Quitzöbel lies on the Elbe and Havel rivers. The inland dune adds a completely different type of landscape to the riverside setting. The village churches in Legde, Quitzöbel, Roddan and Lennewitz also tell different stories of architectural history. When choosing Legde/Quitzöbel as a travel destination, the natural landscape and local history can be two distinct focal points whose details can be compared.
Riverside location and inland dune
The Quitzöbel Inland Dune nature stop in the Elbe River Landscape Biosphere Reserve showcases this unusual landform. The large open inland dune in the Quitzöbel dune area provides a habitat for strictly protected sand lizards, woodlarks and European nightjars. There are also gnarled pines on the inland dune; specialist species find a habitat here too. The Quitzöbel Dune Area Special Area of Conservation covers 142.9 hectares and lies southeast of Quitzöbel. It includes open inland dunes, dune-site woodlands and several bodies of water. This area figure refers to the entire protected area, not just the large open dune.
As of 15 August 2026, the viewing platform at the inland dune had been dismantled because of its poor condition; another place to rest was planned. If you are planning to take a break there, check the current status before your visit.
Village churches and their architectural history
The village church in Quitzöbel retains structural elements dating from around 1520; the south side and tower, however, date from the 1876 renovation. Its furnishings include an early 18th-century altar by Heinrich Joachim Schultze from Havelberg and the largely unchanged 1855 organ, built by Friedrich Hermann Lütkemüller in Wittstock.
The village church in Legde is a late Gothic, single-nave brick church dating from the early 16th century. It has a broad west tower and incorporates an older, two-bay chapel. It also features a richly carved pulpit altar from the early 18th century. A pulpit altar combines the pulpit and altar in a single furnishing; in the church at Legde, this type can therefore be understood as part of the historic furnishings.
The church in Roddan is a timber-framed successor building with exposed brick infill, dating from 1680. Its furnishings include a standing baptismal angel from the first half of the 18th century and a richly carved altarpiece from 1712, probably created by Heinrich Joachim Schultz from Havelberg. An altarpiece is the decorated structure forming part of an altar; the attribution to Schultz is explicitly considered probable.
The village church in Lennewitz adds a rural Heimatstil element to the architectural history: it was completed by 1910 to plans by the architect Georg Büttner. Its stained-glass windows depict Christian scenes and regional religious history, as well as the coats of arms of Lennewitz farming families. The architectural and artistic details that can be compared across the churches thus range from late Gothic brickwork to a building from the early 20th century.
Local history across different periods
Quitzöbel was first mentioned in 1310. The von Quitzow family had been based at Quitzöbel Castle since at least the early 15th century. These details refer to two different historical points: the town’s first mention and the family’s residence at the castle.
Cycling routes in the Prignitz region
Several long-distance and regional cycle routes pass through or near the Quitzöbel dune area in the wider Prignitz travel region. These include the Elbe Cycle Route, the Elbe–Müritz Cycle Route, the Tour Brandenburg and the Bischofstour. For nature stops in the biosphere reserve, cycling is the best way to get around; Prignitz junction signposts lead directly to the stops along signposted routes.
For the wider travel overview: Bad Wilsnack/Weisen.
