coast. The city is crossed by the [[Warnow]].

The seaside part of Rostock, Rostock-[[Warnemünde]], is about {{convert|16|km|0|abbr=on}} to the north of the historic city centre. The west and the southeast are the most densely populated parts of town. The overseas port is to the east of Rostock. Rostock stretches {{convert|21.6|km|1|abbr=on}} from the [[Baltic Sea]] to the south and {{convert|19.4|km|1|abbr=on}} from east to west.

===Climate===
Rostock has an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfb''; [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]]: ''Dobk'') with strong influence of the [[Baltic Sea]], more similar to [[Denmark]] and far southern [[Sweden]] than to the rest of Germany. The main difference with lower Scandinavia is that the continuous landmass to the south and east enables stronger bursts of heat during summer. In spite of this, the [[Warnemünde]] station is generally less warm on the average summer day than on the northern side of the sea. In addition, the maritime influence of the Baltic Sea tempers any Arctic blasts, ensuring slightly milder winters. The Warnemünde station is located on the open sea and thus has a stronger maritime influence and slightly smaller variations than the downtown that is further inland.

The Rostock weather station has recorded the following extreme values:<ref name=sklima/>
* Its highest temperature was {{convert|38.4|C|F}} on [[2022_European_heatwaves#July_heatwave_2|20 July 2022]].
* Its lowest temperature was {{convert|-18.4|C|F}} on 16 February 1956.
* Its greatest annual precipitation was {{convert|954.6|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 2011.
* Its least annual precipitation was {{convert|427.1|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 1976.
* The longest annual sunshine was 2,190 hours in 2018.
* The shortest annual sunshine was 1,456.6 hours in 1998.

