Geltow: Havel Views, Hand Weaving and Local History

Geltow offers a range of ways to shape your stay: the waterside landscape, the history of the village, and the traditional craft of hand weaving. The topics that interest you most can help guide your choice of hotel in Geltow.

The Havel, Lake Schwielowsee and Waterside Views

Geltow nestles along the shallow shore where the Havel leaves Lake Schwielowsee and flows north again. From the Baumgarten Bridge, the view stretches across Lake Schwielowsee and the Havel to the silhouette of the island town of Werder (Havel). Water and landscape are closely connected here, although each of the places described offers a different waterside experience.

East of Am Wasser Street lie expansive meadows that longtime Geltow residents call “Geltow’s Siberia.” There are opportunities there to observe the local birdlife, though no particular sightings are guaranteed. The newly redesigned waterfront, which starts at Am Grashorn Street, offers a different perspective on the Havelland landscape. Benches invite you to rest, with views out over the waterside landscape.

Trails and Local History

A walk in and around Geltow leads to the Geltow Local History Museum, where the village’s 1,000-year history is presented. The museum also features a permanent exhibition about the lives and work of notable Geltow personalities. These include Baron Karl Harwig Gregor von Meusebach, Theodor Fontane and Förstemann. Geltow also has a permanent exhibition entitled “1,033 Years of Geltow.”

Among the village’s historic buildings is Geltow Village Church. Built in the Neo-Gothic style, it was put into service on December 22, 1887. The Schill Memorial Stone commemorates Major Ferdinand von Schill, the initiator of the 1809 attempt at a national uprising against Napoleonic foreign rule. Schill’s legacy has been commemorated in Geltow since the late 1980s.

The “Ear of the World” also points to a chapter in the history of technology: the site in Geltow was home to an experimental station operated by Telefunken Berlin. From there, the first radio connection with America was established between 1919 and 1930. Carl Tower stands at the highest point of Franzensberg. Built in 1870 as an observation tower, it was named after Prince Carl, the brother of Kaiser Wilhelm I. The tower is now privately owned; check whether access is possible before planning a visit.

Hand Weaving and Visitor Information

At the Henni Jaensch-Zeymer hand-weaving workshop in Geltow, visitors can watch experts at work on historic looms and learn how the looms function and how the weaving process works. The looms are 200 to 300 years old, and the workshop makes fabrics using traditional patterns. Alongside local history, the focus is on a craft whose methods can be observed and explained firsthand.

A small shop sells textiles and other handcrafted products, including HB ceramics and Lauchhammer cast art. During pre-booked group visits, participants can try weaving themselves under instruction. If this interests you, check the visitor arrangements in advance.

The Geltow Local History Association offers a historical guided tour of Geltow once a month. Visitors and residents are welcome, and no registration is required. Check the specific date before your trip. This lets you take both ways of exploring local history into account as you plan: the exhibition at the local history museum and a guided tour of Geltow.

A Wider Look at Lake Schwielowsee

The wider travel destination of Schwielowsee also offers attractions that extend beyond Geltow’s local history. In Caputh, the palace and park include a country estate with early Baroque ceiling decorations in the form of paintings and stucco work. Albert Einstein and his family lived in the summer house built by Konrad Wachsmann from 1929 to 1932.

In Ferch, the Museum of the Havelland Painters’ Colony explores the artists’ community around Lake Schwielowsee, as well as research into and documentation of the area. The Art Trail passes scenes featured in well-known landscape paintings. From the observation tower on Wietkiekenberg in Ferch, you can look out over the Havelseen lake district. The Caputh cable ferry, also known as Tussy II, connects Caputh and Geltow by water. If you plan to take the ferry, check the timetable in advance.

Discover more destinations: Rabenstein/Fläming, Ziesar, Michendorf, Radewege, Teltow, Niemegk, Petzow, Wollin

View the full travel overview: Potsdam-Mittelmark.