Selchow: Lake Landscape and Village History

Reed beds, wetlands and the historic village centre reveal different sides of Selchow. The lake landscape invites you to observe nature, while the country house and village green tell stories of architectural history and village life. When planning your holiday, you can decide whether nature experiences, historic architecture or a combination of the two should take centre stage.

Lake Landscape and Birdlife

The Sielmann Nature Landscape “Groß Schauener Seen” is located in the Dahme-Heideseen Nature Park, southeast of Berlin. Its lake landscape is protected as a nature reserve and serves as a refuge for many rare species. The Groß Schauener lake chain covers almost 1,000 hectares of water and includes Schaplowsee, Groß Schauener See, Großer Wochowsee, Selchower See, Schweriner See and Bugker See. Reed-lined shores, wet woodlands, marshes and wet grasslands shape the landscape. Reed beds and alder carrs provide ideal habitats for otters, among other species.

The Groß Schauener lake chain is also important for birdlife: it is a regionally significant habitat for marsh and water birds. Cranes and great bitterns nest here. For anyone interested in observing nature, Selchow and its surrounding landscape offer more than just a focus on one particular species: they feature a range of habitats that draw the eye to the water, reed beds and wetlands.

Observation Tower and Birdwatching Route

The Sielmann observation tower in Selchow is located on the nature trail. From there, you can look out over the extensive lakes of the Sielmann Nature Landscape “Groß Schauener Seen” and its almost continuous belt of silted-up land, made up of reed beds, wet woodlands, marshes and wet grasslands. Important for planning your visit: since 20 May 2026, the tower has been closed to the public until further notice. Damage to the wooden structure was found during a routine inspection. Check the closure status before you travel.

The “Birdwatching on the Groß Schauener Lake Chain” route offers a different perspective on nature. It runs mostly along surfaced paths and passes through Selchow. Starting at Naturgut Köllnitz, it goes via Groß Schauener See, Groß Schauen, Schaplowsee, Wochowsee, Groß Selchow, Bugk, Bugker See, Schwerin and Selchow, before returning to Naturgut Köllnitz. Its various stops help you get a sense of the route without equating it with a single viewpoint.

Country House and Village Green

Selchow Country House was built in 1913 to designs by Alfred Breslauer and Paul Salinger for the Jewish banker Paul Mankiewitz. It is a Neo-Baroque country house with a rectangular plan. The symmetrical plastered building features a three-bay central avant-corps and a mansard hipped roof with cross-gables and dormers. Its distinctive architectural features include triangular gables, a balcony with a wrought-iron railing, and a round-arched portal with a double-flight staircase. The original garden extended all the way to the lake—a detail that connects the historic design of the estate with the surrounding landscape.

The village green is shaded by 100-year-old lime and chestnut trees. It is home to the large brick church, the old school, the old fire station with its historic hose-drying tower, renovated in 2019, and the war memorial. As of 1 January 2025, the village church at Selchower Dorfstraße 39 is listed in the monument register of the State of Brandenburg. Together, these buildings and the village green provide a point of reference for anyone who wants to get to know the historic village centre as well as the lake landscape.

More to Discover in the Wider Destination of Storkow (Mark)

In the wider destination of Storkow (Mark), the historic centre includes the Old Town, the market square and the adjoining lanes. Storkow’s St Mary’s Church dates from the 14th century and has a 36-metre-high tower. The 8.5-kilometre-long Salt Route offers another way to experience the landscape: it leads from Storkow Castle through the Luchwiesen meadows near Philadelphia to Groß Schauen; the return route goes via the Marstall and castle meadows. Naturgut Köllnitz in Groß Schauen, a district of Storkow (Mark), also has a Heinz Sielmann Foundation exhibition about water, air and the world in between.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Selchow, you can start by asking which side of the village you want to shape your stay: the wetlands and birdlife, the architectural history of the country house and village green, or both. These themes offer a concrete guide to choosing your holiday destination, without suggesting that nature and cultural interests have to lead to the same kind of outing.

Discover more destinations: Wilmersdorf, Rauen, Briesen, Wendisch Rietz, Diensdorf-Radlow, Bad Saarow, Schlaubetal, Berkenbrück.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Oder-Spree.