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Schwerin is a town in northern Germany. It is the capital of the state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The population as of 2005 is 97,045.

, has an area of 60 km². In the midst of the lakes there was an Obotritic settlement as early as in the 11th century. The area was called i, and the name Schwerin is obviously derived from that designation. In 1160 Henry the Lion defeated the Obotrites and captured Schwerin. The town was subsequently expanded into a powerful regional centre.

In 1358 Schwerin became a part of the duchy of Mecklenburg, making it the seat of the dukedom from then on. About 1500 the construction of the Schwerin castle began; it was here where the dukes resided. After the division of Mecklenburg (1621), Schwerin became the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Between 1765 and 1837 the town of Ludwigslust was the capital, before the status of Schwerin was reestablished at last.

When the Bundesland of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was established in 1990, Schwerin became the capital.

The landmark of the city is the Schwerin Castle, located on an island in the lake of the same name (i). It was for centuries the residence of the Dukes of Mecklenburg and today is the seat of the Landtag (state parliament).Schelfkirche (Saint Nicolai, originally built 1238, but rebuilt in 1713 after destruction by a storm) (State Art Museum) houses a remarkable collection of of 15th- to 19th-century Dutch and German art, including works by Rembrandt, Cranach the Elder, and Rubens. There are also German medieval collections, including porcelain (especially Dresden porcelain), 18th-century court paintings, and works by such modern artists as Max Liebermann.