Discover Gollenberg

Gollenberg is a suitable destination for travelers interested in Otto Lilienthal’s aviation history and nature. At Gollenberg, memorial sites meet paths through open oak-mixed woodland; in Stölln, the IL 62 “Lady Agnes” and the village church add a cultural dimension. When planning, the different focuses of the trails and the journey to Stölln are especially relevant: you can decide in advance whether to focus your stay more on Lilienthal, the landscape or both topics.

Lilienthal Trail: Landscape and Aviation History

The Lilienthal Trail connects the Lilienthal-Centrum in Stölln with the IL 62 “Lady Agnes” at the foot of Gollenberg. The route passes through Bürgerpark and by sculptures; the ascent leads through open oak-mixed woodland to the 108-metre-high summit. From there, views extend across the Havel lowlands. The IL 62 houses a permanent exhibition on the history of INTERFLUG. The route thus combines natural surroundings and landscape with a specific topic in aviation history.

Nature at Gollenberg

The nature trail in the Gollenberg nature reserve has a different focus: it covers native animals and plants. This lets you distinguish between a natural-history focus and the aviation connection of the Lilienthal Trail. While the nature trail explores local flora and fauna, the Lilienthal Trail passes through sections of landscape and memorial sites before reaching the exhibition in the “Lady Agnes”. This can help you decide which topics you would like to devote more time to during your stay.

Memorial Sites and the Village Church

At the summit stands the Wind Harp at Otto Lilienthal’s historic launch site; a memorial stone on the northern slope marks the site of his crash. The two places point to different moments in aviation history: the launch and the crash. The Otto Lilienthal Memorial is on Gollenberg, near Stölln village church. The church is a hall church dating from 1824, with a Renaissance epitaph altarpiece. Another memorial stone at Gollenberg commemorates Heinz-Dieter Kallbach, Peter Bley, Ulrich Müller and Rudolf Döge. Thus, the cultural perspective encompasses not only the Lilienthal sites but also the church and other memorials bearing named dedications.

The Havelland on a Larger Scale

In the Havelland, the Havelland Cycle Route runs through the Havelländisches Luch via Nauen, Ribbeck and Rathenow to the Westhavelland Nature and Star Park. The regional cycle route is mostly paved and flat. This is on a different scale from the local trails at Gollenberg: here, the focus is on a route through several named places and its cycling characteristics, while there, individual trails focus on nature and Lilienthal.

Getting to Stölln

From Berlin Central Station, you can reach the Lilienthal Trail by taking the RE4 to Rathenow and then bus 687 to Stölln, a journey of about two hours. As public transport routes and journey times can change, check the current connections before departure. Bus route 684 between Rathenow and Neustadt/Dosse serves Stölln on weekends. Note the distinction: the approximately two-hour journey from Berlin involves the RE4 and bus 687; the information about route 684 concerns a weekend stop in Stölln. For specific planning, check the timetable for your travel day.

Discover more destinations: Schönwalde-Glien, Milower Land, Stechow-Ferchesar, Premnitz, Nauen, Märkisch Luch, Rhinow, Havelaue.

View the broader travel overview: Havelland.