Schwerin Castle is a 19th-century French Renaissance-style castle, the symbol of the city of Schwerin and seat of the Parliament of the Land of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. It is located on an islet of Lake Schwerin. Its history actually dates back to the Slavic Middle Ages of the 10th century, when the Obotrites who ruled Mecklenburg built a fortified castle on the island off the lake. Over the centuries the castle underwent numerous transformations, eventually becoming the residence of the Dukes of Mecklenburg. . In the halls of the grand-ducal apartments, furnished by the Schwerin State Museum with contemporary paintings, sculptures and handicrafts, visitors can stroll and take in the atmosphere of 19th-century royal history. It is also possible to visit the vast historic garden.