The historical town centre of Brandenburg (on the river Havel) and its Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul – Follow in the footprints of Brandenburg’s history

The old town centre, the new part of the town and the cathedral area: these are the three settlement areas of the oldest town of the Brandenburg Marches. The historical buildings of the town date back to the 12th century. In 1165, the construction was started of the imposing Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, whose fittings are extraordinarily rich and well worth seeing. Detours into the cathedral museum or to the parish church of the cathedral island (a part of town), which was created in the early 14th century from the former castle chapel to St. Peter, are also worthwhile. The Altstädtische Rathaus, the city hall of the old town centre with its statue of Roland (which is a symbol for the rights of free cities), testifies to Brandenburg’s membership of the Hanseatic League. While here St. Gotthard‘s church is also captivating, St. Catherine‘s church, situated in the new part of the town, represents an outstanding building of the redbrick Gothic style. Large parts of the town wall, several towers and in particular Steintorturm, which is another tower where a museum of the town’s history is housed, provide evidence of the turbulent times of the Middle Ages. Also, the town museum housed in the magnificent house of the first commanding officer of the Prussian Guards, who were called ”Lange Kerls“(tall fellows), and the industrial museum, in which the history of the steel mill is graphically depicted, should not be missed when visiting the town. Brandenburg provides a diverse cultural programme, too. The jazz festival in midsummer and the musical days in late summer are just a few examples of the lively activities in the cathedral town. Surrounded by several lakes and flanked by Westhavelland Nature Park, the area around Brandenburg also offers a great variety of attractive destinations for outings. Steamboat trips on the river Havel and the adjoining lakes start right in the town centre.