Ziethen: Ice Age history and a landscape of forests and lakes

Groß-Ziethen lies in an extensive landscape of forests and lakes and preserves the traditions of a former stonemasons’ and Huguenot village. Ziethen brings together a range of themes: Ice Age history and village traditions, paths through the landscape, and views of lakes and glacial landforms. This makes the village interesting for anyone who would like to include culture and nature in their travel plans.

A landscape of forests and lakes with a village history

The landscape around Groß-Ziethen offers an extensive area of forests and lakes; local traditions are also shaped by stonemasons and Huguenots. Together, these provide a tangible context for exploring: you can encounter rocks and geological history as themes at the museum and geopark, while paths and viewpoints draw your gaze outdoors. Rather than planning just one kind of excursion, you can alternate between cultural stops and experiences in nature.

Ice Age Museum and geopark

The Ziethen Ice Age Museum describes itself as Brandenburg’s only Ice Age museum. Its exhibition topics include fossils, rock samples and traces of mammoths. You can encounter a mammoth again on the Green Beech Leaf Route: it passes the life-size mammoth Georg on the museum grounds and goes by the protected stonemasons’ quarry near Sperlingsherberge.

The Geopark Visitor and Information Centre presents the exhibitions Experience the Ice Age and Grumsin Beech Forest UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. The geopark also offers guided geology and archaeology tours, both in the field and through the permanent exhibition Experience the Ice Age. If you plan to join one of these tours, check dates and booking options before your trip.

Hikes and traces along the way

The paths also offer different insights into the surrounding area. Guided hikes are available in the Grumsin Beech Forest UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. On the way to Sperlingsherberge, mostly natural-surface field paths alternate with the paved road section at the beginning. The route passes through a landscape of bogs, forest lakes, alder carrs and different sections of beech forest. This variety means the route is not just one continuous woodland setting, but brings together different landscape features.

The guided hike in the beech forest and the route to Sperlingsherberge represent two different ways to explore the landscape: one with a guide, the other by following a described route with specific information about the surface. When planning, you can therefore consider whether you would prefer a guided tour or to follow a route and its stops.

Panorama trail and viewpoint

In the Ziethen district of Klein Ziethen, you can explore the landscape by bicycle on the Panorama Trail. The Drebitzberg viewing platform offers a different perspective: from there, you can see Lake Parstein, Lake Rosin and Lake Serwest; the Chorin terminal moraine arc is also visible in the distance. The Panorama Trail is for exploring by bike, while the platform offers a fixed viewpoint overlooking lakes and landforms shaped by the Ice Age.

Plan your journey and accommodation search

If you are heading to the geopark hiking trailhead in Groß-Ziethen, you can travel via Joachimsthal: the town is accessible by train, and bus route 920 runs from there to the trailhead. Check the connection before travelling, as timetables may change.

When looking for accommodation in Ziethen, you can start by considering which experiences you want to shape your stay: exhibitions and Ice Age history, guided hikes, or exploring by bicycle and from the viewpoint. These priorities give your travel planning a clear direction without combining the different options into a single excursion.

For the broader travel overview: Joachimsthal.