Nennhausen: Palace Park, Church and Fouqué’s Literary Legacy

If you are looking for a hotel in Nennhausen, you can plan your stay around your own travel interests: the town combines palace and church history with literary connections, while nearby destinations and the wider Havelland region offer opportunities for nature watching. Nennhausen is located in Westhavelland Nature Park. You can decide whether to spend most of your time exploring architectural and literary history or also discover the surrounding countryside.

Palace Park and Literary History

Nennhausen Palace was built in 1737 and is a listed heritage site. It is privately owned and used. The palace park is open to the public and laid out in the English landscape style. If your visit depends on access to the park, check its current accessibility in advance.

A walk through Nennhausen Landscape Park brings together several literary themes: ceramic portrait medallions and quotations are on display, along with figures of Undine and Effi Briest. Friedrich Baron de la Motte Fouqué, author of the fairy tale Undine, lived in Nennhausen from 1802 to 1833. The figure in the park and Fouqué’s life story provide two specific starting points for a cultural history walk.

Nennhausen Palace also hosts regular concerts and readings. Dates and programs may change, so check the latest event schedule before planning to attend. This lets you plan a walk through the park and a possible event as separate parts of your stay.

Church and Old Gardener’s House

Nennhausen Church is a rectangular, plastered hall church built of fieldstone. A large epitaph is set into its south wall. The church has a crypt that is more than 300 years old. A mummy in a zinc coffin is also on display. Visits are possible by prior telephone appointment.

The Old Gardener’s House adds a glimpse into Romanticism and Fouqué’s life in Nennhausen to this architectural history. Built around 1719, it is the oldest surviving residential building in the region. Two of its rooms house an exhibition on these subjects. The church and the gardener’s house therefore offer different points of interest: sacred architecture and historical details in one, Romanticism and literary history in the other.

Nature Nearby and in the Havelland Region

For birdwatching, the great bustard nature reserve around Buckow near Nennhausen offers opportunities in open fen meadows. The nearby Ferchesarer See also offers water sports, fishing and swimming.

In the wider Havelland travel region, the forests between Nennhausen, Stechow, Kotzen and Ferchesar are ideal for hiking, horseback riding and cycling. Wetlands, moors and sandy soils provide a setting for nature experiences on foot or by bike. The Havelländisches Luch is considered one of the last intact lowland peatland landscapes in Central Europe.

Getting There and Planning

Nennhausen has a regional train station on the Rathenow–Berlin–Cottbus line. If you plan to travel by train, check the current timetable before setting out, as service patterns may change. Two practical points to consider are access to the palace park and church, and the specific train times. You need to arrange a telephone appointment to visit the church, while it is worth checking the park’s current accessibility. This way, you can combine the cultural attractions in town with nature destinations nearby or elsewhere in the Havelland region.

Discover more destinations: Schönwalde-Glien, Semlin, Gollenberg, Börnicke, Dallgow-Döberitz, Retzow, Friesack, Ketzin.

View the broader travel guide: Havelland.