Retzow: Church and route through the town centre

For a stay in Retzow, the church and a route through the green town centre offer two specific local points of interest. Together, they give the choice of location both a historical and an everyday connection. The broader travel destination of Havelland complements these local attractions with other nature, cycling and cultural themes.

Church and local history in Retzow

Retzow Church is a brick building dating from around 1500. Inside are very old bells, including one from the Middle Ages. At the entrance to the church grounds in Retzow stand Classicist grave steles belonging to prominent noble families from the town. The construction style, approximate date, bells and grave steles offer different perspectives on local history.

If you are interested in architecture and local history, the church offers a clearly defined theme to consider when choosing your stay. The brick building and the Classicist steles each make their own impression; the medieval bell adds another perspective on the interior fittings. This makes it possible to distinguish several historical details in Retzow without reducing them to a single construction period.

A route through the green town centre

A route leads from the village pond through Retzow’s green town centre, past another small pond and a roundel with seating. The church represents architectural history, while the route draws attention to its course through the town, as well as to ponds and seating. If you are weighing up different local attractions as you plan your trip, these two themes offer a clear choice between a historic building and a green town centre.

Havelland as a broader travel destination

In the broader travel destination of Havelland, a nature trail around 1.5 kilometres long on the southern shore of Lake Gülpe invites visitors to observe birds, with illustrated information panels along the way. During spring and autumn bird migrations, up to 100,000 geese and hundreds of cranes gather there, along with numerous waders, ducks and grey herons. The seasonal focus on spring and autumn is a specific point to consider if you would also like to plan your trip around wildlife observation.

For cycling in Havelland, the numbered junction signposting makes it possible to put together individual cycling routes. The Havelland Cycle Route offers a different way to find your bearings: it passes through the Havelländisches Luch via Nauen, Ribbeck and Rathenow, ending at the Westhavelland Nature and Star Park. The route is mostly paved, flat and pleasant to ride. This presents two different approaches: an individual route using the junctions, or following the signposted cycle route.

Culture and landscape in the region

The Westhavelland Nature Park Centre brings the lowland landscape, the renaturalisation of the Lower Havel, Germany’s last great bustards and Germany’s first Star Park to life for visitors of all ages. In Stölln, the Lilienthal Centre presents a Lilienthal exhibition of national significance. The Lilienthal Trail links the centre with the IL 62 “Lady Agnes” at the foot of the Gollenberg.

At Ribbeck Castle, the Fontane Museum uses modern museum technology to present connections between Theodor Fontane, his century, Ribbeck and the castle’s architectural history. It opened on 1 May 2019. Ribbeck Castle also serves as a tourist information point for the Havelland travel region. You can find other cultural and historical attractions in Kleßen, where the Havelland Toy Museum displays toys from 150 years of childhood, and in Großderschau: there, the Colonist Church was built in 1785 by order of Frederick II, following the completion of drainage works. It is the only church the king had built for the colonists.

Leisure activities in the broader Havelland region also vary considerably: you can explore the region by canoe on the Havel; at Rathenow’s Optikpark, attractions include climbing towers, a barefoot trail and a large inflatable jumping pillow. Raft trips are also offered there on a nearby old branch of the Havel. Milow’s natural swimming area has a wide sandy beach and is located on the edge of the “Untere Havel Süd” nature reserve in the Westhavelland Nature and Star Park.

When searching for hotels in Retzow, you can first consider whether the church and the route through the town centre should be your main local attractions. The nature, cycling and cultural themes in the broader Havelland region offer another point of reference for planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Stechow-Ferchesar, Nennhausen, Premnitz, Börnicke, Märkisch Luch, Kotzen, Milower Land, Falkensee

Go to the broader travel overview: Havelland.