Back to Berlin...and BEYOND: Day trip to Brandenburg an der Havel

Monday, February 24, 2014

Day trip to Brandenburg an der Havel

Our conflicting issues of never ending wanderlust and near poverty mean we make a lot of compromises. While we dream of trying not to break ourselves on the ski slopes of the Czech Republic, we settle for a day trip anywhere out of Berlin. And if anywhere looks like this ---------------->
we have no right to complain.

Brandenburg an der Havel is a medieval town located about an hour away from Berlin (about 60 kilometers west) by train and lies in the state of Brandenburg on the River Havel - hence the name. A quiet village with a rich history and many historical sites, the town was the ideal day trip from Berlin.

Attractions in Brandenburg an der Havel

The town is legit old with a 1,000+ year history. Though partially destroyed in the 30 Year War, WWII and during Nazi occupation, historic buildings are plentiful. For most of our visit we simply wandered the city.

Access the city map here.

Steintorturm

All I need to say is "walled city" and Ian is a go. Brandenburg has most of its medieval walls plus four (of the original 10) preserved watchtowers, such as Steintorturm pictured above. The tower is available to tour in the summer months, but was sadly closed when we visited this winter.

The Plauer Torturm, named for the fishing village of Plaue an der Havel, has animal heads inserted into the stone and strange animal plaques among the cobblestones.

Soviet Memorial in Brandenburg an der Havel

You can trip over a Soviet memorial almost anywhere in Eastern Europe. Brandenburg an der Havel is no exception. The bridge attached to Steintorturm was the site of a fierce battle during WWII and is commemorated with a Soviet memorial and graveyard.

A 15 minute walk from the train station took us onto Dominsel where the majority of the altstadt lies. Altstädtisches Rathaus (Old Town Hall) is a late Gothic brick building with a 5.35m statue of the knight Roland erected in 1474.

Pro tip: there is a public bathroom and tourist office just off the square.

While looking for a place to picnic on an unseasonably warm winter day, we were enticed by this bad ass pirate-themed playground. The sea serpent snake ride almost conquered us, but we eventually got it moving. (Refer to the snake ride in the video at the bottom).

Of course it wouldn't be a German town without a nod to the Nazis. The town was the site of a large camp focused on forced euthanasia for the mentally disabled, Brandenburg Euthanasia Centre or NS-Tötungsanstalt Brandenburg. Today, a small but concise museum covers the disturbing history.

After walking all day, the German tradition of kaffee und kuchen called. This retro site, Cafe Rosenhag, answered with Milchkaffee, Heiße Schokolade and Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cake).

As this is just the highlghts of our day in the city, a comprehensive list of attractions in Brandenburg an der Havel can be of service is you are planning a day out (German).

We've met expats who don't won't to leave the city for a day in fear of missing out. It is true that there is ALWAYS something happening in Berlin, but that can be exhausting for olds like us. We are still firmly in the hauptstadt's clutches, but a walk around a small German town with friends proved more than enough to entertain...especially with the help of some Schultheiss for the ride home.