Treetop walk “Baum & Zeit” (“Baumkronenpfad”)

More than 100 years ago, the famous hospital complex and sanatorium “Beelitzer Heilstätten” came into existence. Here, a spectacular treetop walkway (fully accessible) winds its way above the “Alpenhaus”, a Word War ruin, enabling visitors to explore the site and its extraordinary trees on the ruin's rooftop*. The site was built as a sanitarium to aid workers from the imperial capital of Berlin to recover from a rampant tuberculosis outbreak while surrounded by the finest architecture and sprawling woodland parks². During both World Wars, the Heilstätten functioned as a military hospital complex for German soldiers. From 1945 to 1994, it became the Red Army’s largest hospital outside of the motherland. After the Soviet army’s retreat, the now vacant buildings were vandalised. Today, these buildings offer a special kind of morbid charm, resembling enchanted castles, despite or maybe because they are covered with wild plants like ivy. In the course of such eventful history, many different visitors have since left behind their marks.

During a walk on the treetop trail and on a guided tour through the wooded park and preserved buildings, guests receive exciting and unique insights into the history and nature of this place, rescued from destruction. A 40-m watch tower offers unique panoramic views. A lift will conveniently take you to the top from where you have a spectacular view of the Heilstätten site, the Fläming Heath, and even Berlin.

Interesting facts and information: 
Opening date: Sept. 11, 2015
Length: 320-metre trail and 5 large viewing platforms on the tower
Maximum height: trail 23 m, tower 40 m
View: Unique views of the Beelitz-Heilstätten historic garden, building and technical monument and the enchanted wooden park landscape
Other facilities and attractions: Castle-style hospital complex; gigantic World War ruin with rooftop forest featuring a 20 metre-high treetop walk; trails through the park landscape; forest playground.
Special features: The historic complex of the “Beelitzer Heilstätten” is one of the most photographed places in Germany, and filming location for many famous films such as The Pianist, Valkyrie, Hotel Adlon, Street Dance, and others.
This is the only place in Europe where you can explore a multi-storey ruin with a 70-year-old forest growing on its roof via a treetop walk.

Food: A variety of food services with a beer garden are available in and around the pavilion at the tower and at the historic halls by the ruin; and a restaurant and beer garden outside of the central complex by the former kitchen at the entrance “Pförtner-Haus”.
Miscellaneous: A lift is available for strollers, wheelchairs, and handicapped persons.

Tips:
Children 12 and under need adult supervision when visiting the trail.

Trail will be closed due to bad weather (thunderstorms, strong winds, hail, ice etc.)
Dogs are not allowed on the treetop trail.

Botanical characteristics:

*) Rooftop forest: An exceptional botanical highlight is the forest on the rooftop of the ruin named “Baum&Zeit”. This attraction derived from the darkest hour in history of the Beelitzer Heilstätten. During the battle of the “Wenk Army” against the Red Army in 1945, the “Alpenhaus” was burnt to the ground. Rain must have pressed the uprising ashes onto the upper roof construction. Rich in minerals, the top of this layer allowed the growth of several pine trees. Since the Soviet military doctors were not interested in it – the complex came with a sufficient amount of buildings – the ruin remained untouched throughout the decades. A forest grew on its rooftop. Without sufficient water supply and hardly any soil, some of the bonsai-like trees have been thriving for 70 years. Their roots are holding up the top of the building which, incidentally, represents the largest preserved World War ruin of a secular building in Brandenburg and Berlin.

² ) Forest Park: To level the park territory, it was sometimes necessary to cover the old trees with one to two metres of dirt. The stubborn pines of the March were not bothered. Even today, you will find old trees around the complex with roots formed in two stories caused by changes in the water and soil horizon. 3/4 of the original forest remained, despite the park construction. Additionally, the landscapers planted many deciduous trees, blossoming shrubbery, and a few exotic conifers. Soon thereafter, a lovely forest park landscape emerged. Today, 65 different tree and wood species are found on the complex, making for a fascinatingly colourful array during the spring and fall season.