Potsdam
Brandenburg’s state capital is also its biggest city. A succession of Prussian kings bestowed several magnificent palaces and gardens on the historical residence and garrison town. Potsdam is also known as a hub of cinema and science because of the renowned Babelsberg film studios and the many institutes for research and higher learning. 
Sanssouci Palace
This is Potsdam’s most famous palace. Prussian king Frederick II had it built from 1745 to 1747 to his design in rococo style. Sanssouci is French for “without a care”, and that’s what the king hoped his summer and leisure-time retreats there would be. The Sanssouci palaces and gardens are UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites. 
Beech Forests
Brandenburg hosts other UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites, as well. The 670-hectare Grumsin beech forest is one of four listed as “Ancient Beech Forests of Germany”. Grumsin lies within the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve north of Berlin. 
Spreewald
In the Spreewald Biosphere Reserve, the River Spree branches out into hundreds of waterways. A total of some 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of canals can be explored by paddle boat or punt. The traditional Spreewald punt is still a principle means of transportation for many local residents. There was a time when, for some, it was the only one. 
Fieldstone Churches
Fieldstone churches are built from boulders left behind by ice-age glaciers. They were collected from nearby fields and used hewn or rough. Many fieldstone churches can be found in Brandenburg’s towns and villages, such as this one in Herzberg in the Elbe-Elster District. The majority were built in the 13th century. 
Frankfurt (Oder)
There are two Frankfurts in Germany: the big one in the west and the smaller one on the Oder River on the Polish border in the east. On the opposite bank lies Frankfurt’s Polish neighbor Słubice (above). Frankfurt (Oder) carries the additional title “Kleiststadt”. The poet and author Heinrich von Kleist was born here in 1777. 
Oder-Neisse Bike Trail
Passing through Frankfurt (Oder) is the Oder-Neisse Bike Trail. It starts at the source of the Neisse in the Czech Republic and follows the German-Polish border some 630 kilometers to Ahlbeck on the Baltic Sea island of Usedom. 
Boat Lift
The Niederfinow Boat Lift was opened in 1934. It’s the oldest boat lift still operating in Germany. The massive elevator overcomes a 36-meter altitude difference on the Oder-Havel Canal. Over a quarter million visitors annually come to see the boat lift, now listed as an industrial monument. 
Chorin Abbey
The former Chorin Cistercian Abbey is one of the finest examples of early Brick Gothic architecture in Brandenburg. Every year since 1964, classical concerts are held in the church’s nave. Many listeners bring picnic baskets and blankets and listen to the music, clearly audible outside the abbey on the grass. 
Lakes
Canoeing is only one of the things to do on Brandenburg’s more than 3,000 lakes – so many that even in summer, with a bit of luck, you might find yourself all alone in nature. The Schwielowsee, seen here, is one of the biggest lakes along the Havel. 
