Rietz-Neuendorf between the Spree, forests and village churches

Rietz-Neuendorf is a rural municipality with 14 districts and an area of 184.81 square kilometres. Its size and layout provide the setting for a trip with a choice of different focal points: the Spree and forests, nature watching, or village churches with specific historical details. When looking for a hotel, you can first decide which of these aspects you would like to focus on during your stay.

Water and forest landscapes in the districts

Neubrück is largely surrounded by water, and the Spree flows through the district. Along the road to Neubrück, carp ponds covering an area of about 44 hectares lie on both sides of the main road. The ponds and the Spree create contrasting landscapes: the ponds along the road on one hand, and the river flowing through Neubrück on the other.

In Drahendorf, a holiday settlement with bungalows lies on the banks of the Spree, among deciduous and coniferous trees. The Oder-Spree Canal and the Kersdorf lock are not far from Drahendorf. Lake Herzberg, near Herzberg, is a place to relax and unwind. In the area around Buckow, two protected landscape areas lie along the road to Lindenberg. They are home to protected small animals, some of which are endangered.

Sauen offers a different perspective on the forest: a forestry ecology experiment transformed a poor pine monoculture into a species-rich forest with high stability and resilience in a short time. Over the past 60 years, excursion groups from six continents have visited the forest in Sauen.

Village churches with traces of their own histories

Herzberg Church houses historic objects that are protected as monuments. These include a silver-gilt chalice from the first half of the 16th century and a brass baptismal bowl dated 1668. The two objects point to different periods in the village’s history: the chalice dates from the first half of the 16th century, while the baptismal bowl bears a specific year.

Neubrück Church was solemnly consecrated on 15 May 1955. Its half-timbered extension on the transept was renovated in 2018. The dates mark different events: 1955 for the consecration of the church, and 2018 for the renovation of the extension. In Buckow, both the church and the Slavic rampart next to it are protected as monuments.

Birkholz Church also brings together different timescales. It has medieval origins, and its entrance features a door fitted with wrought-iron bands that is about 300 years old. The church’s long history and the approximate age of a specific building component can thus be seen side by side.

Nature watching and reasons to visit

In Birkholz, visitors can observe fallow deer, red deer and other animal species in an ecologically managed wildlife enclosure. With its nature-park character, Gut Hirschaue in Birkholz is a local recreational destination and offers guided tours of the enclosures. Before visiting, check the current visitor arrangements and guided tour options.

The topics described offer different focal points for planning your trip: water and forests, protected landscapes, wildlife watching and architectural history. If you would like to focus on a particular destination, you can choose a district based on these differences and check suitable visitor arrangements in advance.

Discover more destinations: Glienicke, Selchow, Spreenhagen, Diensdorf-Radlow, Eisenhüttenstadt, Tauche, Woltersdorf, Grunow

Go to the overview of the wider region: Oder-Spree.