Königs Wusterhausen: Castle History, Lakes and Wildlife Park

Castle and museums: history from different perspectives

Königs Wusterhausen Castle served as a seat of government for Frederick William I and was the meeting place of the legendary Tobacco Cabinet. Following extensive renovation and restoration work, it reopened in 2000; it is designated as a museum castle. The Dahmeland Museum is dedicated to the history of the Dahmeland region and the town of Königs Wusterhausen. Its permanent exhibition is complemented by changing special exhibitions.

Three museums in Königs Wusterhausen are within walking distance of the railway station. They tell the town’s story from different perspectives. If you’d like to include culture in your stay, you’ll find several ways to do so: the castle’s history, the development of the Dahmeland region and changing exhibition topics. This variety can help you decide whether to plan your stay primarily around cultural attractions or outdoor experiences.

Lakeside landscape and activities on the water

The lakeside landscape is part of the range of leisure activities in the town centre and almost all of its districts. These include lidos, bathing spots, boathouses, moorings and fishing spots. There’s also a wide range of activities: in Königs Wusterhausen, you can paddle, row, sail, water-ski or ride a pedal boat. This gives you different ways to spend time on the water, from visiting a bathing spot to taking part in boat-based activities.

If being near the water is important to your holiday plans, you can consider both the town centre and its districts when choosing a holiday apartment. The listed facilities are available in the town centre and almost all of its districts. This provides a useful guide when choosing where to stay, without limiting the lakeside landscape to one particular place or activity.

Wildlife Park: forest, waterfront and circular trail

The Wildlife Park offers a striking contrast to the museums and castle history. Today, it is a diverse mixed deciduous forest and nature reserve; it was established in 1725 as a game enclosure for the Soldier King. If you’d like to combine nature and local history during your stay, consider the Wildlife Park circular trail. It is 7.5 kilometres long and starts and ends at Königs Wusterhausen railway station or at the hiking car parks by the Wildlife Park.

Ten wooden sculptures along the circular trail bring aspects of local history to life. At the orchard, the route also takes in the stone circle “The Twelve Wise Ones”, which features a barefoot trail, a balance beam and a rest area. The path also passes quiet waterfront areas along the Staabe and Krimnicksee. Sights along the circular trail include Husareneck and Spukbrücke. At 7.5 kilometres, the trail’s length gives you a clear idea of how to fit the walk into your day.

Getting there and ideas for families

The Wildlife Park circular trail is accessible via Königs Wusterhausen railway station, served by regional trains on the RE and RB lines as well as the S-Bahn. Families can also try the chatbot Herr Fabian, developed specifically for families and offering entertainment for a half-day trip to Königs Wusterhausen. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can decide whether the castle and museums, the lakeside landscape or the Wildlife Park should be the main focus of your stay.

For more information about places within Königs Wusterhausen, see the pages for the smaller localities Zeesen, Ziegenhals and Senzig.

For the broader travel overview: Dahme-Spreewald.

More destinations

More places in the same destination:

Halbe, Golßen, Märkisch-Buchholz, Bersteland, Krausnick-Groß Wasserburg.