Historic City Centers of Brandenburg Bike Trail – Loop 4

Sharing is caring!

Brandenburg is one of the largest states in Germany, making exploring by bike an excellent choice. The Historische Stadtkerne Brandenburg, or Historic City Centers of Brandenburg Bike Trail is a fantastic way to discover the most important, and sometimes challenging to reach, historical cities and villages. As a whole, the route is over 1000 km long, but is divided into 6 numbered loops for more digestible chunks. I found this to be another great way to explore and travel Germany from Berlin during the Corona restrictions. All my start and end points were at train stations with direct connections from stations in Berlin.

Historische Stadtkerne Brandenburg 4

Loop number 4 for the Historic City Centers of Brandenburg (HSB4) is 310 km long passing through the historic centers of Potsdam, Werder, Brandenburg an der Havel, Ziesar, Bad Belzig, Treuenbrietzen, Jüterbog, and Beelitz. There were a few unpleasant sections of Landstraße between Wusterwitz and Ziesar, but otherwise the trail is on unfrequented roads or bike path, including the super Fläming-Skate park around Jüterbog and Luckenwalde. Between Görzke and Treuenbrietzen the trail gets a bit hilly, but is otherwise mostly smooth sailing.

Day 1: Potsdam to Brandenburg a.d. Havel – 65 km

Historic City Centers: Potsdam, Werder, Brandenburg an der Havel

Starting in Potsdam Hauptbahnhof, I used the Friedrich-Engels-Straße exit and began the trail counterclockwise. The trail markers are visible early on, but I began to feel like I was cycling in a circle. Not quite sure if the route I have in my guide book is the same as what’s signed, but I found my way to the Holländisches Viertel, where the architecture is Dutch. There are a million things to see and do in Potsdam, and it’s impossible to see it all from the trail.

Potsdam

If you haven’t been to Potsdam before, you MUST plan time to visit. There are a zillion castles to see, lots of museums, and lots of history. Potsdam is also the start of lots of outdoor adventures like the 66 Lakes Hiking Trail, part of the Berliner Mauerweg bike ride around the former Berlin Wall, and others.  There is even a Potsdam Card if you plan on seeing lots of attractions within a few days.

• 

• 

• 

After passing the Brandenburg Gate (the Potsdam one, not the famous Berlin one), the route heads towards the water. There it meets up with the Havel Radweg. The Havel Radweg follows the Havel River from Waren an der Müritz until Wittenberge. HSB4 and the Havelradweg follow the same route through Brandenburg an der Havel. Sometimes the Historische Stadtkerne Brandenburg sign was not on the bike signs, but the Havelradweg was, so don’t worry if the sign disappears.

It takes a long time to leave Potsdam, but the path is well-maintained (it is the whole way to Brandenburg!) and the water is beautiful. The route passes directly through a campground, which is large enough to suggest that the bike path is very popular and busy in the summertime.

Werder

Shorlty thereafter, I passed through Geltow and had a great view of the beautiful churches in Baumgartenbrück and Werder. Over a few more bridges and a couple of kilometers next to a busy road had me in Werder. The Altstadt, located on an island in the Havel, is the second historic city center on the route. I rode my bike over the bridge and endured a bumpy ride as I circumnavigated the island on cobblestones.

Werder was first mentioned documentarily in 1317 when it was sold to the Lehnin Monastery for 244 Mark Brandenburg silvers. For a long time, fishing and winemaking were the main sources of income. The economy picked up with the introduction of fruit cultivation and brickmaking. Although the Havel fruit tree tradition goes back a millennia, Werder’s tree blossom festival began in 1879 and is well-known throughout Germany, especially for the fruit wines.

Havel River

Leaving Werder, I waited for the train to pass. I don’t have to wait for the train so often while biking, but today I had to wait twice. The trail was uninteresting until Phöben where the route reunited with the water along a pathway on the dike. This course is well-loved by many. On the weekend, it is bustling with cyclists, runners, roller-skaters, children, power walkers, baby carriage pushers, and dog-walkers with their furry friends. The Havel River flows on your right and fields flank your left. Sometimes the fields are filled with flood waters, but they are nearly always filled with birds. After nearly 6 kilometers of this beautiful natural scene, I reached the ferry for Ketzin.

