Neustadt (Dosse) – City of Horses

Neustadt (Dosse) is nicknamed the “City of Horses.” At the same time, a significant church building and preserved gasworks shape the town’s historic character. The history of horses, architecture and industrial heritage offer different ways to explore Neustadt—and give you specific themes to shape your stay around.

The City of Horses and its routes

Germany’s largest stud farm has shaped Neustadt (Dosse) for more than 200 years. The nickname “City of Horses” sums up this longstanding connection. The stud farm is therefore not just a name on the town map, but a central part of its identity. If you are interested in horses and equestrian sports, this is a special reason to include Neustadt in your travel plans.

Two routes also provide options for different travel interests. The Kleeblatt-Städte Tour starts at the main stud farm in Neustadt (Dosse). The 160-kilometre-long Gestütsweg runs between the Redefin and Neustadt (Dosse) stud farms; together with Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, it forms an interregional network of riding trails. The Gestütsweg places Neustadt’s connection to horses in a broader context, while the Kleeblatt-Städte Tour starts right in the town.

Church architecture and industrial heritage

Completed in 1696, the Kreuzkirche offers a striking architectural point of interest. Its floor plan is an equilateral octagon, complemented by four rectangular cross arms. This combination of an octagon and cross arms explains why it is described as a centralized building: the design is organized around a central point. The church was also the first centralized church building in the Margraviate of Brandenburg—a historical significance extending beyond the building itself.

The gasworks in Neustadt (Dosse) tell a very different story. They are one of the last surviving witnesses to Europe’s more than 150-year history of gas production. Together, the gasworks and the Kreuzkirche bring the town’s history to life in two distinct fields: industrial development on the one hand and ecclesiastical architecture on the other. The town’s history thus complements its focus on horses with other clearly distinct themes.

A regional perspective on Ostprignitz-Ruppin

The wider travel destination of Ostprignitz-Ruppin offers another perspective. The district is predominantly rural and combines open spaces and tranquillity with green beech and pine forests, meadows, shady tree-lined avenues, and numerous lakes and rivers. This description of the landscape applies to the Ostprignitz-Ruppin region and broadens the view beyond Neustadt’s specific character.

One of the wider travel destination’s distinctive landscapes is the Kyritz-Ruppiner Heide. It covers 12,000 hectares in Ostprignitz-Ruppin, has been part of Stechlin-Ruppiner Land Nature Park since 2021, and is one of Europe’s largest contiguous areas of Calluna heathland. The heath provides a habitat for numerous protected and endangered species, including more than 70 bird species; wolves have also been found there since 2008.

The activities described also relate to this regional context: Stechlin-Ruppiner Land Nature Park lies partly within Ostprignitz-Ruppin and is ideal for hiking and cycling. In the Kyritz-Ruppiner Heide, visitors can also explore nature on electrically assisted fat bikes, including on unpaved, often sandy trails. This activity offers a gentle way to experience the flora and fauna. Travel plans can therefore cater to different interests: Neustadt’s equestrian, architectural and industrial history, as well as nature and landscape in the wider destination of Ostprignitz-Ruppin.

Shape your stay around your interests

If you are looking for accommodation in Neustadt (Dosse), you can start by deciding what you want your stay to focus on: the town’s equestrian history, the Kreuzkirche and the gasworks, or the landscapes and nature of Ostprignitz-Ruppin as well. This lets you choose a destination based on specific interests without conflating different places and regional themes.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Zernitz-Lohm, Temnitzquell, Märkisch Linden, Fehrbellin, Wittstock/Dosse, Temnitztal, Lindow, Neuruppin

Go to the wider travel overview: Ostprignitz-Ruppin.