{{Weather box
|location = Rostock ([[Warnemünde]]), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1947–present
|collapsed = 
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 15.8
|Feb record high C = 18.1
|Mar record high C = 22.3
|Apr record high C = 29.5
|May record high C = 32.8
|Jun record high C = 35.9
|Jul record high C = 38.4
|Aug record high C = 36.9
|Sep record high C = 32.6
|Oct record high C = 26.1
|Nov record high C = 20.0
|Dec record high C = 15.5
|year record high C = 38.4
|Jan avg record high C = 10.1
|Feb avg record high C = 10.9
|Mar avg record high C = 15.7
|Apr avg record high C = 22.0
|May avg record high C = 26.2
|Jun avg record high C = 28.9
|Jul avg record high C = 30.3
|Aug avg record high C = 30.6
|Sep avg record high C = 25.4
|Oct avg record high C = 19.8
|Nov avg record high C = 14.0
|Dec avg record high C = 10.7
|year avg record high C = 32.5
|Jan high C = 3.8
|Feb high C = 4.4
|Mar high C = 7.3
|Apr high C = 12.2
|May high C = 16.4
|Jun high C = 19.7
|Jul high C = 22.0
|Aug high C = 22.2
|Sep high C = 18.5
|Oct high C = 13.3
|Nov high C = 8.0
|Dec high C = 4.9
| year high C =	12.7
|Jan mean C = 1.9
|Feb mean C = 2.2
|Mar mean C = 4.4
|Apr mean C = 8.4
|May mean C = 12.5
|Jun mean C = 16.0
|Jul mean C = 18.4
|Aug mean C = 18.4
|Sep mean C = 15.0
|Oct mean C = 10.5
|Nov mean C = 6.0
|Dec mean C = 3.0
|year mean C = 9.7
|Jan low C = -0.2
|Feb low C = 0.1
|Mar low C = 1.8
|Apr low C = 5.2
|May low C = 9.0
|Jun low C = 12.6
|Jul low C = 15.0
|Aug low C = 15.0
|Sep low C = 12.0
|Oct low C = 7.9
|Nov low C = 4.0
|Dec low C = 1.1
|year low C = 6.9
|Jan avg record low C = -7.7
|Feb avg record low C = -6.0
|Mar avg record low C = -2.9
|Apr avg record low C = 0.3
|May avg record low C = 4.3
|Jun avg record low C = 8.7
|Jul avg record low C = 11.2
|Aug avg record low C = 11.1
|Sep avg record low C = 7.7
|Oct avg record low C = 2.5
|Nov avg record low C = -1.6
|Dec avg record low C = -5.8
|year avg record low C = -9.9
|Jan record low C = -17.8
|Feb record low C = -18.4
|Mar record low C = -15.1
|Apr record low C = -4.0
|May record low C = 0.0
|Jun record low C = 2.5
|Jul record low C = 7.3
|Aug record low C = 6.5
|Sep record low C = 3.4
|Oct record low C = -1.8
|Nov record low C = -9.3
|Dec record low C = -15.6
|year record low C = -18.4
|precipitation colour = green	
|Jan precipitation mm = 46.2
|Feb precipitation mm = 38.2
|Mar precipitation mm = 39.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 34.2
|May precipitation mm = 49.7
|Jun precipitation mm = 67.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 69.8
|Aug precipitation mm = 68.5
|Sep precipitation mm = 56.1
|Oct precipitation mm = 48.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 45.7
|Dec precipitation mm = 50.9
|year precipitation mm = 614.3
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm	
|Jan precipitation days = 16.6
|Feb precipitation days = 14.8
|Mar precipitation days = 13.5
|Apr precipitation days = 11.3
|May precipitation days = 12.5
|Jun precipitation days = 13.5
|Jul precipitation days = 14.0
|Aug precipitation days = 14.8
|Sep precipitation days = 13.4
|Oct precipitation days = 15.1
|Nov precipitation days = 15.9
|Dec precipitation days = 17.4
|year precipitation days = 171.9
|Jan snow depth cm = 4.9
|Feb snow depth cm = 5.4
|Mar snow depth cm = 3.0
|Apr snow depth cm = 0.1
|May snow depth cm = 0
|Jun snow depth cm = 0
|Jul snow depth cm = 0
|Aug snow depth cm = 0
|Sep snow depth cm = 0
|Oct snow depth cm = 0
|Nov snow depth cm = 0.9
|Dec snow depth cm = 4.0
|year snow depth cm = 9.9
|unit snow days = 1.0 cm
|Jan snow days = 5.9
|Feb snow days = 6.0
|Mar snow days = 3.4
|Apr snow days = 0.1
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0
|Nov snow days = 0.8
|Dec snow days = 3.2
|year snow days =
|Jan sun = 49.2
|Feb sun = 67.7
|Mar sun = 133.3
|Apr sun = 207.8
|May sun = 260.3
|Jun sun = 250.4
|Jul sun = 252.1
|Aug sun = 224.8
|Sep sun = 168.7
|Oct sun = 109.1
|Nov sun = 53.6
|Dec sun = 37.1
|year sun = 1813.9
|humidity colour = green
|Jan humidity = 84.5
|Feb humidity = 82.1
|Mar humidity = 79.1
|Apr humidity = 74.4
|May humidity = 74.4
|Jun humidity = 74.2
|Jul humidity = 74.7
|Aug humidity = 74.8
|Sep humidity = 77.4
|Oct humidity = 80.7
|Nov humidity = 84.5
|Dec humidity = 85.5
|source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref name=WMO>{{cite web
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231012173537/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Rostock-Warnemuende_10170.csv
|archive-date = 12 October 2023
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Rostock-Warnemuende_10170.csv
|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020
|work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = 12 October 2023}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] / SKlima.de<ref name=sklima>{{cite web 
|url = http://sklima.de/datenbank_auswertung.php?tab=2
|title = Monatsauswertung 
|website = sklima.de 
|publisher = SKlima 
|language = de 
|access-date = 16 October 2024}}</ref>
}}

