Glienicke: Viaduct and Sculpture

Glienicke offers travelers several points of interest: a protected railway viaduct, a sculpture made from the former village oak, and a geographical connection to two lakes. The history of its construction, local art and landscape each offer a different perspective. When choosing accommodation, you can first consider whether you want to explore Glienicke itself or include other places in the wider travel destination of Rietz-Neuendorf.

A Viaduct Built in Several Phases

The protected Glienicke Viaduct stands on the southern edge of Glienicke. The 95-meter-long, four-arched brick railway viaduct spans the gorge in the Blabbergraben valley. It was completed in 1898, rebuilt in 1949 and extensively renovated in 2014. This sequence clearly distinguishes the original construction from the rebuilding and the later extensive renovation. With its length, four arches and brick construction, the viaduct is a tangible point of interest for anyone interested in structures and their history.

A Sculpture Made from the Former Village Oak

“Autumn of Life” by Steffen Böttger offers another way to connect with local history. The artist made the sculpture from the crown base of Glienicke’s former village oak. It stands by the cemetery at the corner of Hartensdorfer Straße and Radlower Straße and was installed on October 2, 2015. The viaduct draws attention to construction methods and building phases; with the sculpture, its material itself leads back to the history of the place. Together, the two offer different points of interest for a trip that combines architecture and local art.

Glienicke’s Geographical Connection to the Lakes

Glienicke lies east of Lake Herzberg and extends in the direction of Lake Scharmützelsee. This connection to the lakes adds a landscape perspective to the area’s architectural and cultural history. When planning your trip, you can weigh different interests: are the viaduct and sculpture your main focus, or would you rather take the location in the lake landscape into account when choosing your destination?

More to Explore in the Wider Travel Destination of Rietz-Neuendorf

Rietz-Neuendorf is a rural municipality with 14 districts covering 184.81 square kilometers. In Herzberg, a district in the wider travel destination of Rietz-Neuendorf, the church houses historic objects that are listed buildings: a silver-gilt chalice from the first half of the 16th century and a brass baptismal bowl from 1668. In Neubrück, the church was formally consecrated on May 15, 1955; the half-timbered extension to its transept was renovated in 2018. These places complement Glienicke’s architectural history with their own ecclesiastical and historical themes.

Birkholz also offers a variety of points of interest within the wider destination. The church has medieval origins, and its entrance door with wrought-iron straps is about 300 years old. Visitors can observe fallow deer, red deer and other animal species at an ecologically managed enclosed game reserve. Check the visitor arrangements before your trip. The opportunity to observe wildlife makes Birkholz a different kind of destination from Glienicke’s architecture.

The wider destination’s landscape attractions are also spread across different places. Neubrück is surrounded by water for much of its area, and the Spree flows through the district. Along the road to Neubrück, carp ponds covering about 44 hectares lie on both sides of the main road. In Sauen, a forest ecology experiment transformed a poor pine monoculture into a species-rich forest with high stability and resilience in a short time. This means waterscapes and forest development sit alongside Glienicke’s local connection to the lakes.

Consider whether you want to focus on Glienicke or include the other places mentioned in the wider travel destination of Rietz-Neuendorf, then tailor your search to the scope of your trip.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Rietz-Neuendorf.