Nennhausen: Palace Park and Literary History

Nennhausen is located in Westhavelland Nature Park and combines a rich palace and literary history with nature in the surrounding area. The palace, publicly accessible landscaped park, church and Old Gardener’s House are distinctive features of the town; nearby meadows and forests also offer opportunities for observing nature and getting active. When planning your trip, consider whether you would like to focus mainly on architectural history and literature, or also on experiences in the countryside.

Palace Park and Fouqué’s Literary Legacy

Nennhausen Palace was built in 1737 and is a listed building. Friedrich Baron de la Motte Fouqué lived in Nennhausen from 1802 to 1833 and wrote the fairy tale Undine. A walk through Nennhausen’s landscaped park brings literary references together with features you can see along the way: ceramic portrait medallions and quotations line the path, complemented by figures from Undine and Effi Briest. The palace park is laid out in the English landscape style and is open to the public. Check the latest information about access on site before your visit.

Concerts and readings are regularly held in the palace. As the programme may change, check the dates for your travel period. This makes it possible to include a cultural event in your plans alongside the architectural and literary history.

Church and Gardener’s House

Nennhausen Church is a plastered, rectangular hall church built of fieldstone. A large epitaph can be found on the south wall. The church also has a more than 300-year-old crypt and a visible mummy in a zinc coffin. Visits are possible by prior telephone appointment; confirm your visit in advance.

The Old Gardener’s House dates from around 1719 and is the oldest surviving residential building in the region. An exhibition there explores Romanticism and Fouqué’s life in Nennhausen. Together, the two buildings offer different insights into the town’s history: the church combines its architecture with distinctive historic details, while the gardener’s house highlights its literary connections.

Nature Experiences in the Surrounding Area and Havelland

In the nature reserve for great bustards in the open meadows near Buckow, close to Nennhausen, visitors can watch birds. The wider Havelland region also brings its own landscapes into your travel plans: the Havelländisches Luch is considered one of Central Europe’s last intact lowland moor landscapes. Wetlands, moorland and sandy soils provide an appealing setting for outdoor experiences on foot or by bike.

Forests between Nennhausen, Stechow, Kotzen and Ferchesar invite you to hike, ride and cycle. For custom cycling routes, you can use the numbered junction signage in Havelland. The Havelland Cycle Route runs through the Havelländisches Luch via Nauen, Ribbeck and Rathenow to Westhavelland Nature and Star Park. These regional opportunities complement the specific destinations in town; they should not be confused with Nennhausen’s own attractions.

Nennhausen has a regional rail station on the Rathenow–Berlin–Cottbus line. As services may change, check the current timetable for your travel dates. When choosing accommodation, you can also base your decision on your main travel interest: cultural history in Nennhausen, birdwatching near Buckow, or hiking and cycling in the wider Havelland region.

Discover more destinations: Wustermark, Märkisch Luch, Börnicke, Retzow, Milower Land, Falkensee, Havelaue, Brieselang.

Go to the main travel overview: Havelland.