Stage 1: “Paul-Gerhardt Path” from Berlin-Alexanderplatz - Wuhlheide

From the Alexanderplatz into the City
The Paul-Gerhardt path starts out as a city walk with many cultural sights along the way right by St. Nicholas’ Church where Paul Gerhardt once preached. Here you will find many monuments, historical buildings and six museums within close proximity to each other. What’s remarkable is how close you are to nature despite the route taking you through such big city. There is a lot to discover off the main roads, including very leafy areas of the city. Hikers who are interested in Paul Gerhardt should visit St. Nicholas’ Church, where this great ecclesiastical poet first preached.
Length (duration): 16 kilometres (about 4 hours)
Route sign: Signets and hiking signs of the Paul-Gerhardt path
Route:
This city walk is mostly about cultural sights. The first stage takes you off the main roads, mostly along quiet side streets, parks and along the banks of the Spree.
Trail conditions:
Throughout the city centre, the pavements, riverside paths and parks are well paved and not always with a hard surface. Around two kilometres are combined footpaths and cycle paths (there is no alternative).
Points of interest along the route:
Nature: Treptower Park, Görlitzer Park, Kollnischer Park, paths along the banks of the Spree in the city centre and along the Plänterwald forest, Wuhlheide.
Culture: Television tower, Marienkirche church, Rotes Rathaus (red city hall), Neptune fountain, St. Nicholas’ Church, St. Georges monument in the Nikolai district, historical harbour, Mark Brandenburg museum, Roland statue (Köllnischer Park), Zille monument, sections of the Berlin Wall, Schulze-Delitzsch monument, Michaelkirche church, Mariannenplatz with Bethanien artists’ centre and Feuerwehrgedenkbrunnen memorial fountain, border tower at the Landwehr Canal, Molecule Man, Soviet war memorial (Treptower Park).

By public transport:
Start: Buses and trains to Berlin-Alexanderplatz.
Finish: Edison-Rummelsburger Strasse tram stop, from there trams to the S-Bahn stations Karlshorst and Schöneweide.
All locations are within the Berlin-AB tariff zone.
How to get there by car:
Not recommended for this stage, because there are not many parking spaces and the parking fees are often high.

Recommended maps/Literature:Stadtpläne von BerlinReschke, Manfred: Paul-Gerhardt-Weg “Natur und Kultur zwischen Berlin und Spreewald”, Trescher-Verlag; 1. Auflage 2017, 168 Seiten, 80 Fotos, 25 Karten und Stadtpläne, farbige Klappkarten, ISBN 978-3-89794-354-4
Find inspiration in the diary specifically published for this trail. The tourist information centres along the way give you hiking stickers for each completed stage, which you can stick in your diary. They also give you song sheets of the poet’s most famous songs.You can find all souvenirs of the Paul-Gerhardt path www.dahme-seenland.de/service/souvenirs/