Petzow Castle and the historical town centre in Werder (on the river Havel) where Schinkel’s Prussian court architecture meets the visions of Lenné, the landscape designer

The church, the castle, the estate complex and Petzow Park, together they form the Petzow ensemble, which make this place located on a land bridge between Glindow and Schwielowsee (two lakes) to the west of Potsdam worth seeing so much. The castle represents a mixture between Italian Castle and English Tudor style and was built in 1825 by Karl-Friedrich Schinkel, the chief Prussian architect. Today, you can dine and stay the night here in excellent fashion. Petzow Park, how else should it have been, was laid-out by the great master of landscapes, Peter-Joseph Lenné. The aesthetic effect of architecture and the harmonious integration of the buildings into the landscape give this park area its quite unique charm. From the church tower, which dates back to the year 1842, you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the village and the surrounding landscape of the river Havel with its lakes. The slightly hilly countryside around Petzow is just excellently suited for hikes and rides by bicycle. Schwielowsee Resort, which is a hotel and bungalow complex with a marina and wellness centre as well as a fish restaurant, is located in close proximity to the castle. The passenger ships that come from Berlin or Potsdam stop here in order to make their visitors familiar with the beauty of Schwielowsee. Werder, which adjoins Petzow, is the town of blossoms of the Havel area with its romantic streets, where even the cobbled streets are listed and, in addition to this, a lot of water, all this awaits you in the fishing town of Werder and in its surroundings, which even the poet Theodor Fontane was filled with enthusiasm about. The magnificent parish church in the neo-Gothic style, which was built by August Stüler (one of Schinkel’s pupils), Bockwindmühle (a windmill that is typical of the region) as well as old fishermen’s houses that date back to the 18th century make an impression in the old town centre, on Werder Island. Anyone who is eager to learn more can visit the fruit tree museum as well as the bicycle museum.  Every year in spring, the Blossom Festival takes place in Werder, which is the second-biggest folk festival in Germany after the Munich October Festival. (But watch out! The Werder fruit wine quickly makes you tipsy.)