• 

• 

Detour to Paretz

The detour to the other side of the Havel includes the Bockwindmühle and Schloss Paretz. The palace was built as the summer residence for Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm and his wife Luise, which is possible to visit. Of particular interest is the carriage collection.

Back on our original side of the river, the trail follows the Havel a while longer but then makes a detour around a mine and then through the Deetzer Erdlöcher. These “earth holes” are ponds which resulted from clay mining to create bricks. Starting in 1850, these clay pits were in service for over a hundred years. The bricks were produced close by and then brought to Berlin by ship.

• 

• 

Sadly, I missed my chance to check out the view from the lookout tower on top of Götzer Berg, which is designed like a large triangle. The route returns briefly to the Havel before going through Gollwitz. There, a medieval church and Schloss Gollwitz, a renovated manor-turned-community center, can be found.

Brandenburg an der Havel

From Gollwitz, the trail follow a busy road, luckily with a bike lane all the way to Brandenburg a.d. Havel. What I love about Brandenburg a. d. H. is all the canals around the Altstadt. It is the oldest city in the state of Brandenburg, dating back to a Slavic castle in the 6^th century, although the first documented mention came in 948. The 19^th century brought the production of products like bicycles, motorcycles, and cars, due to the steel industry.

Day 2: Brandenburg a.d. Havel to Bad Belzig – 72 km

Historic City Centers: Brandenburg an der Havel, Ziesar, Bad Belzig

Red polka dots were the reason I wasn’t looking forward to this section of trail. These dots signify that the trail is on a road with heavy (and fast!) traffic. Nearly half of the route from Brandenburg to Bad Belzig was dotted with these little zits. No wonder this isn’t one of Germany’s most popular bike routes, I thought to myself on the train ride there. Oh, but my negativity would turn out to be wrong, so wrong!

Along Breitlingsee

It took a bit of time to get out of the city of Brandenburg, but there was a designated bike lane the whole way. I crossed several train tracks and even had to wait again for a few of them to pass. I rode by the beautiful Krug Park forest, noting it mentally for perhaps another day trip from Berlin, before reaching the shores of the Breitlingsee. The trail from here was 7 glorious kilometers all the way to Kirchmöser Dorf. It was through the woods, interestingly hilly and curvy, on a slightly elevated trail, with views of the water and a few beaches along the way. I stopped several times to take in the beauty of the lakes, wishing it was warm enough to take a dip.

Kirschmöser Dorf and Rogäsen

In Kirchmöser Dorf, the bike signs were wrong. The Havelradweg and Tour Brandenburg continue to follow the water, while the Historische Stadtkerne Brandenburg 4 trail turns left to go over the train tracks. I followed the street up a hill passing large villas, some more normal houses, and a large campground. At the end of the Großer Wusterwitzer See, the bike trail turns onto a very busy road, for the first stretch of stress. It was just 5 km to Rogäsen, where I made a small (50 m) detour to see Schloss Rogäsen. It’s being renovated, but you can stay there overnight or host an event in their stately rooms. At the end of the village, is a Waffelfabrik where they make the waffle cones for ice cream! You can even pick up a package while you’re there.

Ziesar

Then 5 more kilometers to Bücknitz and another 4 kilometers to Ziesar on this heavily trafficked road. Ziesar was the highlight of the day for me. There is a Cistercian monastery and a castle! The name Ziesar, is pronounced with 3 syllables as it comes from the Slavic for “place on the lake,” although this lake no longer exists. TSEE-aye-zar. The monastery is from the 14^th century, and was originally Franciscan. The castle is one of the best-maintained “bishop’s residences” in Brandenburg. Although it was not open when I was there due to Corona, the chapel is particularly worth seeing. From the outside, you can see the stork’s nest on top of one of the castle’s oldest towers.

