Friedrichsthal: Cycling Tours, Village Church and National Park

Friedrichsthal lies on the edge of the Lower Oder Valley National Park. The village combines the layout of a historic linear village with cycle routes and a protected landscape. This gives you a clear choice when planning your trip: should the village’s history take center stage, or would you rather spend most of your time on cycling routes and birdwatching? These priorities can also help you organize your accommodation search.

Cycling routes through Friedrichsthal and the Oder landscape

The Oder–Neiße Cycle Route passes through Friedrichsthal. The Hohensaaten–Friedrichsthal Waterway runs parallel to the Oder. The waterway itself runs for 42 kilometers parallel to the Oder, as far as its confluence with the West Oder near Friedrichsthal. The kilometer figure refers to the course of the waterway. Check current route conditions before setting out on a cycling tour.

The Crane Cycling Tour also passes through the village and the Lower Oder Valley National Park. Part of the route is car-free and runs through Germany’s only floodplain national park, which is also a crane stopover area. Observation towers and the Oder slopes along the route provide ideal conditions for birdwatching. From Friedrichsthal, the tour leads through a pine forest toward the Teerofenbrücke Wilderness School run by the national park; after Friedrichsthal, it follows the Hohensaaten–Friedrichsthal Waterway. The Crane Cycling Tour therefore focuses on natural landscapes and birdwatching, while the Oder–Neiße Cycle Route passes through Friedrichsthal and runs alongside the waterway.

Bus services connect Friedrichsthal with Schwedt and Gartz. This lets you plan around the available connections without assuming a particular service frequency.

Village layout and historic traces

Friedrichsthal has the continuous built-up layout of a historic linear village. Rear utility and orchard gardens adjoin the village, with open fields beyond them. This combination of a built-up linear village, gardens and fields gives the place a different focus from its cycling routes: here, the emphasis is on the settlement’s historic development.

The village church in Friedrichsthal is listed in the Brandenburg State Monuments Register for the Uckermark district. It has an elaborately carved pulpit dating from 1700, which came from St. Mary’s Church in Szczecin and was installed in 1834. Also listed are a milepost on the B 2 at kilometer 403.2 and a half-milepost at kilometer 405.2 near the border house. Huguenot families were also settled in Friedrichsthal. These landmarks and the village layout offer different ways to explore local history without having to combine them into a set sightseeing route.

Protection Zone I, “Kleines Bruch,” of the Lower Oder Valley National Park covers around 46 hectares in the town of Gartz (Oder), within the Friedrichsthal district, cadastral section 4. This precise location adds to the picture of the protected landscape that shapes the edge of the village.

Walking tour and culture in Gartz (Oder)

In Gartz (Oder), a walking tour leads through the town’s history, from its Slavic beginnings and medieval heyday through the Brandenburg-Prussian period to its present-day status as a border town. A city map leaflet and QR codes on the information boards at the sights make it easier to find your way around the tour. This local history offers a distinct cultural focus alongside Friedrichsthal’s village and cycling landscape.

The Stettin Gate in Gartz (Oder) was built from fieldstone in the 13th century and is the only one of the town’s four gates still standing. Construction of St. Stephen’s Church also dates back to the 13th century. During the summer months, open-air concerts and events are held at the church; check the event dates before planning to attend.

The Arable Citizens’ Museum is housed in the former gatekeeper’s house and the adjoining half-timbered building at the Stettin Gate. It shows what life was like in an arable citizens’ town in the 18th and 19th centuries. Call to check current opening hours. In Gartz (Oder) and Mescherin, Crane Days are also held annually in late September and/or early October, with a program devoted to cranes. For specific trip planning, it is advisable to check the event dates.

Discover more destinations: Tantow, Gerswalde, Gartz, Schwedt/Oder, Temmen-Ringenwalde, Zichow, Prenzlau, Mescherin.

For the regional travel overview: Uckermark.