Discover Birkenwerder

Birkenwerder can be explored through two themes: nature and trails in the Briesetal, and local history found in its buildings and the local history room. When planning your stay, you can match specific hiking routes and seasonal activities to your interests. This lets you focus on landscape, outdoor activities or culture.

Briesetal: Trails through wetlands

The Briese flows through Birkenwerder, forming the Briesetal, and empties into the Havel. A trail there passes alder carrs, meadows, young plantations and wetlands. Many rare shrubs, mosses and ferns, as well as various orchids, grow in the marshy ground; the landscape is surrounded by dense deciduous and coniferous forest. A boardwalk crosses the Briese through a wetland habitat, giving hikers a dry footing. Both the natural landscape and the course of a trail are therefore defining features of the area.

In the district of Briese, the newly redesigned beach on Lake Briesesee invites visitors to swim in summer. A visit there is therefore seasonal, unlike hikes along the trails through the Briesetal. Check the beach facilities before travelling.

Hiking, cycling and activities at the forest school

A hiking trail runs between the district of Briese and the motorway bridge and is also part of the Berlin–Copenhagen long-distance cycle route. The route passes through Birkenwerder. The Havel Cycle Route is also included in the municipal tourism information: in the municipality’s view, both long-distance cycle routes are suitable for day trips from Birkenwerder. A hiking route of about 2.5 kilometres is also listed, running southeast from the Briesetal Forest School back to Birkenwerder S-Bahn station. The distance is an estimate for guidance; check the waymarking and access before setting out.

The Briesetal Forest School offers a changing programme of events. These include nature walks, slide presentations, mushroom advice, campfire storytelling evenings and craft afternoons for families. Check dates and availability before visiting. The outdoor grounds cover around 4,400 m² and are designed as a nature garden, with heathland, a pond, an inland dune and a bog. Inside the forest school, visitors can see, among other things, a forest diorama featuring taxidermied examples of native species. Alongside guided and themed activities, the designed habitats and animal displays offer other points of interest.

Local history in buildings and exhibitions

The Protestant village church in Birkenwerder was built by Friedrich August Stüler between 1847 and 1849. Together with the school and the former rectory, it is one of the listed buildings constructed from Birkenwerder clinker bricks. The former rectory is now used as a community centre. These three buildings provide different examples of local architectural history, while the history of the railway station offers another historical connection to travelling here.

The Birkenwerder local history room is located in the Clara Zetkin Memorial, Summter Straße 4, 16547 Birkenwerder. Visits are possible by telephone appointment. On display in the local history room is a living-room cabinet made by the former local furniture factory “Heim und Gerken”. The Clara Zetkin Museum in Birkenwerder may house the last personal belongings of the socialist and women’s rights activist Clara Zetkin for visitors to see. A telephone appointment is required for the local history room; also check with the museum in advance about arrangements for visits.

Getting here and finding your way

Birkenwerder can be reached from Berlin or Oranienburg on S-Bahn lines S1 and S8. Regional train R20 provides connections from Potsdam and Hennigsdorf. Check the current timetable before travelling. Birkenwerder station was inaugurated at its present location in 1924. Planning your journey thus combines practical information about train connections with a historical detail about the town.

Discover more destinations: Mühlenbecker Land, Liebenwalde, Wesendorf, Sonnenberg, Zehdenick, Glienicke/Nordbahn, Kremmen, Oranienburg.

Go to the main travel overview: Oberhavel.