Brandenburg an der Havel

The Havel splits into channels here, and the town developed as three separate settlements on and around islands, the Old Town, the New Town and the cathedral island, which were only united administratively in 1715. The state of Brandenburg and later the whole Prussian and German story take their name from this place, not from Berlin. The cathedral, begun in 1165 on the island, is among the earliest brick buildings in the region and holds a Bohemian altar and a large collection of medieval textiles. Water dominates the town, with boat traffic on the Havel and lakes on both sides.

Background

Until 1417, when Berlin took over the role, the town was the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg, and it gave its name to the medieval bishopric, the margraviate and the present state. The name combines two words, braniti, to protect, and bor, forest. The bishopric was set up in 948. The cathedral's foundation stone was laid in 1165, and it was consecrated five years later with Albert the Bear and his sons present. Until 1196 the town kept to the west side of the river. In 1314-1315 both the Old Town and the New Town became Hanseatic members, and they merged in 1715, with the cathedral district added in 1928. It had 73,945 inhabitants in 2025.

Source: Wikipedia, "Brandenburg an der Havel"

What you'll find

• The cathedral island - a twelfth-century brick cathedral on its own island.
• The three settlements - old town, new town and cathedral quarter.
• The medieval textiles - a substantial collection in the cathedral museum.
• The waterways - Havel channels and lakes with boat traffic through the city.

When to go

May to September for boats and the waterside; the cathedral is open year-round and closes during services. The town is quiet outside summer.

Before you go

The town is spread out and needs a bicycle or transport between quarters. Much of the centre is postwar rebuilding. Boat trips are seasonal.

Nearby

Potsdam lies east; the Havel lakes surround the town.

Key facts