==Main sights==

===Rostock===
{{wide image|Rostock Unterwarnow-Panorama vom Gehlsdorfer Ufer zur Altstadt 2003.jpg|1000px|Panorama of Rostock from the bank of the [[Warnow]] river during the [[Hanse Sail]]}}
[[File:Aerial view Yacht Harbour Residence Rostock Yachthafenresidenz Hohe Düne 1.jpg|right|thumb|Aerial view of marina and ''Yacht Harbour Residence "Hohe Düne"'' at the [[Baltic Sea]], close to [[Warnemünde]]]]
[[File:Rostock Heiligengeisthof.jpg|thumb|''Heiligengeisthof'' (Holy Spirit Courtyard)]]
One of the most picturesque places in Rostock is the ''Neuer Markt'' (New Market Square), with the Town Hall – that was originally built in the 13th century in [[Brick Gothic]] style, but extensively transformed in the 18th century, with the addition of a [[Baroque]] façade and a banqueting hall. The square also preserved six original, carefully restored gable houses from the 15th and 16th centuries. The other historical houses in Hanseatic style that once bordered the square were destroyed in an Allied air-raid in 1942, and rebuilt in a simplified manner.<ref>Bomben auf Rostock; H.-W. Bohl, B. Keipke, k. Schröder; Konrad Reich Verlag 1995</ref>

The 15th-century ''Kerkhofhaus'' (at Große Wasserstraße, behind the Town Hall) is considered the best-preserved brick Gothic house in Rostock. {{citation needed|date=April 2013}}

[[St. Mary's Church, Rostock|St. Mary's Church]] ''Marienkirche'', on Ziegenmarkt, is an imposing [[Brick Gothic]] church. Built in the 13th century, it was enlarged and modified at the end of the 14th century into the present cross-shaped basilica. The huge tower was not completed until the end of the 18th century. Inside there is an [[astronomical clock]] erected in 1472 by Hans Düringer.

[[File:Rostock Kröpeliner Straße.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left|''Kröpeliner Straße'' – main shopping street]]
The main pedestrian precinct is ''Kröpeliner Straße'', which runs east from the Neuer Markt to the 14th-century ''Kröpeliner Tor'', a former town gate. The main buildings of [[University of Rostock|Rostock University]] lie at Universitätsplatz, near the middle of the street, in front of the lively fountain of ''zest for life (Brunnen der Lebensfreude)'', known colloquially as Pornobrunn (fountain of pornography), for its nude sculptures.

The ''Kloster St Katharinen'' (Convent of St. Catherine), is an old [[Franciscan]] [[monastery]] founded in 1243, and extended several times during the 14th and 15th centuries. Now used as the seat of the Academy of Music and Theatre (HMT-Rostock).

The Brick Gothic ''Nikolaikirche'' (St. Nicholas Church), which is the oldest church in Rostock, was built in the mid-13th century. Heavily damaged during [[World War II]] and subsequently restored, the building is now used as an exhibition centre and concert hall, due to its outstanding acoustics.

Some parts of the medieval [[city wall]], with four [[city gate]]s, have survived to the present day. The city has a large population of herring gulls that squawk loudly most days throughout the year.

===Warnemünde===
[[File:Warnemünde Altstadt (03) 2006-09-21.jpg|thumb|''Alexandrinenstraße'' in Warnemünde]]
[[File:Wassersportler Warnemünde.jpg|thumb|Warnemünde Beach]]
[[File:Rostock22.jpg|thumb|''Speicher'' (office buildings) at night. Headquarters of [[AIDA Cruises]].]]
[[Warnemünde]] is the seaside part of Rostock and a major attraction of the city. Locals and tourists alike enjoy the maritime flair of old houses, a large beach, a [[Lighthouse Warnemünde|lighthouse]] and the old fisherman's port.

==Economy==
The economy is mainly characterised by maritime industries (especially [[shipbuilding]]), high-tech industries ([[information technology|IT]], [[biotechnology]]/[[life sciences]], [[biomedical engineering|medical engineering]]), the [[University of Rostock]], [[tourism in Germany|tourism]] and the service sector. Major companies include:

;Maritime Industry
* [[Caterpillar Inc.]], manufacturer of diesel engines for ships
* Deutsche Seereederei Rostock, transport, cruises, property and tourism holding
* [[F. Laeisz]]
* [[Neptun Werft]], shipyard belonging to [[Meyer Werft|Meyer Neptun Group]]
* Nordic Yards Warnemünde, shipyard 
* Schiffselektronik Rostock
* Tamsen Maritim shipyard
* [[AIDA Cruises]]<ref name=AidaHQ>{{cite web|url=https://aida.de/unternehmen/impressum|title=Impressum|publisher=[[AIDA Cruises]]|accessdate=2023-06-14}}</ref>

