The medieval town was founded around 1260 on the trade route from Stargard Land to Wismar near a castle and a Slavic village by settlers from Westphalia. The original town sprang up around St. George's Church, on the Old Market ("Alter Markt") in the Old Town ("Altstadt"). St. George's was first mentioned in 1273. On "Alter Markt" (today: "Alter Markt 14") was the first town hall. A little later the New Town ("Neustadt") was founded around St. Mary's Church, which was merged in 1325 with the Old Town. Its new centre was New Market ("Neue Markt"), which joined the Old and New Towns. A town wall ran around the town.