Wannsee-Route RR1
Berlin is a cycling city. An extensive network of well-developed cycle paths makes exploring the city from the saddle a natural choice. The 28 km-long Wannsee Route is one of Berlin’s longest and most varied cycle routes. It runs from the heart of the city to the beautiful parkland and lakeside scenery just outside Potsdam, thereby linking not only the former East Berlin with the western part of the city, but also urban life, architecture and the city’s history with nature and recreation.
The route starts at Schlossplatz, where, until 2008, the Palace of the Republic stood in place of the City Palace – which had been demolished by the GDR government – and where the reconstruction of the City Palace is now planned. Crossing the Schleusenbrücke, the route continues past the Schinkel-designed Friedrichswerder Church to the Gendarmenmarkt, which, with its twin buildings,the‘French Cathedral’ andthe ‘German Cathedral’, as well as the concert hall designed by Schinkel, is one of Berlin’s most beautiful squares.
The next stop is also a must-see for visitors to Berlin: Checkpoint Charlie, the former Allied border crossing between East and West Berlin. From there, the route continues through southern Friedrichstadt, past the impressive new building of the Jewish Museum designed by Daniel Libeskind, to Kreuzberg, where, at the foot of the hill of the same name, you can take your first short break and admire a genuine Berlin waterfall. The route then continues along Monumentenstraße to Schöneberg Town Hall, in front of which J. F. Kennedy uttered his famous words, “Ich bin ein Berliner”, in 1963. Here, history can be experienced not only with your eyes but also with your ears: every day at 12 noon, the Liberty Bell – donated by the Americans to celebrate the end of the blockade in 1950 – rings out from the town hall tower.
After these varied impressions, the tour now takes a more leisurely pace. First through Schöneberg Volkspark and from there on through the tranquil neighbourhood of Friedenau to Domäne Dahlem, an old manor estate with a village green. Here, cattle, sheep and goats graze on spacious pastures. Activities for children will also delight young visitors to Berlin, and healthy treats in the farm shop provide a boost of energy.
The route then continues via Zehlendorf to Nikolassee and the Wannsee Bridge, which offers sweeping views of the Großer and Kleiner Wannsee, where dozens of sailing boats cruise in summer. Once you reach this point, there are two ways to continue the tour towards Glienicker Bridge: the shorter route runs along Königsallee, whilst the longer – and more scenic – route takes you along Pfaueninselchaussee and the Berlin Wall Trail to Pfaueninsel. If you have a little time to spare, you can take a small ferry across to the island and find yourself in an enchanted spot where peacocks display their magnificent tails and the ruined castle of Frederick William II peeks out picturesquely from among the meadows and trees.
Following the water’s edge, the tour now draws to a close at the Glienicker Bridge, which leads to Potsdam and is regarded as a legendary symbol of the division between East and West. It wasn’t just in films and crime novels that spies were exchanged here and negotiations took place in the shadow of the Cold War. Today, however, there is no trace of that left. The Glienicke Bridge is one of Berlin’s most beautiful spots and boasts a‘view of five palaces’: nestled within beautifully landscaped parks, the Glienicke Palace complex, the baroque Sacrow Palace, the ruined palace, Babelsberg Palace and Glienicke Hunting Lodge present themselves to the admiring gaze of the observer. Added to this is the unobstructed view of the Jungfernsee, the Glienicker Laake and the Tiefen See. This panorama forms both the highlight and the conclusion of the Wannsee Route.