;Other engineering
* [[Nordex SE]], a major producer of [[wind turbine]]s
* [[Suzlon]], world's 5th largest wind turbine manufacturer
* [[Liebherr]], manufacturer of cranes

;Tourism industry
* [[AIDA Cruises]], German company for cruises
* [[Scandlines]], German-Danish ferry operator (by ''Scandferries Holding'')

;Others
* Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock, German brewery belonging to the [[Dr. Oetker|Oetker-Gruppe]]
* Rostock University Hospital (''Universitätsmedizin'')
* [[Yara International]], supplier of plant nutrients

==Education==
[[File:Rostock Botanischer Garten 1.jpg|thumb|Historical [[Botanischer Garten Universität Rostock|Botanical Garden of Rostock University]], greenhouse]]
Rostock is home to one of the oldest universities in the world. Founded in 1419, the [[University of Rostock]] is the third oldest university in Germany in continuous operation, and one of the [[List of oldest universities in continuous operation|oldest universities of the world]].
It also maintains a [[botanical garden]], the [[Botanischer Garten Universität Rostock]].

The Academy of Music and Theatre (''Hochschule für Musik und Theater'') offers graduate degrees in artistic fields. Founded in 1994, the institution combined ''Ernst Busch'', the former drama school, and the outpost school of the [[Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler|Hanns Eisler Music School Berlin]]. Today, the combined school is a member of the Association of Baltic Academies of Music (ABAM), a union of 17 music conservatories at the Baltic Sea and Israel. Unique in Europe is the postgraduate degree in piano duo performance. The school possesses a large opera stage (Katharinensaal) and two chamber music halls. There are concerts every day throughout the year.

Rostock also hosts the [[Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research]] and the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis, as well as two branches of Fraunhofer Institutes, one for Computer Graphics and one for Large Structures in Production Technology.

==Culture==
[[File:Rostock Theater im Stadthafen.jpg|thumb|[[Volkstheater Rostock]]]]

===Theatre===
The municipal theatre is the [[Volkstheater Rostock]] where the [[Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock]] plays.

===Events===
The city is home to the annual [[Hanse Sail]] festival, during which many large sailing ships and museum vessels are brought out to sea, drawing over 1.5&nbsp;million visitors.

An annual jazz festival, ''Ostsee-Jazz'' ("Baltic Sea Jazz"), takes place in June.

===Cinemas===
The Lichtspieltheater Wundervoll is the [[art house]] cinema of Rostock. It opened in 1993 and offers a daily programme in two venues, the Metropol and the Frieda 23 with three cinemas. At Frieda 23 is the Institut für neue Medien (IFNM), Rostock's Institute for New Media, which includes a media workshop.
Both Liwu and IFNM are active members of the ''Landesverband Filmkommunikation Mecklenburg-Vorpommern''. Special screenings for schools, educational programmes and special programmes are offered as well.
It is the central venue for Rostock's Film Festival, the Festival im Stadthafen (FISH), the German Federal Festival for Young German Film.

===Museums and zoo===
[[File:Kempowski Archiv 2014.JPG|thumb|[[Walter Kempowski]] archives]]
* [[Rostock Art Gallery]] (''Kunsthalle Rostock'')
* [[Museum of Cultural History, Rostock|Museum of Cultural History]] (''Kulturhistorisches Museum'')
* Stasi Museum (''Dokumentations- und Gedenkstätte der Bundesbeauftragten für die Unterlagen des Staatssicherheitsdienstes der ehemaligen Deutschen Demokratischen Republik'')
* Warnemünde Local History Museum (''Heimatmuseum Warnemünde'')
* Shipbuilding and Shipping Museum (''Schiffbau- und Schifffahrtsmuseum'')
* [[Rostock Zoo]]
* Walter Kempowski Archive
* [[Max Samuel#Max-Samuel-Haus in Rostock|Max-Samuel-Haus]], Rostock Jewish Heritage Centre

===Food and drink===
Rostock manufactures its own local beer, called Rostocker Pilsner, manufactured at the Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock GmbH (Rostock Hanseatic Brewery Ltd.). The beer is well known throughout the city and is also sold in cities nearby. To celebrate Rostock's 800th birthday, a special light beer called Heller Freude was brewed to commemorate the occasion.

