From brickworks to glassworks: Five cycle tours through Brandenburg's industrial history

Fürstenwalde: Pintsch lighthouse and Spree swimming pool

The 25-kilometre circular tour through Fürstenwalde in the Oder-Spree lake district starts at Goetheplatz near the railway station. The route leads to the watermill, the oldest industrial building in the town, and to the locks on the Spree. The Fürstenwalde Museum in the old town centre shows the industrial development of the region. In front of the building stands the almost seven metre high Pintsch lighthouse from 1909. The Julius Pintsch company produced lights for shipping in Fürstenwalde, which were installed on the Suez Canal in Egypt, among other places.

In the 500-year-old town hall cellar, the brewery museum documents the town's brewing tradition. The route passes the third oldest railway station in Germany with its water tower and leads to Lake Trebus. At the end of the route is the Schwapp adventure pool in the former Spree swimming hall from 1971, which was known for its 50-metre track and diving tower. The flat route can be reached via the RE1 regional railway.

Mildenberg: Light railway through the brick district

From Zehdenick to Fürstenberg/Havel is a 54-kilometre route through the Brandenburg Lake District. The route starts at Zehdenick railway station near the Cistercian monastery and the Hast Bridge. Over 60 former clay pits line the route. The pits were used to extract clay for brick production and are now bathing lakes.

The Mildenberg Brickworks Park extends over 40 hectares. A historic light railway runs across the site with circular kilns and workshops. Finow barges transported millions of bricks from here to Berlin. Children can paint their own bricks on the adventure playground. The route continues to the barefoot path in Dannenwalde and the Stechlin Nature Park Centre in Menz. At Lake Stechlin in Neuglobsow, the glassmaker's house is a reminder of glassworks labour. The tour ends at Fürstenberg/Havel railway station.

Baruth: Thermos flask and glass art

In the Baruther Urstromtal valley in Fläming, a 25-kilometre tour combines parks with industrial history. From Klasdorf railway station, the trail leads to Baruther Glashütte, a glassmaking village with historic workers' houses. The museum in the new glassworks showcases the legacy of Reinhold Burger, who invented the thermos flask. Visitors can watch glass objects being made in the glass studio.

In the 19th century, Baruth was Brandenburg's largest glass manufacturer. Lampshades made of frosted glass from the production illuminated Berlin flats. Today, artisans work in the village and teach people how to make glass by hand. The route leads to the Johannismühle wildlife park with wolves and bears in extensive enclosures. The castle park in Baruth was designed by Peter Joseph Lenné. The tour ends at the Klasdorf monument railway station.

Knappenrode: Briquette factory and Lusatian change

The 30-kilometre circular tour in the Lusatian Lakeland starts at Hoyerswerda railway station. The route leads through the old town with its castle and zoo as well as the new town with its prefabricated architecture. Passing the ZCOM Zuse Computer Museum, the route runs along Lake Scheibe, a former open-cast mine. Asphalted and paved paths lead through pine forests to the Knappenrode energy factory.

The former Werminghoff briquette factory is now a museum. During the acoustic shift, the factory comes to life through sounds. Visitors walk over seven floors past dryers and presses. The exhibition shows the development of the Lusatian mining district from its pre-industrial beginnings to today's holiday and energy region. The 30 metre high Lausitz.Blick offers a panoramic view of the region. Children can use discovery rucksacks, ride the trolley or slide down the tunnel slide. The way back leads via the neighbouring village of Zeißig to Hoyerswerda railway station.

Ludwigsfelde: GDR vehicles and the Teltow Canal

Between Ludwigsfelde and Teltow, there is a 35-kilometre route through the Fläming. The route starts at Ludwigsfelde railway station and leads via Großbeeren to the old town centre of Teltow. The Ludwigsfelde town and technology museum in the old railway station displays GDR vehicle history. On display are the IWL scooters Wiesel, Berlin and Troll as well as the W50 lorry.

The Teltow Industrial Museum is located in a factory building from 1936. The exhibition documents 150 years of industrial history from mechanics to automation. The tour ends at the Teltow Canal, where ships can be observed in the Teltow city harbour. The almost gradient-free route connects the two railway stations.

Details, maps and further tour suggestions at: www.industriekultur-brandenburg.de or www.museen-brandenburg.de