You can explore Nauen’s history on foot: the town centre is easy to get around on foot, and almost the entire historic Old Town has been preserved. As you walk along the cobbled streets, you’ll encounter different sides of the town: grand Wilhelminian-era buildings line the main streets, while smaller farmhouses line the side streets.
Brick Gothic and Nauen’s history
The Protestant Church of St. Jacobi stands in the town centre on Martin-Luther-Platz. This three-aisled hall church is built in the Brick Gothic style and was constructed from red bricks in the Late Gothic period. The Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul, on the edge of the Old Town, offers a different architectural accent: this cruciform brick basilica was built in 1905/06 in the Romanesque Revival style, to a design by Berlin architect Josef Welz. Anyone interested in architectural history can see two churches from different periods and with distinct architectural forms.
The broadcasting station is also part of Nauen’s history: it has been in operation for over 100 years and is considered the world’s oldest surviving broadcasting facility. Together with the churches and the preserved Old Town, it represents a range of local history stretching from historic architecture to broadcasting technology.
Ribbeck: village ensemble and connections to Fontane
Ribbeck is a district of Nauen where several cultural themes come together in one place. The historic ensemble around the village centre includes the castle, church, famous pear tree, Old School and rectory garden. The newly redesigned Fontane Museum opened at Ribbeck Castle in 2019 to mark the 200th birthday of Theodor Fontane. Using modern museum technology, it presents connections between Fontane, his era, Ribbeck and the architectural history of the castle.
The Old School features a fully furnished historic classroom. The rectory garden includes an orchard meadow, covered walkways, herb beds, flowers, a garden for gathering, and a children’s play garden. A signposted historic trail leads around the village green and references the year 1889. These stops offer different ways to shape your visit: the museum and castle history, the historic classroom, or the village centre with its gardens and pear tree.
Routes, the municipal swimming pool and seasonal events
Nauen town centre is accessible by public transport, and the town centre can be explored on foot. The section of the Havelland Cycle Route between Nauen and Ribbeck is well developed and signposted. The Esel-Erlebnishof & Naturgarten Nauen is within walking distance of Nauen station and right next to the Havelland Cycle Route.
The facilities at Nauen’s municipal swimming pool include a sunbathing lawn with shade trees, a swimming pool, a non-swimmer pool with a water slide, and a two-level paddling pool with water features for children. If you plan a day at the pool, you can make it a separate activity alongside the Old Town and cultural attractions.
Events also add seasonal highlights. The Ribbecker Sommernacht is an annual cultural event. The Hofweihnacht takes place in the run-up to Christmas, while the Laternenfest is held in the warmer months. Check the latest dates before your trip, as event programmes may change.
Finding a hotel and exploring the region
If you’re looking for a hotel in Nauen, start by choosing according to your preferred focus: the Old Town and churches in the town centre, or culture in Ribbeck.
The broader Havelland destination offers a regional perspective via the Havelland Cycle Route: it runs through the Havelländisches Luch via Nauen, Ribbeck and Rathenow to the Westhavelland Nature and Star Park. The route is mostly paved, flat and pleasant to ride. On the southern shore of Lake Gülper See in the Havelland, a roughly 1.5-kilometre nature trail with illustrated information boards invites visitors to watch birds. During spring and autumn migration, up to 100,000 geese and hundreds of cranes gather there, along with numerous wading birds, ducks and great egrets. These regional nature and cycling themes complement Nauen’s urban culture without attributing features of other places to it.
Discover more destinations: Ribbeck, Milower Land, Wassersuppe, Wustermark, Dallgow-Döberitz, Retzow, Semlin, Rhinow.
Go to the regional travel overview: Havelland.
