Schwante combines local history with outdoor art and a strong baking tradition. The village church, the Schlossgut Schwante sculpture park and the baking days on the village green offer a variety of cultural highlights. You can also explore the countryside around MĂĽhlensee on foot. Make architectural history, art, baking or a hike the focus of your stay.
Village Church and Local History
Schwante Village Church is a small Baroque hall church dating from 1780. Its Baroque interior includes a horseshoe gallery, a patron’s box and pews. A triumphal crucifix from the mid-15th century adds a considerably older furnishing to this more recent architectural history.
Kulturschmiede Schwante is also one of the oldest buildings in the village and is now used for cultural events. Check which programmes are currently taking place before your trip. The vaulted cellars of today’s Schwante Castle are evidence of an earlier building known as the “Feste Haus” (“fortified house”).
Sculptures at Schlossgut Schwante
The sculpture park is the centrepiece of Schlossgut Schwante. It covers 15 hectares and features 30 works by national and international artists. Notable examples include Tony Cragg, Hans Arp, Maria Loboda, Leiko Ikemura and Ai Weiwei. Visitors can experience 23 outdoor sculptures in the “Sculpture & Nature” exhibition. As the exhibition may change, check what is currently on view before visiting.
There are different cultural highlights to choose from: at the village church, you can explore its architectural style and historic interior; the sculpture park focuses on works of art in an outdoor setting.
Baking Days and Regional Produce
Schwante is shaped by a long tradition of fruit and vegetable growing. Baking days are held every Friday and Saturday at the wood-fired oven on the village green, where sourdough, bacon and herb breads are baked. Check the current baking calendar before you arrive. Visitors from the surrounding area can also put their own baking tray of cake in the oven; check the current arrangements in person beforehand.
The farm shop in the brick building at Schlossgut Schwante sells homemade jams, house-pressed apple juice, spirits, meringues and apple biscuits. The baking days and the farm shop offer different ways to explore the culinary side of the village.
Walking around MĂĽhlensee
You can explore the countryside around MĂĽhlensee on foot and visit local attractions along the way. The MĂĽhlensee circular trail is not marked, but there are information boards along the route. Hiking with a GPS track is recommended for navigation. Bear this in mind when planning your walk rather than relying on trail markers. A wide, accessible wooden boardwalk crosses the water.
At the southern end of Mühlensee is a vineyard where wine was grown until the 19th century. This historical detail adds information about the area’s former use to your exploration of Mühlensee.
The Wider Destination of Oberkrämer
For a broader regional overview, you can also consider the wider destination of Oberkrämer. Regional train RB55 runs via Kremmen, Schwante, Vehlefanz, Bärenklau, Velten and Hennigsdorf, and back. Check the current timetable with the operator. In Vehlefanz, the Oberkrämer Citizens’ and Tourist Information Office offers information about the districts and surrounding area, regional cycling and hiking maps, books, local histories and excursion recommendations.
For the wider travel overview: Oberkrämer.
