Rhinow: Rhinluch, Hills and Lilienthal History

Landscape and History in Rhinow

Rhinow lies on the southern edge of the Rhinluch and at the foot of the Rhinow Hills, which reach up to 110 metres in height. The lowland and hills give the town two distinct landscape settings. There is also a notable historical connection: Otto Lilienthal settled in Rhinow in 1893 to set up a workshop for his gliders there. When exploring the town, you can therefore consider its landscape and aviation history as distinct ways to plan your trip.

Otto Lilienthal and His Monument

Lilienthal’s move to Rhinow and a monument in the town tell two different parts of this story. On Lilienthal Platz, the monument commemorates Otto Lilienthal and traces the first controlled flight in history. Together with the year 1893 and his plans at the time to set up a workshop for his gliders, this makes Lilienthal’s connection to Rhinow tangible: it extends from his settling there to a public commemoration of the aviation pioneer. The monument and the historical workshop plans are distinct points of reference if you are interested in Lilienthal’s story.

Rhinow Town Church

The town church offers another historical focus. Its core is a Gothic fieldstone structure dating from the 13th century. Inside, the wall paintings date from the 18th century; life-size figures of Peter and Paul flank the wooden pulpit altar from 1734. The church’s structure, paintings and altar each offer a different connection to the past; life-size figures of Peter and Paul flank the wooden pulpit altar. The town church can be visited by appointment. Arrange a visit in advance if you would like to see the interior.

Nature and Cycling Tours in the Havelland

In the Havelland, Lake Gülper offers another focus for nature lovers. On its southern shore, a roughly 1.5-kilometre-long educational trail with illustrated information boards invites visitors to watch birds. During spring and autumn migration, up to 100,000 geese and hundreds of cranes gather at the lake; numerous waders, ducks and great egrets also come here. The time of year matters when planning: the large gatherings are associated with spring and autumn, while the trail is geared towards birdwatching.

There are also several ways to plan a cycling trip in the Havelland. The numbered junction signposting lets you put together your own cycling routes. The Havelland Cycle Route passes through the Havelländisches Luch via Nauen, Ribbeck and Rathenow, continuing to the Westhavelland Nature and Star Park. It is mostly paved, flat and pleasant to ride. This gives you different trip ideas to choose from: a specific route for birdwatching at the lake, or individually planned cycling routes and a named cycle route through several towns.

Cultural Highlights in the Havelland

If you would like to explore themes beyond nature and cycling, the Havelland also offers cultural points of interest. At the Westhavelland Nature Park Centre, the lowland landscape, the renaturation of the Lower Havel, Germany’s last great bustards and Germany’s first star park are brought to life for visitors of all ages. The Lilienthal-Centrum Stölln presents an exhibition about Lilienthal of national importance. This lets you connect regional nature topics with another perspective on Lilienthal, without conflating Rhinow’s local history with these Havelland attractions.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Trip

If you would like to focus on Rhinow’s landscape, the Lilienthal monument and the town church, search specifically for Rhinow. If you plan to include other destinations such as Lake Gülper, the Havelland Cycle Route or cultural institutions, include those places as separate points of reference in your travel plans. This way, you can base your choices on the destinations that genuinely interest you.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Retzow, Stechow-Ferchesar, Brieselang, Wustermark, Semlin, Premnitz, Märkisch Luch, Havelaue.

For the main travel overview: Havelland.