Teltow: Old Town, Turnips and Historic Routes

Old Town and Local History

Teltow’s old town is one of the few Märkisch agricultural towns in the area around Berlin that has survived almost completely intact. This makes the old town itself—not just a single building—an important point of historical interest. If you’d like to explore the town’s history, you can take in the place as a whole and then delve deeper into specific topics at the museum.

The Teltow City Local History Museum documents the town’s history as well as the lives, work and leisure activities of earlier generations. A scale model illustrates the history of the town; the museum also depicts domestic life and traditional crafts from past centuries. These offer different perspectives: the model focuses on the town, while the displays on domestic life and crafts provide insights into earlier ways of living and working.

Architecture and Historic Traces

St Andrew’s Church offers a specific point of interest for architecture enthusiasts. Following the town fire of 1801, its interior was redesigned in a Neo-Gothic style with a Classical influence, in accordance with the plans of Prussian architect Karl-Friedrich Schinkel. The nave was given a flat ceiling. The combination of these two stylistic influences and this architectural detail offer a distinctive perspective on the church’s history.

Another trace of the past can be found at the Old Rectory, where historically significant archaeological finds include an old oven. Along with the topics explored at the local history museum and church, this site adds a tangible glimpse into the living conditions of earlier times.

Teltow turnip: a regional speciality

The Teltow turnip is a Brandenburg speciality known well beyond the region and grown specifically in Teltow. It is noted for its piquant flavour and is harvested from October onwards. It is also used in regional restaurants and private households. The harvest period can help you plan your trip: a visit from October onwards falls within the stated harvest season, though this does not imply that any particular culinary offerings will be available.

Pilgrimage Routes and the Berlin Wall Trail

Teltow lies on the Via Imperii Way of St James, a rediscovered medieval trade route. The town is also on the Brandenburg Way of St James from Berlin to Teltow to Leipzig, which is designated as a separate section. This distinction helps put the two routes into context: the Via Imperii is presented as a historic trade route, while the Brandenburg Way of St James is identified as a separate section linking Berlin, Teltow and Leipzig.

A town notice dated 30 June 2026 describes a refurbished section of the Berlin Wall Trail, around two kilometres long, between Japaneck and Lichterfelder Allee. It runs along the former inner German border and connects the Berlin borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf with the Brandenburg town of Teltow. The section brings history to life for visitors and also provides an open space for relaxation and socialising, including at the Cherry Blossom Avenue. Alongside the pilgrimage connection, another historical context takes centre stage: the former border.

Teltow Canal and Town Harbour

Today, the Teltow Canal is a recreational area with numerous industrial monuments to discover. Recreation and industrial history sit side by side here. The town harbour offers a different point of interest: it is close to Teltow’s old town and has, among other facilities, 39 boat moorings, a harbourmaster’s office and a restaurant. Recreation and industrial monuments shape the canal; at the town harbour, the moorings and the facilities mentioned are its defining features.

Discover more destinations: Wollin, Havelsee, Niemegk, Groß Briesen, Nuthetal, Ziesar, Groß Kreutz, Klein Briesen

See the main travel overview: Potsdam-Mittelmark.