Rail Trail

Continuing, the Historische Stadtkerne Brandenburg 4 trail follows a former train line, an ehemalige Bahntrasse in German. This section parallels a busy road, but is distant enough that it isn’t bothersome. The rail trail crosses the road often, so use caution and approach crossings slowly. Along the way, I could see the steeples of the fieldstone village churches at the centers of Köpernitz, Buckau, and Rottstock as I rode by. The route leads through the forest, wetlands, and horse pastures. Now and then the rail trail passes one of the many streams running through the area: Krummer Bach, Riembach, Geuenbach, and Buckau.

The rail trail ended in Görzke, which is known for the traditional craft of pottery. At Easter every year there is a huge pottery market displaying products from workshops all over Germany. The Handwerkhof museum in town encompasses a technical museum, doll and toy museum, a model of the town from the 19^th century, and a farm shop.

From Görzke, gentle hills led me to Reppinichen, another fieldstone church, and to Reetz. The map displayed red polka dots from Reetz nearly all the way to Bad Belzig, but I was in for a pleasant surprise. From Reetzerhütten, a newly paved bike path accompanies the county road all the way to Wiesenburg.

Wiesenburg

Wiesenburg is home to another impressive palace: Schloss Wiesenburg. Still visible today are the circular castle wall, the 48m tall castle keep, and the renaissance style palace. Because the castle has been renovated into apartments, only the keep is open for visitors. To make up for it, the immaculate Schlosspark gardens are free and open, and worth taking the time to visit! I visited the gardens twice while completing the north and south routes of an excellent hike from Wiesenburg to Bad Belzig called the Internationaler Kunstwanderweg.

The separate bike path continues to Klein Glien. Whether or not it goes all the way to Bad Belzig, I can’t be sure. When I got to Klein Glien, the road was closed and I had to take a detour via Borne to Bad Belzig. It was an extra 5 or 6 kilometers, but I got another glimpse of the Bockwindmühle which is also visible along the Kunstwanderweg.

Bad Belzig

In Bad Belzig, the impressive Burg Eisenhardt awaits. The museum doesn’t cost much, and although the limited information is in German only, there is a lot of interesting old stuff. The fee includes entrance to the 28m tall tower from 1200. The castle itself resembles more of a fortress and is the oldest hill castle in Brandenburg.

• 

• 

Day 3: Bad Belzig to Jüterbog – 83 km

Historic City Centers: Bad Belzig, Treuenbrietzen, Jüterbog

I thought I went into this leg of the journey with no expectations, but I found myself feeling pleasantly surprised again. A lot of this section is on a paved bike path, making for stress-free cycling with more attention available for the view. This part was hillier than I expected, which was however more interesting than a flat straight trail.

Exiting Bad Belzig, the Historische Stadtkerne Brandenburg 4 trail goes uphill and then downhill and then uphill to Bergholz. The Bockwindmühle, a classic wooden windmill, in Borne is visible for much of the way. Passing through Grubo, there is another fine example of a fieldstone church from the 13^th century.

Raben

After a total of 14km from the start, I arrived in Raben, most notable for its 12^th century castle: Burg Rabenstein. From the bike trail, you can catch a glimpse of the castle through the trees, but it is worth stopping to visit. Park your bike in town below and hike up to the Burg. It is possible to do a short loop which contains several interactive Lernpfadstationen (learning stations) about the surrounding nature. Burg Rabenstein is one of the 4 castles along the Brandenburgische Burgenweg hike.

• 

• 

Saxony-Anhalt

After Raben, it was no time to get to Klein Marzehns and to Garrey, which I also passed through on the Burgenweg. When I left Garrey, I saw the sign with “leaving Potsdam Mittelmark” and was excited to finally get to another county. I was surprised to learn that this county was in Saxony-Anhalt, a completely different state! But the visit was brief. It was around 5 kilometers to Boßdorf and back to Potsdam-Mittelmark.

