Zechin: Leisure Area and Mill History

In Zechin, leisure activities at the entrance to the village combine with waterways and themes related to mills and traditional crafts. The leisure area offers 100 pitches for caravans and tents. An outdoor pool and snack bar are adjacent to it. For visitors to the Oderbruch, the area provides a place to rest and stay overnight. Check that the area and its facilities are currently open before your trip.

Leisure and Water in Zechin

Children and teenagers will also find activities of their own at the leisure area, offered by the OderlandKids e.V. association. The area also has a modern bowling facility. This lets you cater to the different leisure interests of your travel group without structuring the day around just one activity.

There is a launch and landing point for waterway travellers at the leisure area. Active holidaymakers can also reach Zechin by canoe along the course of the Alte Oder. For your water trip, you can use the launch and landing point at the leisure area or reach Zechin by canoe along the Alte Oder. If you are planning an overnight stay, you can include the pitches for caravans and tents as a separate part of the leisure area.

Mill Technology and Traditional Crafts

König’s Mill features preserved milling technology and an exhibition on agriculture and traditional crafts. The machinery brings the mill’s history to life, while the exhibition explores other aspects of work and everyday life. Please arrange visits with the operator.

A closer look at the history of mills takes you back to 2010: at the initiative of the König family, a motor mill was built in Zechin on a site previously occupied by a post mill and, later, a Dutch windmill with a gallery. This sequence also makes the site interesting to visitors who want to learn about different types of mills and how a historic site has been used.

In Buschdorf, a district of the municipality of Zechin, master basket maker Thea Müller presented wickerwork from around the world and the craft of basket weaving. Her expert guided tours offered insights into more than 1,000 exhibits and into the traditional craft typical of the Oderbruch. These tours are no longer offered; visits are now possible by prior arrangement by telephone.

The outdoor pool also has a historical connection: the residents of Zechin built it in 1962. This is a distinct part of the village’s history, independent of how you choose to spend your time there today. Zechin therefore offers a variety of starting points for deciding what to focus on: leisure at the area, a waterway trip, or themes related to mills and traditional crafts.

Märkisch-Oderland: Culture and Nature on a Larger Scale

In the wider destination of Märkisch-Oderland, cultural attractions include magnificent palaces and manor houses, well-preserved half-timbered houses in historic town centres, and lively museums. In Buckow, the Brecht-Weigel House has been a museum since 1977. The literature museum hosts readings, concerts, talks, discussions, films, exhibitions and special guided tours throughout the year; the specific programme varies. In Rüdersdorf bei Berlin, the Bergfest has been celebrated on the first weekend in July every year since the mining tradition was revived. The programme and exact dates may vary from year to year.

Märkisch-Oderland also offers a range of options for nature lovers and those interested in walking routes. The Märkische Schweiz can be explored on the 17 km Natura Trail or on the nearly 21 km certified Märkische Schweiz Nature Park Route. The route lengths provide a useful basis for comparison when planning; check the conditions on each route locally. The Oder-Neiße Cycle Route is another option for cycling in the district.

The Oderbruchbahn Cycle Route runs from Fürstenwalde/Spree, or alternatively from Müncheberg, to Wriezen. Its route connects the quiet landscape of the Oderbruch with a glimpse of the early 20th century and the history of rail travel. The Oderlandweg offers a different landscape: it runs along shady forest paths and through sun-drenched deciduous forests, through narrow valleys and past small bodies of water. This lets you weigh cultural attractions and routes with varied landscapes according to your interests when travelling in Märkisch-Oderland, without conflating them with the offerings in Zechin.

Discover more destinations: Lebus, Waldsieversdorf, Bliesdorf, Oberbarnim, Buckow, Hoppegarten, Heckelberg-Brunow, Lindendorf.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Märkisch-Oderland.