===Sport===
[[File:Ostseestadion.JPG|thumb|[[Ostseestadion]], home ground of [[Hansa Rostock]]]]
[[File:Rostock Seawolves huddle 2023.JPG|thumb|230px|[[Rostock Seawolves]] huddle in April 2023.]]
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background: #BBDDFF; color:#000080;" |Club
! style="background: #BBDDFF; color:#000080;" |Sport
! style="background: #BBDDFF; color:#000080;" |Founded
! style="background: #BBDDFF; color:#000080;" |League
! style="background: #BBDDFF; color:#000080;" |Venue
! style="background: #BBDDFF; color:#000080;" |Head Coach
! style="background: #BBDDFF; color:#000080;" |Website
|-
|[[F.C. Hansa Rostock|Hansa Rostock]]
|[[association football|Football]]
|1965
|[[3. Liga]]
|[[Ostseestadion]]
|[[Bernd Hollerbach]]
|[http://www.fc-hansa.de/]
|-
|[[Rostock Seawolves]]
|[[Basketball]]
|1994
|[[Basketball Bundesliga]] 
|Stadthalle Rostock
|Przemyslaw Frasunkiewicz
|[http://seawolves.de/]
|-
|[[Rostocker FC|Rostocker FC 1895]]
|[[association football|Football]]
|1895
|[[NOFV-Oberliga Nord]] (5th division)
|Sportpark am Damerower Weg
|Jan Kistenmacher
|[http://www.rfc-1895.de]
|-
|[[HC Empor Rostock]]
|[[Team handball]]
|1946
|[[Bundesliga (handball)|3. Bundesliga]]
|Rostocker Stadthalle
|Maik Handschke
|[http://www.hc-empor.de/]
|-
|SV Warnemünde
|[[Volleyball]]
|1990
|3rd league (men and women team)
|Sporthalle Gerüstbauerring
|
|[http://www.svw-vb.de/]
|-
|[[Piranhas Rostock]]
|[[Ice hockey]]
|1953
|[[Oberliga (ice hockey)|Oberliga]] (3rd division)
|Eishalle Rostock
|Henry Thom
|[http://www.fc-hansa.de/]
|-
|Rostocker Nasenbären
|[[Skater hockey]]
|2005
|Inline-Skaterhockey-Bundesliga (1st league)
|OSPA-Arena
|Dimitri Kramarenko<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rostocker-nasenbaeren.de/verein-rostock.html|title=Verein Rostock - Die Nasenbaeren - Der Hockey Verein Rostocks|website=www.rostocker-nasenbaeren.de}}</ref>
|[http://www.rostocker-nasenbaeren.de/]
|-
|HSG Warnemünde
|[[Water polo]]
|1971
|Oberliga SH-MV (3rd league)
|Neptun-Schwimmhalle
|
|[http://www.wasserball-rostock.de/]
|}

==Transport==
[[File:Rostock-hbf-nord.jpg|thumb|right|''Rostock Hauptbahnhof'' (main station)]]
[[File:Liniennetz Rostock und Umgebung.png|thumb|Transit map of Rostock]]
[[File:Sunset over Rostock harbour.jpg|160px|thumb|Rostock harbour at sunset]]

===Car===
Rostock can be reached by motorway (''[[Autobahn]]'') [[Bundesautobahn 1|A 1]] from [[Hamburg]] via [[Lübeck]] on [[Bundesautobahn 20|A 20]] and by [[Bundesautobahn 19|A 19]] from [[Berlin]] and A 20 from [[Szczecin]] in Poland.

===Public transport===
''[[Rostock Hauptbahnhof]]'' offers fast rail connections to [[Hamburg]] and [[Berlin]] and from there to almost any other European city.

