A church elders’ pew dating from 1679, a castle remodelled in the neoclassical style and a landscape park with a pond give Börnicke a blend of ecclesiastical art, architecture and landscape history. Different timeframes can help you plan: church tours are offered monthly, reservations are requested for the fire station theatre, and the stork festival takes place every year in May.
Village Church and Fire Station Theatre
Börnicke Village Church preserves a church elders’ pew dating from 1679, a rarity in the region. It features depictions of the Apostles and Bible quotations. Tours of the church are offered on the first Sunday of each month, after the service, from 10 a.m. to noon. At other times, tours can be arranged by telephone at 03338 70220. If you are planning a tour, use the Sunday time slot or arrange a time by phone.
The fire station theatre has the character of a parlour theatre from around 1900. Its programme includes fairy-tale productions with puppets, staged readings, chamber music and modern jazz. It is considered the smallest theatre in Brandenburg. Due to the limited number of seats, the theatre requests reservations. Check the programme and reserve your seat for a specific visit.
Castle History and Landscape Park
Börnicke Castle was remodelled in the neoclassical style between 1909 and 1911. The patron was banker Paul von Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, who created the castle together with architect Bruno Paul. Since 1992, the castle grounds have been listed as a protected architectural and cultural monument in the State of Brandenburg’s register of listed monuments. This makes it possible to distinguish the building history from its later listing as a monument.
The castle park could only be laid out after the Eichbusch Pond was drained into the Panke towards Bernau in 1871. Börnicke’s landscape park dates from the second half of the 19th century. Its northeastern section is defined by a large pond. In the past, a network of numerous winding paths led through the park, offering changing views of the pond. These details provide different insights into the grounds’ development: the change to the water area and the former design of the path network.
Trails, Events and Regional Brewing Culture
There are two different points of reference for planning your routes. Cycling and hiking trails lead from a railway station in Bernau to Börnicke and on into the Barnimer Feldmark. A 19-kilometre section of the Way of St. James runs from Werneuchen via Börnicke and Löhme to Seefeld. It is marked with a yellow and a green bar, and in some places also with a shell as a Way of St. James symbol. Check the markings before setting out. While the routes from Bernau specify a starting point and their continuation, the Way of St. James route gives its length, course and destination towns.
The stork festival in Börnicke takes place every year in May; individual programme details may change. The association “KulturGut e. V. Börnicke” holds film screenings, workshops and Advent markets at the village pond. Alongside the annual festival, the village therefore hosts various types of events. For a specific visit, it is worth checking the dates and programme.
Brewing culture also has a direct connection to the village: the brewery of the Erste Bernauer Braugenossenschaft e. G. is located in the building of the former distillery on the estate in the Börnicke district. The “Zum Braugenossen” brewery taproom serves beers brewed on site, including “Ein Bernauer,” a pale full-bodied beer; “Kantor,” a dark lager; and “Rathaus,” a Pale Ale. The selection may vary seasonally. If you would like to try a particular variety, check the current selection before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Schönow, Lindow.
Return to the main travel overview: Bernau Bei Berlin.
