Discover Wriezen: Town History, Stork Tower and Cycle Route

Town History at Several Stops

At its twelve stops, the “Views of Wriezen” trail explores themes from the town’s past and present. Its three stated themes—culture, the economy and history—give the route a broad scope: you can discover Wriezen not only through individual buildings, but also through its development and economic life. The twelve stops provide clear guidance for anyone wishing to learn more about the town.

An important part of the area’s earlier history is connected with the Oderbruch. Until it was drained in the 18th century, Wriezen was considered the main town of the Oderbruch and had the largest fish market in the March of Brandenburg. The sculpture of a devil by sculptor Horst Engelhardt on the market fountain recalls the town’s heyday, shaped by the fish trade and agriculture. The late Gothic Catholic Church of St. Mary is another of the town’s historic buildings. Villa Blunk at Berliner Berg 4 offers a different cultural perspective: it is a venue for contemporary art and culture. Together, these places offer different ways to explore Wriezen, from its history to its present-day art and cultural life.

The Stork Tower and White Storks in Rathsdorf

The Stork Tower in Rathsdorf is the last of the once widespread Märkische brick kilns. This listed historic building is a popular destination for hikers and cyclists, as well as families and kindergarten and school groups. A small museum about the white stork has been housed inside since 1978/79. The adjacent educational trail about storks shares information about the bird through questions and answers.

A visit lets you explore several different aspects: the historic brick structure, the small museum and the information provided by the educational trail. For families and groups, the white stork offers a specific topic to discover together; the Stork Tower is also a destination for visitors interested in regional architectural history. There is a car park opposite the tower, so you can arrive by car.

Cycle Route, Forest Swimming Pool and Getting Here

The Oderbruch Railway Cycle Route follows a former railway line between Fürstenwalde/Spree and Wriezen. The route runs along developed paved cycle paths and includes short sections on forest tracks and low-traffic roads. If you’re planning to include a bike ride in your trip, Wriezen, as the end point of the route, is a useful reference for your plans. When assessing the route, bear in mind that the surfaces vary: it includes both paved paths and shorter stretches on forest tracks and roads.

Wriezen Forest Swimming Pool is generally open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from May 15 to September 15, except Mondays and Tuesdays. Opening hours may be extended or shortened depending on the weather. Keep this restriction in mind if you’re planning to visit the pool on a particular day. For rail travel, regional train line RB60 connects Eberswalde with Frankfurt (Oder) via Wriezen and Seelow (Mark). When planning your trip, you can consider both travelling by train and driving to the Stork Tower in Rathsdorf.

Choose Wriezen as Your Holiday Destination

When looking for a holiday apartment in Wriezen, your planned activities can help you decide: a trip focused on discovering the town’s history and cultural sites has a different emphasis from one that includes the Oderbruch Railway Cycle Route or the Stork Tower. Wriezen is identified as the endpoint of the cycle route; Rathsdorf offers its own excursion destination, with the tower, museum and educational trail. Make your choice according to which of these interests you want to shape your trip, and use the places described here as starting points for your plans.

You can also explore other local pages: Heckelberg-Brunow, Hoppegarten, Fredersdorf-Vogelsdorf, Alt Tucheband, Falkenhagen, Petershagen/Eggersdorf, Manschnow and Vierlinden.

For the wider travel overview: Märkisch-Oderland.