Ribbeck between Fontane and village history

Ribbeck combines Fontane’s 1889 poem about a pear tree with a historic village ensemble. A signposted walking tour explores the poem and invites you to discover the village centre. The ensemble includes the castle, church, Old School and vicarage garden—places that reveal different aspects of the village’s history.

Fontane’s pear tree and the historic ensemble

Ribbeck Castle is a former residence of the von Ribbeck family, built in the Neo-Baroque style. The castle houses the Fontane Museum, which opened in 2019. You can also encounter the literary connection at the church: the stump of the pear tree described by Fontane has been preserved at its entrance.

The village church offers guided tours; in summer, its programme features changing exhibitions and concerts. This lets you connect Fontane’s poem with a look at the church and its seasonal cultural programme.

The historic vicarage garden is open to the public free of charge. Its features include an orchard meadow, covered walkways, herb beds, flowers and pear trees. One area of the garden is set aside for cultural gatherings and children’s play. This makes both garden spaces and historic buildings central features of the village centre.

Experiences for families and shared discoveries

At Marienhof, families can feed and pet farm animals, play, and explore a corn maze or barefoot trail. The activities range from close encounters with animals to fun outdoor pursuits.

The Old School features a preserved historic classroom. Other attractions include café seating by the village green, bicycle hire and pedal go-karts. The historic washhouse combines a café, a farm shop and a small integrated museum; it is also known for its pear cakes. Ribbeck Summer Night is an annual cultural event. If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the specific event dates in advance.

Nauen as a distinct urban focus

The wider destination of Nauen adds a distinct urban perspective. Almost the entire historic old town has been preserved. Cobbled lanes, large Gründerzeit buildings along the main streets and small farmers’ houses in the side streets shape the townscape. St. Jacobi, on Martin Luther Square in the centre of Nauen’s old town, is a three-aisled hall church in the Brick Gothic style. It was built of red bricks in the Late Gothic period. On the edge of the old town stands St. Peter and Paul, a Neo-Romanesque, cross-shaped brick basilica built in 1905/06 to a design by Berlin architect Josef Welz. Nauen town centre can be reached by public transport; the central town can be explored on foot. The broadcasting station in Nauen has also been in operation for over 100 years and is considered the world’s oldest surviving broadcasting facility.

For activities to enjoy with children, the children’s play garden in the vicarage garden, Marienhof and the activities at the Old School offer different options. If you would also like to include Nauen in your trip, you can explore the old town as a distinct focus for urban culture.

For the wider travel overview: Nauen.