Prignitz: River Landscapes, Churches and Museums

The Elbe river landscape and its cultural history offer two distinctive ways to explore Prignitz. The Brandenburg section of the cross-state “Elbe River Landscape – Brandenburg” Biosphere Reserve covers about 53,000 hectares and lies almost entirely within Prignitz district. The protected area thus provides a broad landscape setting for nature experiences in the region.

Cycling routes, hikes and water activities

Prignitz’s designated cycling network covers 1,100 kilometres. It also includes 17 recommended cycling tours focusing on regional attractions and distinctive features. The church in Blüthen offers a concrete example of how cycling routes connect with cultural heritage: it is a cycling-friendly church, located directly on the 410-kilometre Elbe-Müritz Circular Route, which links the river and the lakes. As network details may be updated, check current route information when planning a specific tour.

You can also explore the landscape on foot. The 14-kilometre Auenwildnis circular hiking trail passes through alluvial forests in the dike relocation area. Elbe tours in Prignitz offer wildlife watching in the biosphere reserve and are intended for experienced paddlers. The BUND Visitor Centre at Lenzen Castle also offers guided canoe tours on the Löcknitz for families, adults and school groups; dates are arranged on request. The activities therefore differ both in format and target audience.

Passenger boat trips are available on lakes and on the Havel and Elbe; Prignitz also has swimming spots. Some activities may be seasonal. If you prefer to spend your time on land, cycling routes, the circular hiking trail and cultural sites offer further ways to get to know the region.

Churches, castles and regional history

Bad Wilsnack is home to the late Gothic Hallenkirche (hall church) of St. Nikolai, widely known as the Church of the Holy Blood. Inside are a wooden reliquary shrine of the Holy Blood from the 15th century, with painted folding doors, as well as medieval stained glass, considered the most important collection of its kind in Brandenburg. Plattenburg offers a different perspective on architectural history: it is the only preserved moated castle in northern Germany and gave the municipality its name. The Berlin-Wilsnack Pilgrimage Route passes through Plattenburg, and the Bishop’s Tour stops at the castle.

In Wittenberge, the 13th-century Stone Gate tells several chapters of the town’s history. Its exhibition covers its former use as a prison, the Roaring Twenties and the Elbe in Wittenberge. The “Alte Burg” town museum also traces the town’s development from a farming town to an industrial town. Its exhibits cover the production of Singer and Veritas sewing machines and the transition from wartime to the GDR.

Other museums focus on different subjects. The Pritzwalk Museum Factory devotes its permanent exhibition to industrialisation in rural areas; visitors can get hands-on in the print museum and hand-weaving workshop. Founded in 1905, the Perleberg Town and Regional Museum presents the cultural history of western Prignitz and the town, covering its main aspects from the Stone Age onwards. At Meyenburg Castle Museum, an exhibition explores the history of Prignitz in the 20th century, using the life of a local resident as its connecting thread.

Insights into village life and nature

In Blüthen, two museums present different aspects of local history. The Parsonage Museum draws on the parish archive, with records dating back to the 17th century, and the estate of Karl and Gerlinde Groß to bring to life what everyday life was once like in a Protestant parsonage. The Prignitz Village Museum displays an old classroom and products of traditional crafts. In Seddin, the prehistoric burial mounds from the Bronze Age that are visible above ground have particular value for demonstration, observation and visitor experience.

The NABU Visitor Centre in Rühstädt combines information about the white stork with a range of activities: its exhibition is called “World Traveller Adebar”, and a live broadcast shows stork chicks being fed. The programme also includes project days for school classes, holiday programmes, village tours and themed events for different age groups. For a special culinary experience, the Westprignitz Ostrich Farm offers group tours for eight or more people by prior phone arrangement, including a tasting of ostrich sausage. Check the booking arrangements and group size again before your visit.

If you are looking for a hotel in Prignitz, use the places you plan to visit to help choose where to stay. Will you focus on cycling and water activities, churches and castles, or museums? The names of the destinations can help you tailor your search to your personal travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Groß Pankow, Lenzen, Pritzwalk, Bad Wilsnack, Rühstädt, Perleberg, Wootz, Eldenburg, Mansfeld, Marienfließ, Gumtow, Plattenburg, Gerdshagen, Wittenberge, Halenbeck-Rohlsdorf, Bad Wilsnack/Weisen, Meyenburg, Lanz, Berge, Lenzerwische, Weisen.

For the main travel overview: Brandenburg.