Oberhavel offers a wide range of discoveries: from an important Baroque palace to an industrial heritage site on the Havel and trails through the countryside. Cultural history and nature can be experienced not only at major attractions, but also in exhibitions, collections and special activities.
Castle History and Exhibitions
Oranienburg Palace is the oldest Baroque palace in the Margraviate of Brandenburg. The palace museum displays famous works of art from the 17th century, as well as a unique silver chamber and a remarkable porcelain chamber. The Oberhavel Regional Museum offers a distinct perspective on the history of the palace: one exhibition room is devoted exclusively to it, tracing its history from the Ascanian castle built around 1200 to its present-day use.
The Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum in Oranienburg offers a different historical focus. Its 13 smaller permanent exhibitions provide information about various aspects of the site's history; the museum is also a modern museum of contemporary history. The memorial and museum are about a 20-minute walk from Oranienburg station. Check access information again before your trip.
Oranienburg Palace Park offers another reason to visit: children can enjoy a large play area with climbing rocks, bouncy cushions, trampolines, swings, slacklines and a playhouse. The water play area includes a mud track and spray features, as well as an eight-metre-long play whale and water-spouting volcanoes. The water features are seasonal; facilities and operating arrangements may change. It is therefore a good idea to check the latest information before your visit.
Industrial Heritage on the Havel
Mildenberg Brickworks Park is an industrial heritage site surrounded by nature, in the heart of the Zehdenick clay-pit landscape, right on the Havel. One of the special experiences here is driving a locomotive: visitors can earn a brickworks railway driving licence and drive a real diesel locomotive for half an hour. The instruction covers starting, braking and changing points. The activity is seasonal; check dates and booking conditions in advance.
Discover Nature and Get Out and About
About 260 km² of the Uckermark Lakes Nature Park lie in Oberhavel. Fürstenberg, Zehdenick and Mildenberg are among the places that fall within the nature park. The Stechlin Nature Reserve was shaped by features created during the Weichselian glaciation and is considered the area with the most bodies of water in the state of Brandenburg. At the Stechlin Nature Park House, you can visit an interactive exhibition about the special features of the Stechlin-Ruppiner Land Nature Park. Next to the building, a sensory garden with herbs, shrubs and other plants invites you to taste, smell, touch and listen.
If you would like to combine your visit with a walk through the countryside, there are several options: the approximately 6 km forest and water trail around Lake Roofensee can complement a visit to the Nature Park House. THEOsWEG runs from Meseberg to Neuglobsow, following in Theodor Fontane's footsteps and passing places that inspired his works, including “Walks Through the Mark Brandenburg” and the novel “The Stechlin”.
The routes also vary depending on how you travel. The 66 Lakes Trail and European long-distance path E10 pass through the district of Oberhavel. The Berlin–Copenhagen long-distance cycle route runs through the town of Zehdenick. The Stechlinsee Circular Trail can be reached on the RE 5, as well as on bus routes 836 from Gransee and 839 from Fürstenberg/Havel to Neuglobsow. As timetables are subject to operational changes, check them again before travelling.
For boaters, numerous marinas and landing stages provide services in Zehdenick, Hennigsdorf, FĂĽrstenberg/Havel and at Mildenberg Brickworks Park. Regional produce is another discovery to enjoy: a farm stay in Oberhavel gives you the chance to enjoy products from local producers. Oberhavel is part of the Ruppiner Seenland tourism region; you can choose which places and experiences to focus on according to your interests.
Discover more destinations: Oranienburg, Zehdenick, Liebenwalde, Liebenberg, Hohen Neuendorf, Hennigsdorf, Birkenwerder, Gransee, Sonnenberg, Fürstenberg/Havel, Stechlin, Glienicke/Nordbahn, Mühlenbecker Land, Wesendorf, Amalienfelde, Kremmen, Löwenberger Land, Leegebruch, Oberkrämer, Zehlendorf, Großmutz, Großwoltersdorf, Schönermark.
To the overview of destinations: Brandenburg.