Through Lobbese and Marzahna I saw two more churches and another Bockwindmühle (no need to visit the Netherlands! Just cycle through Fläming!). On to Feldheim, Schwabeck, and Lüddendorf, I had a view of the large wind park and even cycled past some modern windmills.

Treuenbrietzen

Approaching Treuenbrietzen, I cycled through a section of the Nuthe-Nieplitz nature park, which C and I have hiked through before. This park has a hiking trail which follows the shore of the Nieplitz creek on both sides with a cycling path on the eastern shore.

In Treuenbrietzen, the signs are a bit confusing, so make sure you know where you’d like to go. The trail basically makes a circle through the center of town. After the monument to the fallen soldiers of the First World War, there is a beautiful little park along the Nieplitz which takes you to the Schwanenteich (swan pond), an excellent place for a break.

• 

• 

Formed from two towns which grew together, Treuenbriezten has had a diverse economy over the years from making wine to cloth to wood and metal. The town has a pretty smattering of half-timbered houses and is well known today for the Sabinchen-Festspiele folk festival.

Hermannsmühle

The only stretch of non-paved trail I have been on since starting the Historische Stadtkerne Brandenburg 4 trail was after Treuenbrietzen. But this section of bumpy, sandy forest road was worth it. Along the way, I came across a beautifully restored old mill, the Hermannsmühle, and a small emerald pond.

• 

• 

Fläming-Skate

Jüterbog

What a name! Legend has it that the council of Brandenburg’s second oldest city couldn’t decide on a name, so they went to the city gate and waited for the next person to walk through. That happened to be a woman named Jutta and her ram, a Bock in German. Jutta and Bock became Jüterbog! There are several churches and a Franciscan monastery to visit as well as the 13^th century city wall and Rathaus to see in the historic city center.

• 

• 

Day 4: Jüterbog to Potsdam – 90 km

Historic City Centers: Jüterbog, Beelitz, Potsdam

It was amazing to bike on the 2m wide Fläming-Skate path for much of the way to Luckenwalde. The trail passed through agricultural fields and weaved around the edges of villages.

Kloser Zinna

In Kloster Zinna, I took a detour to go by Brandenburg’s oldest Cistercian monastery, for which the town is named. Erected in 1170, the most impressive piece of architecture on the premise is the Pfeilerbasilika from 1226 which well exhibits the transfer from Romantic to Gothic architecture. In the cute town there is a museum about the monastery and another about the weaving settlement which Friedrich the Great established here in the 18^th century.

• 

• 

Skate

After a short stint on a bike lane next to a busy road, the bike trail continues along the skate path through open fields with wide views of the Teltow-Fläming landscape. After the horse farms in Neuhof, the trail meanders through pretty parkland, crossing the Nuthe Stream several times. Since the Easter school holiday was in full swing, many families were out skating together. I was surprised to see how many people were on roller blades because I don’t know anyone who even owns a pair. But it seems to have grown popular in the region with Germany’s only roller skating park.

Luckenwalde

I would have thought that Luckenwalde is also a Historical City Center of Brandenburg, but it is not an official one, despite originating in the 7^th and 8^th century. The city once had a castle, but its stones were used to build a church. The oldest structure in Luckenwalde is the 12^th century Marktturm (Market Tower), which is now the bell tower of the Johanniskirche. Because of Corona, the recently renovated pedestrian shopping zone was nearly deserted, and I was able to find myself a great spot for lunch on a sunny bench.

I had trouble finding the bike route signs in Luckenwalde, losing my way twice. The second time, a man driving on the other side of the road saw that I was confused. He pulled over to my side, put on a mask, and came over to me to ask if he could help. The kindness of people never ceases to amaze me! His directions were fabulous and I was well on my way again.

The Villages

When I got to Frankenförde, my guidebook and the road signs differed. I followed the signs instead of the red polka dots in the guide book, which added an extra 4 kilometers to my already long day. The detour to Felgentreu was also on a road, but an unfrequented one, and the distance to Zülichendorf was on a bike path next to the road.

