Discover Marienfelde: Village History and Nature

Marienfelde offers various ways to discover its history and landscape: the historic village center tells the story of its rural past, while the open fields and leisure park put nature in the spotlight. The history of East German refugees is another defining theme of the area. When planning your trip, you can consider which of these themes would make your stay especially interesting.

Village Center and Historic Landmarks

The village green in Alt-Marienfelde is now one of the best-preserved village settings in Berlin. The historic village center includes the late Romanesque village church with its early Gothic additions. It is considered Berlin’s oldest surviving village church and the oldest continuously preserved village church within the city limits. The listed building dates back to 1229; concerts are regularly held in the church. This historic building thus brings together the area’s long history and a recurring cultural program.

The Marienfelde Manor Park also has its own history: Adolf Kiepert laid it out after 1844, and it was further expanded after 1865. The village center is also home to Bauer Lehmann’s farm. Its residential building, constructed in 1844, has been largely preserved in its original condition; the farm buildings include areas for horses, goats and ducks. A vending machine is stocked daily with fresh free-range eggs. The historic village center is also home to the Zur Grünen Linde inn, established in 1830 and still operating as a rural tavern.

Open Fields, Leisure Park and Nature

The Marienfelde open fields are designated as a diverse habitat and breeding ground for rare bird species, including the red-backed shrike, Eurasian skylark and crested lark. They are also the last remnant of the agricultural land once widespread throughout the district. These two aspects give the open fields their special character: they represent both the area’s former agricultural landscape and the protection of today’s habitats.

In Marienfelde Leisure Park, bodies of water, wooded areas and meadows form a refuge for endangered animals, rare birds and protected plants. In the western part of the park, a nature trail about 1.5 kilometers long passes nine information stations. From April to October, the Berlin Nature Conservation Service (Naturwacht Berlin e.V.) offers activities for visitors interested in guided or educational nature programs: guided tours, project days and information events at the Marienfelde Nature Conservation Station, in the neighboring Marienfelde Leisure Park and in the Marienfelde open fields. For specific dates, it is best to check the relevant program in advance.

Routes and Different Scales

The nature trail and the Teltow Village Trail offer different options for planning your visit. The trail in the leisure park is about 1.5 kilometers long and has nine stations. By contrast, the Teltow Village Trail is 48 kilometers long and runs from village to village via Zehlendorf, Lichterfelde, Marienfelde, Lichtenrade, Buckow, Rudow and Spindlersfeld in Köpenick. The nature trail is a short route with stations, while the village trail is a long route from village to village.

The History of the Marienfelde Refugee Center

The Marienfelde Refugee Center Memorial is dedicated to the movement of refugees between East and West Germany. The refugee center was established in 1953; by 1990, 1.35 million people had passed through it. The exhibition documents the history of this movement across around 450 square meters. More than 900 exhibits explore its causes, course and consequences.

In addition to the permanent exhibition, there are regular special exhibitions and a varied events and educational program. If you would like to include a specific event in your travel plans, check the latest dates. This helps you tailor your accommodation search to your interests for your stay in Marienfelde.

Discover more destinations: Schmöckwitz, Tempelhof, Grünau, Friedrichshagen, Rahnsdorf, Altglienicke, Berlin-Neukölln, Schöneberg.

For the main travel overview: Berlin.