The first mention of Hagenow is to be found in a document issued between 1190 and 1195. Hagenow is mentioned as a town as early as 1370, although it received full civic status only in 1754. In the years 1538, 1748 and 1766, Hagenow was afflicted by devastating town fires which destroyed many of the houses. This means that the oldest building (former post office) still standing dates from the year 1730. It is in “Lange Straße 82“ and now houses the "Stadtkrug" pub.

Historical buildings still well maintained

Hagenow continued to be a typical smallholder’s and craftsmen’s town well into the 20^th century. Historical documents prove that only the Lange Straße with the Kießende und Mühlenende barn and granary districts existed in 1727. At that time, the old church building dating from 1250 was still in existence. The church was rebuilt in 1875.
At the base of the tower, remains of the oldest cliff walls are still identifiable. Another interesting building is the Hagenow-Land train station which was constructed in its original form on the Hamburg-Berlin line in 1846. In 1894, the Hagenow-Stadt connecting station was added. In conjunction with the building of the stations, many houses (representative mansions) were erected along the streets leading to them, which still today bear witness to the early days of industrialisation in Hagenow.

Characteristic of the historical image of the town is the town school building at the Mühlenteich, which was built in 1834-5. One of the few synagogues to have survived in Mecklenburg is to be found at Hagenstraße 48. Consecrated by the Jewish community in 1828 over the years it had fallen into disrepair, but a start has now been made by Hagenow Municipality to restore this listed building.