Gerdau brings together architectural history, the Gerdau Valley and different ways to explore the landscape. St. Michaelis stands in the town center; in Bohlsen, hiking, cycling and water touring offer different perspectives. This makes it possible to combine a specific historic building with activities on foot, by bike or on the water. Culture and landscape are two distinct focal points for planning a trip.
St. Michaelis: Architectural history in the town center
St. Michaelis stands in the center of Gerdau. In September 2025, the Uelzen church district described it as a pilgrim and cycling church. A bicycle repair station was part of the visitor services in September 2025; check whether it is currently available before setting off on a bike ride.
The oldest part of the church is the rectangular nave. Its fieldstone walls probably date from the 13th and 14th centuries. St. Michaelis was built on the foundations of a Gothic brick church and renovated in 1890. Two paintings by church painter Rudolf Schäfer are among its notable features. Together, these details reveal different historical layers: the probably medieval core, a Gothic predecessor church and a later renovation.
Hiking, cycling and paddling near Bohlsen
Bohlsen is a rest stop for cyclists and waterway travelers, and has a canoe launch site. The Golddörfer hiking trail also passes through the village. This makes Bohlsen appealing for different ways of getting around: the hiking trail explores the village on foot, while the rest stop and canoe launch draw attention to cycling and water touring.
The 16-kilometer Gerdau Tour runs from GroĂź SĂĽstedt to Uelzen via Gerdau, Bohlsen, Hansen, Holdenstedt and VeerĂźen. For paddling, the Gerdau canoe route is suitable for solo paddlers, small groups and light boats. The Gerdau Tour is defined by its length and route, while the canoe route is defined by group size and type of boat. You can therefore consider the excursions according to your preferred way of getting around, without treating the routes as one combined trail.
The Gerdau Valley and mill products
The villages in the municipality of Gerdau lie in the Gerdau Valley; the Gerdau is considered a clean heathland waterway that has been preserved in a natural state. The landscape around Gerdau is also considered gently rolling, with forests and open heathland. Alongside the routes, the landscape also shapes the character of the destination.
The mill shop at Bohlsener Mühle sells the mill’s products on site. This adds a tangible connection to local products to the themes of landscape and culture. Together with Bohlsen’s rest stop and local routes, this creates a distinct focal point in the municipality, separate from the architectural history of centrally located St. Michaelis.
Another cultural highlight in the Uelzen destination
In the wider Uelzen destination, the Hösseringen Museum Village offers a different perspective on architectural and everyday history: 25 historic buildings are arranged there as a typical clustered village, and exhibitions explore rural life over the past 400 years. While St. Michaelis focuses on the construction phases and furnishings of a single religious building, Hösseringen is about a rural settlement pattern and ways of life across several centuries.
Discover more destinations: Suderburg, BienenbĂĽttel, Suhlendorf, Barum, Uelzen, Hanstedt, Altenmedingen, Eimke
Go to the wider travel overview: Uelzen.
