DEUTSCHLAND	GERMANY
Bundesland: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern	Mecklenburg-West Pomerania
Landkreis: Rostock

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Güstrow is situated at an elevation of 49 m on the river Nebel in the Mecklenburgische Schweiz region. Until 2011, the town was the seat of the administrative district Güstrow; since the administrative reform in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern of 2011 it is the capital of the district Rostock (The city of Rostock, however, is independent from the district). Güstrow has a population of about 30,000 (2010).

The collegiate church was founded in 1226. The municipal rights of Schwerin were confered to Güstrow in 1228 by the Mecklenburg prince Heinrich Borwin II. Between 1229 and 1436 the town was the residence of the princes of Werle. Large fires devastated the town in 1503, 1508, 1512 and 1556. From 1556 until 1695 Güstrow was the residence of the dukes of Mecklenburg who built the new castle in 1558. In 1621 Mecklenburg was divided beetween Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Güstrow. During the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) Albrecht of Wallenstein resided as duke in Güstrow in 1628–1629. In 1695, after the death of the last duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, the town fell back to Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In 1712, during the Nordic War (1700–1721), Güstrow was the site of armistice negociations between Czar Peter I, Elector Friedrich August I of Saxony (King August II of Poland, August 'the Strong') and others. From 1806 until 1812 Güstrow was occupied by French troops. The railroads to Bützow and Plau am See were opened in 1850 and 1882, respectively. The Bützow–Güstrow canal was built in 1895–1896 and connected Gützow with the Warnow river.

The famous sculptor Ernst Barlach lived and worked in Güstrow from 1910 until his death in 1938.