Of Bishops and Indulgence Preachers

On this route, between Hoher Fläming and Brandenburg’s Havel lakes, you will encounter many old stories, not only from the times of Martin Luther. The circular route starts in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Potsdam and takes you along the Havel, lined with castles and manor houses, then via the historic centre of Werder (Havel) to the “cradle of Mark Brandenburg” in Brandenburg an der Havel. The route continues through the dense forests of Hoher Fläming with its medieval castles and churches. The castles in Bad Belzig and Ziesar in particular bear witness to the Reformation. You pass the Sabinchen town of Treuenbrietzen and reach Jüterbog, where the monastery houses the Reformation history museum, which also showcases the original indulgence letters. You then continue along Zinna monastery and through the asparagus town of Beelitz before returning to the Havel landscape of Potsdam.

Distance: 310 kilometres

Start/finish: Potsdam central station

Logo/route sign: Logo of route 4 - Historic Town Centres Cycle Routes (town silhouette)

How to get there:

• Train: Take the S7 from Berlin Zoologischer Garten to Potsdam central station (about 30 minutes).
• Car: From Berlin via the A115 and Nuthestrasse to Potsdam central station (about 45 minutes).

Route: Potsdam, Werder (Havel), Brandenburg River Havel, Ziesar, Bad Belzig, Treuenbrietzen, Jüterbog, Luckenwalde, Beelitz, Caputh, Potsdam

Points of interest/background information:

• Bad Belzig: Eisenhardt castle
• Treuenbrietzen: Local history museum in the Sabinchen town of Treuenbrietzen
• Jüterbog: Museum in the monastery
• Beelitz: The parish churches of Sankt Marien and Sankt Nicolai
• Potsdam: Sanssouci Palace, Sanssouci Park, Dutch Quarter
• Werder (Havel)
• Brandenburg and der Havel: Brandenburg Cathedral
• Ziesar: Ziesar castle, castle chapel
• Luckenwalde: Local history museum, local animal park, Mendelsohnhalle venue

Possible combinations

• European Bicycle Route R1
• Havel Cycle Path
• Tour Brandenburg

Trail conditions/surface: not specified

Maps/Literature: “Potsdam - Havelland - Fläming: Fahrradkarte. GPS-genau”, 1:70000, KOMPASS-Karten; Auflage: 3 (1. März 2016), ISBN-13: 978-3850262729, Euro 7.99