Anyone interested in Sonnenberg can trace its local history through two clear dates. Around 1524, Sonnenberg was an abandoned village site and held in fief by the Bredows of Rheinsberg. From 1581, the village was rebuilt. This sequence—from an abandoned village site to its later reconstruction—provides a concrete historical starting point for exploring Sonnenberg.
Historic buildings in the municipality
Historic buildings can also be found in the municipality, though not in Sonnenberg itself. The castle in Rauschendorf still stands today. After a major fire in 1922, it was rebuilt on the foundations of the old castle; its design draws on the local style of Baroque manor houses. In Baumgarten, the half-timbered church was rebuilt in 1704, and its weather vane dates from 1743. The church is open to visitors. The building in Rönnebeck is different: it is a 13th-century fieldstone church that was remodelled and partly extended in the 17th century. These sites offer three distinct points of historical interest within the municipality: a castle rebuilt after a fire, half-timbering with a dated weather vane, and a medieval fieldstone church with later alterations.
Oberhavel as a wider travel destination
Looking at the wider destination of Oberhavel offers a different perspective. Oberhavel is part of the Ruppiner Seenland tourism region. The following cultural and natural attractions belong to this regional context and are not sights in Sonnenberg itself.
Castles and contemporary history
Oranienburg Palace is the oldest Baroque palace in the March of Brandenburg. The palace museum displays famous 17th-century works of art, as well as a unique silver chamber and a remarkable porcelain chamber. One exhibition room of the Oberhavel Regional Museum in the palace is devoted exclusively to its history, from the Ascanian castle built around 1200 to its present-day use. The art and collections are thus complemented by a historical perspective on the palace as a building.
The Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum in Oranienburg focuses on a different subject. Its 13 smaller permanent exhibitions provide information about various aspects of the site’s history; the institution is also a modern museum of contemporary history. This offers another way to explore Oberhavel’s history, separate from Oranienburg’s palace and art history.
Nature and industrial heritage
The Stechlin Nature Park House features an interactive exhibition about the special features of Stechlin-Ruppiner Land Nature Park. Right next to the building, the sensory garden invites visitors to taste, smell, touch and listen to herbs, shrubs and other plants. The approximately 6 km forest and water discovery trail around Roofensee can complement a visit to the Nature Park House. Here, an exhibition, a garden for sensory exploration and a trail through forest and water come together.
The Mildenberg Brickworks Park offers a technology-focused contrast. This industrial heritage site lies in the heart of the Zehdenick clay-pit landscape, directly on the Havel. Seasonally, visitors can drive a real diesel locomotive themselves and earn a brickworks railway driving licence. The ride lasts half an hour; visitors learn how to set off, brake and change points. This activity is seasonal, so check dates and booking conditions in advance.
Discover more destinations: Hennigsdorf, Leegebruch, Liebenwalde, GroĂźwoltersdorf, Liebenberg, Zehlendorf, Oranienburg, Zehdenick.
Go to the overview of the wider destination: Oberhavel.
