Geltow: Havel Views and Handweaving

Geltow lies where the Havel leaves Lake Schwielowsee and flows north again. Its waterside landscape, meadows, local history and crafts offer different focal points for your stay: you may be interested in observing nature, exploring the village’s history or focusing on traditional weaving.

Views of the Havel and Birdlife

East of Am Wasser street are extensive meadows that older residents of Geltow call “Geltow’s Siberia.” They offer opportunities to observe the area’s birdlife. The newly redesigned waterfront, accessed from Am Grashorn street, offers a different perspective, with benches to rest on and beautiful views across the Havel landscape. From Baumgarten Bridge, the view stretches across Lake Schwielowsee and the Havel to the silhouette of the island town of Werder (Havel).

You can therefore explore the landscape from different perspectives: the meadows are ideal for observing birdlife, while the waterfront and Baumgarten Bridge offer views of the water and the Havel landscape. Which of these aspects interests you most can shape how you spend your time in Geltow.

Local History and Memorable Landmarks

A walk in and around Geltow leads to the Geltow Local History Museum, where the village’s 1,000-year history is presented. The museum also features a permanent exhibition on the lives and work of notable people from Geltow, including Baron Karl Harwig Gregor von Meusebach, Theodor Fontane and Förstemann. A permanent exhibition in Geltow is titled “1,033 Years of Geltow.”

The village church also tells the story of local architecture: it was opened for use on December 22, 1887, and built in the neo-Gothic style. “The Ear of the World” was the site of a Telefunken Berlin experimental station. From there, the first radio connection with America was established between 1919 and 1930. These subjects range from local and architectural history to the history of radio technology.

The Schill Memorial Stone is a memorial and monument honoring Major Ferdinand von Schill, initiator of the 1809 national uprising against Napoleonic foreign rule. Schill’s legacy has been commemorated in Geltow since the late 1980s.

The Carl Tower stands at the highest point of Franzensberg. Built in 1870 as an observation tower, it was named after Prince Carl, the brother of Emperor Wilhelm I. The tower is now privately owned. If you would like to include it in your plans, check access arrangements beforehand.

The Geltow Local History Association lists a monthly historical guided tour of Geltow. Visitors and residents are welcome, and no registration is required. Check the dates before your visit.

Handweaving: Watch, Learn and Try It Yourself

At the Henni Jaensch-Zeymer handweaving workshop, visitors can watch craftspeople at work on historic looms and learn how they work and how the weaving process works. The looms are 200 to 300 years old and are used to make fabrics with traditional patterns. The small shop sells textiles and other handcrafted products, including HB ceramics and Lauchhammer cast art.

If you would like not only to learn about weaving but also to try it yourself, you can do so under guidance during group visits booked in advance. The handweaving workshop offers different ways to experience the craft: from watching and listening to trying it out yourself as part of a group.

Geltow and Other Places in the Schwielowsee Travel Destination

Caputh and Ferch also offer their own thematic highlights in the Schwielowsee travel destination. Caputh Palace and Park include a country palace with early Baroque ceiling decorations featuring paintings and stucco work. Albert Einstein lived with his family in the summer house built by Konrad Wachsmann in Caputh from 1929 to 1932. In Ferch, the Museum of the Havelland Artists’ Colony documents the artistic community around Lake Schwielowsee and is dedicated to researching and documenting it. The art trail in Ferch brings traces of regional artists to life and passes motifs from well-known landscape paintings.

You can choose your base according to the themes that matter to you during your stay: Geltow’s views of the Havel, history and handweaving, or the palace and art attractions in Caputh and Ferch. This is a practical first distinction when looking for accommodation, without combining the places into a single sightseeing route.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Beetzsee, Rabenstein/Fläming, Nuthetal, Glindow, Werder An Der Havel, Groß Briesen, Wilhelmshorst, Borkheide.

Return to the main travel overview: Potsdam-Mittelmark.