Am Mellensee: Railway, Museum and Mill

When planning your trip to Am Mellensee, three distinct themes stand out: the Zossen-Mellensee heritage railway, the permanent exhibition on the Army Research Centre in Kummersdorf, and the Schubert barn windmill in Saalow. They offer different starting points for a stay focused on railways, technology history and distinctive architecture. If you are looking for a hotel, these highlights can help you tailor your trip to your interests.

Railway history in the Baruth glacial valley

The Zossen-Mellensee heritage railway has a heritage station in Mellensee and runs along the tracks of the former Royal Prussian Military Railway through the Baruth glacial valley in the Fläming region. This brings together a specific place name and a historic route: both the former military connection and the landscape through which the tracks run are identified. For travellers interested in railway history, this combination of infrastructure history and geographical setting is a notable aspect of trip planning.

The Kummersdorf test site

The Historical-Technical Museum at the Kummersdorf test site presents the development of the Army Research Centre from 1875 to the present day in a permanent exhibition. The test site comprises a museum and an open-air area. This brings together the institution’s development over time and the site’s two-part layout, with a focus on the history of the Army Research Centre. This offers a different perspective on technology history from looking at a railway line or the design of a mill.

The barn windmill in Saalow

The Schubert barn windmill is in Saalow, a district of Am Mellensee, and is unique of its kind worldwide. Its design explains what makes it special: the wind wheels are built directly into the mill building, with the half-timbered structure and the milling machinery forming a single unit. This draws attention both to the unusual arrangement of the wind wheels and to the way the building and technology work together. For choosing what interests you, the mill offers an architectural and technical focus alongside railway and museum history.

More to explore in the wider Teltow-Fläming destination

The wider Teltow-Fläming destination offers additional cultural and sporting experiences. Guided tours of the former firing range at the Kummersdorf test site are available by prior arrangement. If you plan to join one, remember that you need to register in advance. The Baruther Glashütte settlement is a monument of European significance. It has a lively glass museum with a working furnace, and traditional workshops produce one-off pieces and small-batch items. Glassmaking and craftsmanship therefore offer a different focus from the technology-related themes in Am Mellensee.

The museum in the Mönchenkloster in Jüterbog presents regional archaeology, Reformation history and the town’s military history across three floors. Its range of topics extends from archaeology to local and religious history, setting it apart from the themes in Kummersdorf and Saalow. The wider Teltow-Fläming destination also offers guidance for cycling trips: the district has almost 600 kilometres of tourist cycling routes. The Fläming-Skate runs right by the Jüterbog skate arena and is maintained and regularly cleaned by the district. Check the route conditions before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Siethen, Niederer Fläming, Jüterbog, Jänickendorf, Werben, Woltersdorf, Seehausen, Kloster Zinna

Back to the wider travel guide: Teltow-Fläming.