Rostock is served by the [[Trams in Rostock|Rostock tramway network]], with six tram lines that serve the inner city as well as the suburbs. The city is also served by an extensive bus fleet, as well as a handful of ferries that cross the Warnow.

===Ferry/ship===
Rostock is Germany's largest Baltic port. Rostock is also home to a large ferry port. It is a main base for ferry operators [[Scandlines]] and [[TT-Line]], which both connect Rostock with major Scandinavian destinations. Furthermore, Rostock receives the highest number of cruise tourists in Germany every year.

Ferries leave for
* [[Helsinki]], Finland
* [[Gedser]], Denmark
* [[Trelleborg]], Sweden
* [[Nynäshamn]], Sweden
* [[Visby]], Sweden

===Air===
The [[Rostock–Laage Airport]] offers seasonal flights to [[Antalya Airport]] in Turkey. The nearest larger international airports are in [[Hamburg]] and [[Berlin]]. There are also a number of airfields for smaller aircraft, such as Purkshof.

Rostock is also directly connected to [[Berlin Brandenburg Airport]] by the [[Intercity (Deutsche Bahn)|IC 17]].

==Twin towns - sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
Rostock is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Partnerstädte |url=https://www.rathaus.rostock.de/de/rathaus/international/internationale_verbindungen/partnerstaedte/279903|website=rathaus.rostock.de|publisher=Rostock|language=de}}</ref>
{{div col |colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Szczecin]], Poland (1957)
*{{flagicon|FIN}} [[Turku]], Finland (1959)
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Dunkirk]], France (1960)
*{{flagicon|LAT}} [[Riga]], Latvia (1961)
*{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Antwerp]], Belgium (1963)
*{{flagicon|DEN}} [[Aarhus Municipality|Aarhus]], Denmark (1964)
*{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Gothenburg]], Sweden (1965)
*{{flagicon|NOR}} [[Bergen]], Norway (1965)
*{{flagicon|CRO}} [[Rijeka]], Croatia (1966)
*{{flagicon|BUL}} [[Varna, Bulgaria|Varna]], Bulgaria (1966)
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Bremen]], Germany (1987)
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Dalian]], China (1988)
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], United States (2001)
*{{flagicon|DEN}} [[Guldborgsund Municipality|Guldborgsund]], Denmark (2014)
{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
{{Further|:Category:People from Rostock}}
[[File:Blücher (nach Gebauer).jpg|thumb|140px|[[Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher]], {{Circa|1815}}]]
[[File:Peter Schulz 2010.jpg|140px|thumb|[[Peter Schulz]], 2010]]
[[File:Portret van Simon Paulli, RP-P-1878-A-961.jpg|140px|thumb|[[Simon Paulli]], 1648]]
[[File:Albrecht Kossel nobel.jpg|140px|thumb|[[Albrecht Kossel]]]]

=== Public service & thinking ===
*[[Henry Borwin I, Lord of Mecklenburg]] (??–1227), Lord of Mecklenburg
*[[Carl Friedrich Behrens]] (1701–1750), German sailor and soldier, landed in [[Easter Island]]
*[[Franz Aepinus]] (1724–1802), German-Russian natural philosopher<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Aepinus, Franz Ulrich Theodor |volume= 1 | page = 258 |short= 1}}</ref>
*[[Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher]] (1742–1819), Prussian field marshal<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Blücher, Gebhard Leberecht von |volume= 4 | page = 90 |short= 1}}</ref>
*[[Moritz Wiggers]] (1816–1894), politician, lawyer and notary
*[[Rudolph Sohm]] (1841–1917), jurist, Church historian and theologian
*[[Mathilde Mann]] (1859–1925), prominent German translator and editor
*[[Carl Brockelmann]] (1868–1956), [[Semitic studies|semiticist]] and orientalist
*[[Hans Paasche]] (1881–1920), politician and pacifist
*[[Ernst Heinkel]] (1888–1958), aviation pioneer, worked in [[Warnemünde]]
*[[Erika Fuchs]] (1906–2005), translator
*[[Duchess Woizlawa Feodora of Mecklenburg]] (1918–2019), member of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
*[[Berndt von Staden]] (1919–2014), diplomat, Ambassador to the United States 1973–1979
*[[Peter Schulz]] (1930–2013), politician (SPD) and first [[List of mayors of Hamburg|Mayor of Hamburg]] 1971–1974
*[[Klaus Kilimann]] (born 1938), politician (SPD), physicist and Mayor of Rostock 1990–1993
*[[Joachim Gauck]] (born 1940), politician, civil rights activist and President of Germany 2012–2017
*[[Heinz Eggert]] (born 1946), theologian and CDU politician
*[[Eva-Maria Kröger]] (born 1982), politician, Mayor of Rostock since February 2023