After passing through Nettgendorf, I stopped at the Bauernsee in Dobbrikow to rest and lay out in the first warm rays of spring sunshine next to the lake. The route was on the road through Rieben, which had a Hofladen and many roadside stalls selling homemade marmalade, honey, and hand-knitted wool socks. The map showed that the trail continues on the road to Beelitz, so I was really confused when I entered the woods on an old cobbled street. The next 4 kilometers were the bumpiest and most frustrating on the entire Historische Stadtkerne Brandenburg 4 route. Occasionally the horrible cobblestones were covered in thick drifts of Brandenburg sand, making riding impossible so that I had to push my bike along. At the end, I emerged appropriately in an asparagus field.

Beelitz

Known Germany-wide for their asparagus production (Germans are as crazy about Spargel as they are about Bier), Beelitz entered into the asparagus industry in 1861. The vegetable was so precious that it had the name “King’s vegetable” as well as other monikers like “edible ivory” and “spring scent.” The old town is tiny, but worth seeing are the Spargel Museum (yes, a museum about asparagus!), Alten Posthalterei, St. Marien and St. Nikolai churches, and the Bockwindmühle.

Beelitz-Heilstätten

At this point I was getting fairly tired, but still had a while to go to reach Potsdam. The trail passes army barracks just before Beelitz-Heilstätten, location of the region’s biggest hospital at the time that it was built. Later it became a lung hospital due to the ubiquity of tuberculosis at the time. Then it transformed to serve as a lazaret for various armies. Today, much of the monument status area is empty, but several buildings still serve as a clinic.

Return to Potsdam

Over some hills and through the woods, the trail took me to Ferch on the edge of the Schwielowsee. From here to Potsdam there were views of Schwielowsee and Templiner See while the trail switched back and forth from bike path to sharing the road with cars. This section is quite popular for biking, running, and walking. Passing through Caputh, you’ll need to make a detour to see the castle and Einstein’s House (which we did on the final leg of the 66 Lakes Trail). Before I knew it, I was back at the main station in Potsdam, where the Historic City Centers of Brandenburg 4 began.

Conclusion

I, incorrectly, had low expectations for the Historische Stadtkerne Brandenburg 4 Bike Trail. Nearly all of the trail is on bike-friendly surfaces. There were tons of interesting villages, cities, and landscapes along the way. This trail is really special because it allows you to see a lot of Brandenburg which is inaccessible (or at best inconvenient) via public transportation. I am looking forward to completing the other loops of the Historic City Centers of Brandenburg Bike Trail soon 🙂

Practicalities:

In terms of accommodations, there should be no problem (outside of Corona times) to find somewhere to stay in a hotel, Ferienwohnung, or other. I only specifically noticed campsites two or three times along the trail, but would expect there to be enough options a bit off route. At least once per section there is a larger town with a supermarket and drugstore as well as restaurant options, which can also be found in smaller villages. Bike repair shops are often only available in larger towns like Potsdam, Brandenburg, Werder, Ziesar, etc.

Train Stations

In addition to the stations below, there are also train stations in: Werder, Kirschmöser Dorf, Wüsterwitz, Wiesenburg (4 km from the trail), Altes Lager, Niedergörsdorf, Beelitz, Beelitz-Heilstätten, and Caputh. You can design your journey for any need and level of fitness. Below are two suggestions for completing the trail in 4 and 5 days.

Complete the trail in 4 days:

1: Potsdam to Brandenburg – 65 km
2: Brandenburg to Bad Belzig – 72 km
3: Bad Belzig to Jüterbog – 83 km
4: Jüterbog to Potsdam – 90 km

Complete the trail in 5 days:

1: Potsdam to Brandenburg – 65 km
2: Brandenburg to Bad Belzig – 72 km
3: Bad Belzig to Treuenbriezten – 50 km
4: Treuenbrietzen to Luckenwalde – 70 km
5: Luckenwalde to Potsdam – 50 km

I planned and guided my journey with the Historische Stadtkerne im Land Brandenburg 2 guidebook from Bikeline.