In the Footsteps of Electors and Reformers

The European Bicycle Route R1, which runs from France all the way to Russia, you will learn all about the history of the Reformation between Lutherstadt Wittenberg and Berlin. You will pass the Hohe Fläming landscape and visit medieval castles before continuing along the River Havel to the city of Berlin via the state capital of Potsdam. You will find traces of the Reformation in Bad Belzig, for example, in the fortified Eisenhardt castle. In Luther’s time, Eisenhardt castle was part of Wittenberg’s residence territory. Important reformers lived in the little town of Brück at that time. In Berlin-Spandau, the Museum Spandovia Sacra on the history of the Reformation as well as the St.-Nikolai church are worth a visit. Here, in 1539, Elector Joachim II sealed the conversion of the Electorate of Brandenburg to the Lutheran faith.Length: 132 kilometresStart: Lutherstadt WittenbergFinish: BerlinLogo/route sign: white sign marked “R1” in greenHow to get there: from Berlin central station take the IC2185 (Leipzig) to Lutherstadt Wittenberg (about 45 minutes).Route: Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Raben, Bad Belzig, Brück, Beelitz-Heilstätten, Werder, Potsdam, BerlinPoints of interest/background information:Raben: Village church, Hoher Fläming Nature Park Centre, Rabenstein castleGrubo: fieldstone churchBad Belzig: Roger Loewig House, Bricciuskirche church, Eisenhardt castle, St. Marien town church, spa gardensBrück: Natural bathing areaBeelitz-Heilstätten: Heiz-Kraft-Werk heating and power station, “Baum & Zeit” treetop walkFerch: Fischerkirche church, Havelland painters’ colony museum, Japanese bonsai gardenPetzow: Washhouse, castle, estate parkPotsdam: Steam Engine Building, Natural History Museum, Neuer Markt, Filmmuseum Potsdam, harbour, Freundschaftsinsel Island, St. Nicholas’ Church, Villa Schöningen, Glienicker BridgePossible combinationsBerlin-Leipzig Cycle RouteTour BrandenburgHistoric Town Centres Cycle Routes 4Havel Cycle PathMauerweg (Berlin Wall Trail)Trail conditions/surface: The route mostly runs along separate natural paths or forest roads, not all of which are asphalted. The Hohe Fläming landscape is hilly.Maps/Literature: “bikeline Radtourenbuch: Europa-Radweg R1: Von Arnheim über Berlin nach Küstrin an der Oder”, 1:75.000, Esterbauer Verlag, Auflage: 5. Auflage (12. Juni 2015), ISBN-13: 978-3850001298, Euro 13.90