Marienwerder: Canals, tours and local history

Marienwerder combines local history with waterways and destinations for hiking and cycling tours. The Finow Canal runs through the municipality; hiking trails and cycling routes lead from here to places including Werbellinsee. The Ruhlsdorf Museum, the lido on Lake Bernsteinsee and the Schifferfest, which is still celebrated, add further highlights. This gives you the chance to get to know the area through historic waterways, land-based tours and local traditions.

Historic canals and water-based tourism

The Finow Canal was built in 1609 and runs through the municipality of Marienwerder. According to the municipality, it is Germany’s oldest artificial waterway; today, it is used mainly for tourism. In the wider Barnim travel region, it is also considered Germany’s oldest artificial waterway still open to navigation. Its year of construction and current use offer two different points of reference: historical context and water-based tourism today.

Since 2018, the Werbellin Canal has connected the historic Finow Canal with the Oder-Havel Canal. This connection allows pleasure boats to pass through and supports water-based tourism. If you are planning a boat trip, check the latest operating notices beforehand.

Hiking trails and cycling routes

Hiking trails starting in Marienwerder connect Rosenbeck on the Werbellin Canal with Eichhorst and Werbellinsee. Cyclists can take routes from Marienwerder in all directions. These include destinations to the north, such as Groß Schönebeck and Eichhorst, as well as Werbellinsee. The two activities share two destinations: Eichhorst and Werbellinsee feature on both hiking trails and cycling routes; Groß Schönebeck is listed as a cycling destination.

Barnim as a wider setting

In the wider Barnim travel region, the “Around Schorfheide” circular hiking trail passes through Barnim Nature Park and is 143 kilometres long in total. The second stage runs from Biesenthal over sandy terrain towards Marienwerder on the Finow Canal. Other cultural heritage sites in Barnim include Chorin Monastery, a key work of North German Brick Gothic architecture, and the Niederfinow Boat Lift, Germany’s oldest still-operating boat lift. Together, these examples show the range of regional hiking, architecture and engineering themes.

Local history and traditions

The Ruhlsdorf Museum is located in Ruhlsdorf, within the municipality of Marienwerder. Set up in twelve rooms, it explores local history and vividly depicts life before and after the Second World War. Visits are possible by appointment.

A towpath in Marienwerder bears witness to the use of horse-drawn towing in the 19th century. Alongside the local history presented at the museum, it also highlights the historic work of horses used to tow boats. The Schifferfest is still celebrated in Marienwerder and is another cultural highlight.

Lido on Lake Bernsteinsee

The lido on Lake Bernsteinsee is located between Ruhlsdorf and Marienwerder. It has a beach and several beach volleyball courts. The features highlighted there—beach and beach volleyball—are distinct from the canals and their tourist waterways.

This gives your plans a clear direction.

Discover more destinations: Liepe, Wandlitz, Friedrichswalde, Biesenthal, Oderberg, Chorin, Panketal.

Go to the wider travel overview: Barnim.