=== Science and academia ===
*[[Tycho Brahe]] (1546–1601), Danish astronomer and alchemist. Student and scientist at the [[University of Rostock]].
*[[Simon Paulli]] (1603–1680), Danish physician and naturalist
*[[Matthias Christian Sprengel]] (1746–1803), geographer and historian
*[[Christian Martin Frähn]] (1782–1851), German-Russian numismatist and historian<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Frahn, Christian Martin |volume= 10 | page = 773 |short= 1}}</ref>
*[[Ferdinand von Mueller|Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller]] (1825–1896), German-Australian physician, geographer and botanist<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Müller, Ferdinand von, Baron |volume= 18 | page = |short= 1}}</ref>
*[[Clara Wehl]] (1833–1901), Australian botanist
*[[Johann Georg Noel Dragendorff]] (1836–1898), pharmacist and chemist
*[[Hermann von Maltzan]] (1843–1891), [[malacologist]], worked in the field of [[conchology]]
*[[Albrecht Kossel]] (1853–1927), biochemist and pioneer in genetics, recipient of 1910 [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine]] for determining the chemical composition of nucleic acids
*[[Paul Walden]] (1863–1957), Latvian-German chemist, lived and worked in Rostock
*[[Gustav Mie]] (1868–1957), physicist, worked on electromagnetic waves
*[[Karl Leo Heinrich Lehmann]] (1894–1960), American art historian, archaeologist and professor
*[[Arthur R. von Hippel]] (1898–2003), German-American materials scientist and physicist
*[[Hans von Ohain]] (1911–1998), physicist and engineer, worked in [[Warnemünde]]
*[[Egbert Brieskorn]] (1936–2013), mathematician who introduced [[Brieskorn sphere]]s
*[[Sibylle Günter]] (born 1964), theoretical physicist, since 2011 heads the [[Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics]]

[[File:Francesco Cleyn (18th century) by Thomas Chambars.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Francis Cleyn]]]]
[[File:Dörte Helm (1898-1941) - Selbstbildnis.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Dörte Helm]], pre-1941]]

=== The Arts ===
*[[Francis Cleyn]] (c. 1582 – 1658), painter and tapestry designer<ref>{{cite DNB |wstitle= Clein, Francis |volume= 11 |last= Cust |first= Lionel |author-link= Lionel Cust |pages=26-27 |short= 1}}</ref>
*[[Johann Heinrich Bartholomäus Walther]] (1734–1802), Baltic-German architect, worked in [[Tartu]]
*[[John Brinckman]] (1814–1870), poet and short story writer in [[Low German]]
* Brothers [[Friedrich Eggers]] (1819-1872, art historian & [[Karl Eggers]] (1826–1900), lyric poet
*[[Paul Tischbein]] (1820–1874), illustrator and painter primarily of landscapes; part of the [[Tischbein family]]
*[[Adolf Wilbrandt]] (1837–1911), German novelist and dramatist<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Wilbrandt, Adolf |volume= 28 | pages = 631&ndash;632  |short= 1}}</ref>
*[[Edvard Munch]] (1863–1944), Norwegian painter, lived in Rostock 1907/08<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rostock.de/erlebnisse/munch-haus.html|access-date=23 April 2023|website=rostock.de|title=Munch Haus|language=de}}</ref>
*[[Heinrich Tessenow]] (1876–1950), architect, professor and urban planner
*[[Paul Wallat]] (1879–1964), landscape artist, draftsman and sculptor
*[[Margarete Scheel]] (1881–1969), artist, specializing in sculpture and ceramics
*[[:de:Bruno Gimpel|Bruno Gimpel, (DE Wiki)]] (1886–1943), painter and illustrator
*[[Egon Tschirch]] (1889–1948), painter and illustrator.
*[[Dörte Helm]] (1898–1941), [[Bauhaus]] artist, painter and graphic designer
*[[Jessie Rindom]] (1903–1981), Danish film actress
*[[Marianne Hoppe]] (1909–2002), actress
*[[Peter Borgelt]] (1927–1994), actor
*[[Jo Jastram]] (1928–2011), sculptor
*[[Walter Kempowski]] (1929–2007), writer
*[[Erik Smith]] (1931–2004), British record producer, pianist and harpsichordist
*[[Mario Frank]] (born 1958), writer, CEO of [[Der Spiegel]] 2007/8; now a political biographer
*[[Franziska Knuppe]] (born 1974), fashion model
*[[Hinnerk Schönemann]] (born 1974), actor
*[[Marteria]] (born 1982), hip hop artist
*[[Vicke Schorler]] (born 1560), German merchant

