In Am Mellensee, travelers can explore the history of technology and transport through several specific sites: the Zossen-Mellensee Heritage Railway, the Kummersdorf Historical and Technical Museum and the barn windmill in Saalow. These subjects are quite distinct. You might be interested in a former railway line, the development of an army testing facility, or the interplay between mill construction and technology.
Railways and the Kummersdorf testing facility
The Zossen-Mellensee Heritage Railway has a heritage station in Mellensee and runs along the tracks of the former Royal Prussian Military Railway through the Baruth glacial valley in the Fläming region. This brings both a direct connection to Mellensee and a historically significant railway line into focus. For anyone interested in transport history, this site connects the station with the route of the former military railway.
The Kummersdorf Historical and Technical Museum offers a different perspective. Its permanent exhibition traces the development of the army testing facility from 1875 to the present day. The museum also includes an outdoor area and guided tours of the former firing range, offered by the wider Teltow-Fläming destination by prior arrangement. If you plan to take a tour, allow for the required advance booking and arrange the date beforehand.
The barn windmill in Saalow
The Schubert barn windmill stands in Saalow, a district of Am Mellensee, and is unique of its kind worldwide. Its distinctive design is evident in its construction: the sails are built into the mill structure, and the half-timbered building forms a single unit with the milling machinery. Here, architecture and technology are not separate subjects but are combined in one structure.
This also sets the mill apart from the permanent exhibition in Kummersdorf in terms of how visitors can explore it: the exhibition covers the development of an institution over a long period, while in Saalow the focus is on the building’s structural integration with the milling machinery. Anyone who enjoys exploring the history of technology through a specific building will find a distinctive point of interest here.
A broader look at Teltow-Fläming
The wider Teltow-Fläming destination also offers examples that highlight other aspects of technology and craftsmanship. The Baruther Glashütte settlement is a monument of European significance. It has a living glass museum with a working furnace, and traditional workshops produce one-off pieces and small batches. This adds a distinct insight into glassmaking and craft production across the wider destination to the history of milling and transport in Am Mellensee.
Choose a focus for your stay
When planning your visit, you can first decide which subject interests you most: the former military railway, the exhibition and outdoor area in Kummersdorf, or the mill’s distinctive design in Saalow. If a tour of the former firing range is part of your plans, remember that you need to book in advance.
Discover more destinations: Woltersdorf, Baruth/Mark, Ihlow, Dahme/Mark, Trebbin, GroĂźbeeren, Gottsdorf, Siethen
Go to the overview of the wider destination: Teltow-Fläming.
