Discover Rathenow: Old Town Island, Optics and Trails

Rathenow combines an old town island surrounded by branches of the Havel with a distinctive history of optics and trails through the municipal forest. Between the historic town centre, bridges, museum and nature trails, you’ll find a range of options for your trip.

Old Town Island and Bridges by the Water

Rathenow’s historic centre is located on an old town island surrounded by four branches of the Havel. It includes parts of the old town wall, Kirchberg and St. Mary’s Church. On the island, visible traces of the town’s history meet its unique setting between the branches of the Havel.

The links between Rathenow’s landmarks also tell the story of the town’s layout: the 348-metre-long Weinberg Bridge connects the Optikpark with Weinberg. A footbridge and cycle bridge connect Kirchberg with Weinberg. Built between 2001 and 2002, it restored the connection after 700 years. The two bridges provide different connections and give the town a clear sense of direction.

History of Optics and Landmarks

Rathenow’s history of optics can be explored in several places. In the birthplace of pastor Johann Heinrich August Duncker, opposite the church’s west portal, he opened his first optical workshop in 1800. The Rathenow Optical Industry Museum displays around 1,200 exhibits on the history of optics. Together, these sites take you from the beginnings of a workshop to an extensive exhibition on the development of optics.

The Bismarck Tower also stands on Weinberg. Along with the church tower, it is considered one of the town’s two landmarks. It was inaugurated on 24 June 1914 in honour of former Chancellor of the German Empire Prince Otto von Bismarck. For anyone interested in local history, it offers another notable point of reference alongside the church, Kirchberg and the history of optics.

Optikpark is located in the heart of Rathenow, beside a branch of the Havel. Activities on offer include climbing towers, a barefoot trail and a large inflatable jumping pillow; raft trips are also available on a nearby old branch of the Havel. The park offers a range of activities, while the Weinberg Bridge connects it to Weinberg.

Cycle Routes and Nature in the Municipal Forest

Rathenow is on the Havel Cycle Route, the Havelland Cycle Route—which forms part of the Hamburg–Berlin Cycle Route—and the 1,111-kilometre Tour Brandenburg. These three routes offer different connections to destinations further afield. The municipal forest offers a different kind of outing: it has a signposted network of walking trails and a nature trail that starts and ends at the Ferchesarer Weg forest car park. When planning your trip, you can choose between cycle routes and woodland trails.

The Havelland as a Destination in Its Own Right

The Havelland region offers further perspectives. Its numbered junction signposting lets you plan your own cycling routes. The Havelland Cycle Route passes through the Havelländisches Luch via Nauen, Ribbeck and Rathenow, continuing to the Westhavelland Nature and Dark Sky Park. It is mostly paved, flat and pleasant to ride. On the southern shore of Lake Gülper, a roughly 1.5-kilometre nature trail with illustrated information panels invites you to watch birds. During spring and autumn migration, up to 100,000 geese and hundreds of cranes gather there, along with numerous waders, ducks and great egrets. These seasonal wildlife spectacles are quite different from Rathenow’s town and optics attractions.

Choose Accommodation to Suit Your Travel Interests

When choosing accommodation in Rathenow, start by thinking about what you’d like your trip to focus on: the old town and its architectural history, optics, cycling tours or nature trails. This gives you a practical way to narrow down your search, without requiring every day of your trip to have the same focus.

Discover more destinations: Grütz, Börnicke, Premnitz, Brieselang, Dallgow-Döberitz, Milower Land, Retzow and Wustermark.

See the overview of the wider region: Havelland.