Straupitz (Spreewald): Church, Mill and Granary

Straupitz (Spreewald) offers a variety of points of interest for a stay: architectural history at Schinkel Church, the Dutch windmill, a local history exhibition in the granary, and hiking and cycling tours. The Florentine Oak and the history of the former Spreewald Railway are also among the town’s points of interest. The following stops will help you get a sense of the local highlights and plan your stay around your interests in culture, nature or tours.

Architectural History and Milling Traditions

The granary in Straupitz is part of the castle grounds and lies between Schinkel Church and Straupitz Castle. The Straupitz Granary Friends’ Association runs a local history exhibition and a café there. The building thus combines local history with a café. Check before your visit whether the café and exhibition are currently open.

Various stages in the architectural history of Schinkel Church can be distinguished. Planning began in 1826. Karl Friedrich Schinkel was asked to prepare a design on October 28 and sent it on November 12. The church was consecrated on August 5, 1832. Its two towers are a landmark in the Spreewald and can be seen from well beyond Straupitz. The history of the design and the consecration are historical milestones alongside the church’s enduring prominence as a landmark visible from afar.

The Dutch windmill in Straupitz is Europe’s last operational triple windmill. Its operating status may change; check its current status before visiting. The Florentine Oak, also called Florentine, offers a different point of interest: it is a dead pedunculate oak in the Byttnahain near Straupitz and is registered as a natural monument. Together, the mill and the oak show the variety of local attractions, from technical heritage to a designated natural monument.

Tours and Traces of the Spreewald Railway

Hiking and cycling tours offered in and around Straupitz start at the tourist information office on Kirchstraße. Guided tours can also be booked. Hiking and cycling are the two stated ways to explore the town and its surroundings on tours; the tourist information office is given as their shared starting point. Contact the local visitor information service for current arrangements.

The metre-gauge Spreewald Railway is part of the history of the wider travel region. It carried passengers from 1898 to 1970, with Straupitz as its operating hub. Routes from there led to Lübben, Goyatz, Lieberose and Cottbus. These dates provide a clear historical context for the railway, specifying both the period of passenger service and Straupitz’s role in the network. At the former Straupitz station, the Spreewald Railway Interest Group is building an exhibition featuring many original railcars. The project is under development.

Dahme-Spreewald as a Wider Travel Region

The wider destination of Dahme-Spreewald includes the Dahme Lake District and the Spreewald as part of a travel region in the district of Dahme-Spreewald, which encompasses scenic, historical and cultural attractions. For cyclists, the wider district is also worth exploring alongside local tours: more than 1,000 kilometres of well-developed, fully signposted cycle paths link landscapes and destinations in the Spreewald and the Dahme Lake District. Check route conditions before setting out on a cycling tour.

Another scenic feature of the wider destination is the “Dahme-Heideseen” Nature Park. It lies in the districts of Dahme-Spreewald and Oder-Spree and includes more than 100 lakes. These regional details describe the wider setting, while the church, mill, granary and tours are the specific points of interest in Straupitz. This allows you to distinguish between local history and a broader view of the landscape and travel region when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Mittenwalde, Alt Zauche-Wußwerk, Neuendorf Am See, Schwerin, Jamlitz, Eichwalde, Halbe, Schlepzig.

View the wider travel overview: Dahme-Spreewald.