Nauen: Brick Gothic, Old Town and Ribbeck

Nauen combines a largely preserved historic old town with distinctive brick architecture and Ribbeck, a district associated with Fontane. Its attractions range from Gothic churches and Wilhelminian-era façades to a historic village ensemble. The town’s history of technology and its cycling routes may also shape your plans. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Nauen, choosing what interests you about the trip will help you decide what to focus on during your stay.

Brick Gothic and Nauen’s Old Town

Almost the entire historic core of Nauen’s Old Town has been preserved. Along its cobbled lanes, large Wilhelminian-era buildings that define the townscape stand on the main streets alongside small cottages once occupied by farming families on the side streets. This contrast makes a walk through the Old Town varied, with buildings from different periods.

The Protestant Church of St. Jacobi stands at Martin-Luther-Platz in the heart of the Old Town. It is a three-aisled hall church in the Brick Gothic style, built from red bricks in the late Gothic period. The Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul, at the edge of the Old Town, adds a different architectural note: this cruciform brick basilica was built in 1905/06 in the Neo-Romanesque style, based on a design by Berlin architect Josef Welz. The two churches offer a reason to notice the different forms of brick construction while out for a walk.

Nauen’s history of technology includes the radio transmitting station, which has been in operation for over 100 years and is regarded as the oldest existing broadcasting facility in the world. The townscape and the transmitting station thus represent different aspects of local history: historic lanes and churches on one hand, and the long operating history of a broadcasting facility on the other.

Ribbeck: Fontane, Village Green and Rectory Garden

Ribbeck is a district of Nauen. The famous pear tree stands there; the historic village centre also includes the castle, church, Old School and rectory garden. A signposted walking route circles the village green and refers to the year 1889. The Old School houses a fully furnished historic classroom.

In 2019, marking the 200th anniversary of Theodor Fontane’s birth, the newly redesigned Fontane Museum opened in Ribbeck Castle. Its exhibition explores connections between Fontane, his century, Ribbeck and the castle’s architectural history, and uses modern museum technology. In the rectory garden, an orchard meadow, covered walkways, herb beds and flowers shape the landscape, alongside the Garden of Encounters and a children’s play garden. The village centre thus offers distinct themes: literary and architectural history at the castle, a historic classroom at the school, and garden design at the rectory garden.

Events may also play a role in choosing when to travel. Ribbeck Summer Night is held annually as a cultural event. In Nauen, Hofweihnacht is one of the best-known events of the run-up to Christmas, while the Lantern Festival is among the best-known events in the warmer months. Check the current event dates as you plan.

Municipal Pool, Routes and Getting Around

Nauen’s municipal pool has a sunbathing lawn with shade trees, a swimming pool and a non-swimmer pool with a water slide. There is also a two-level paddling pool with water features for children. If you want to combine a stay in town with a day at the pool, you will find different pool areas here; this lets you focus your outing differently than you would on a walk through the Old Town or a cultural visit.

Nauen’s town centre can be explored on foot, and the centre is accessible by public transport. This gives you a clear starting point for planning: you can focus your stay more on the Old Town or on individual experiences. The Esel-Erlebnishof & Naturgarten Nauen is within walking distance of Nauen railway station and directly on the Havelland Cycle Route. The section of the route between Nauen and Ribbeck is well surfaced and signposted.

The Wider Havelland Destination

If you also include the wider Havelland destination in your plans, you can compare the town’s cultural attractions with other regional themes. The Havelland Cycle Route runs through the Havelländisches Luch via Nauen, Ribbeck and Rathenow to the Westhavelland Nature and Star Park. In the Havelland, it is mostly paved and flat; the node-based signposting lets you put together your own cycling routes. For planning a bike tour, these are different points of reference from a walk through Nauen’s Old Town.

On the southern shore of Lake Gülper, an approximately 1.5-kilometre-long nature trail with illustrated information boards invites visitors to watch birds. During spring and autumn migration, up to 100,000 geese and hundreds of cranes gather there, along with numerous waders, ducks and egrets. The Westhavelland Nature Park Centre presents topics such as the lowland landscape, the renaturalisation of the Lower Havel and Germany’s last great bustards. These regional nature and exhibition themes offer a distinct contrast to the buildings and village stories associated with Nauen and Ribbeck.

When looking for accommodation, first consider what you want your stay to revolve around: Nauen’s Old Town and churches, Ribbeck’s village ensemble, or a broader trip with cycling and nature in the Havelland. The differences between these places can help you choose a focus without conflating what the region offers with what the town offers.

Discover more destinations: Gollenberg, Klessen-Görne, Rhinow, Premnitz, Stechow-Ferchesar, Havelaue, Dallgow-Döberitz.

View the wider travel overview: Havelland.