[[File:Jan Ullrich 2016 01.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Jan Ullrich]], 2016]]

=== Sports ===
*[[Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe]] (1888–1949), tennis and field hockey player
*[[Siegfried Brietzke]] (born 1952), German rower and Olympic team gold medallist
*[[Hansjörg Kunze]] (born 1959), track and field athlete, bronze medallist at the [[1988 Summer Olympics]]
*[[Frank Rohde]] (born 1960), footballer and coach, played over 250 games and 42 for [[East Germany national football team|East Germany]]
*[[Martina Proeber]] (born 1963), diver, silver medallist at the [[1980 Summer Olympics]] 
*[[Christian Schenk]] (born 1965), decathlete, gold medallist at the [[1988 Summer Olympics]]
*[[Ramona Portwich]] (born 1967), canoe sprinter and multiple team medallist at three Summer Olympics 
*[[Andreas Tews]] (born 1968), flyweight boxer, won two medals at two Summer Olympics
*[[Jörn Lenz]] (born 1969), footballer who played over 430 games
*[[Jan Quast]] (born 1970), light flyweight boxer, bronze medallist at the [[1992 Summer Olympics]]
*[[Steffen Baumgart]] (born 1972), football manager and former player who played 535 games
*[[Rolf Kohnert]] (born 1938), cyclist, 3 times Australian Masters Champion
*[[Jan Ullrich]] (born 1973), cyclist, [[Tour de France]] winner, won two medals at the [[2000 Summer Olympics]]
*[[Dörte Lindner]] (born 1974), diver, bronze medallist at the [[2000 Summer Olympics]]
*[[Annika Walter]] (born 1975), diver silver medallist at the [[1996 Summer Olympics]]
*[[Britta Kamrau]] (born 1979), long-distance swimmer
*[[André Greipel]] (born 1982), road bicycle racer
*[[Jennifer Zietz]] (born 1983), footballer, played 278 games and 15 for [[Germany women's national football team|
Germany women]]
*[[Hannes Ocik]] (born 1991), rower, three-time world champion, twice an Olympic team silver medallist

==See also==
{{Portal|Mecklenburg-Vorpommern|Cities}}
*[[Music in Rostock]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{See also|Timeline of Rostock#Bibliography|l1=Bibliography of the history of Rostock}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|commonscat=yes |voy=Rostock}}
*[https://www.rostock.de/en/ Official Website]
*[https://www.rostock.de/en/ Official tourism site]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140607002918/http://www.eurob.org/index.php/Rostock;9/4 European Route of Brick Gothic: Rostock]
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Rostock |volume= 23 | page = 754  |short= 1}}

{{Districts of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern}}
{{Cities in Germany}}
{{Bezirke DDR Seats}}
{{Hanseatic League}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rostock| ]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Mecklenburg]]
[[Category:Denmark–Germany border crossings]]
[[Category:Members of the Hanseatic League]]
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[[Category:Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Germany (Baltic Sea)]]
[[Category:1218 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 11th century]]
[[Category:Holocaust locations in Germany]]
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