Discover Ruhlsdorf

Ruhlsdorf brings several distinct themes into focus: the fieldstone church, the oldest surviving building; the German Pig Museum; and the Röthepfuhl, a place for local recreation.

Fieldstone Church: Construction and Historical Details

The Ruhlsdorf Fieldstone Church is the oldest surviving building in the town. Its fieldstone construction and dressed granite blocks undoubtedly point to the mid-13th century. At the same time, the church contains Romanesque and early Gothic elements. Fieldstone construction describes the building material, while the dressed granite blocks are individual worked stones. Romanesque and early Gothic elements, by contrast, refer to architectural styles and offer a different perspective alongside the dating. Remnants of medieval wall paintings and three consecration crosses have been preserved inside the church; the pulpit dates from 1594. Consecration crosses are associated with the church’s consecration, while the pulpit, as the place where sermons are delivered, represents a different type of church furnishing. The date of the pulpit provides a distinct chronological marker alongside the dating of the building based on its construction.

Pig Museum: A Thematic Focus

The German Pig Museum in Ruhlsdorf offers a different focus. More than 2,500 exhibits cover pig breeding, domestication and food production. Domestication refers to the process by which an animal becomes a domestic animal; together with breeding and food production, these topics span the journey from livestock to the use of its products. Unlike the church, the focus here is not on architectural history, but on a subject area comprising three related themes. If you distinguish between the cultural highlights according to your interests, the church offers architecture and religious furnishings, while the museum explores the history of keeping and using pigs.

Ice Cellar: Form and Dating

The Ruhlsdorf ice cellar adds a differently shaped structure to the architectural history. It is a circular ice chamber with a diameter of three meters and a domed vault, and probably dates from the 18th century. The three-meter diameter gives its measurement; the domed vault describes the shape of the room’s ceiling. Its dating is also less certain than that of the fieldstone church: the church’s construction and dressed granite blocks undoubtedly point to the mid-13th century, whereas the ice cellar probably dates from the 18th century.

Röthepfuhl: Nature and Local Recreation

At the Ruhlsdorf Röthepfuhl, the focus shifts from history and exhibitions to nature and local recreation. The pond is a place for local recreation, where you can explore Teltow’s natural side. Improvements completed at the end of 2023 included two large reclining benches, one of them a custom-made swivel bench, two fixed benches with waste bins, and a table-tennis table. This means the site has specific facilities alongside its nature and recreation offerings. As the facilities may change, check the latest information when making specific plans.

Discover more destinations: Berlin-Reinickendorf, Weißensee, Velten, Bohnsdorf, Kladow, Berlin, Grünau, Pankow

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