It must be difficult to live in the shadow of one of the greatest cities in the world, Berlin (which is just a few kilometers away), but Rüdersdorf (and surrounding three villages) in Brandenburg manages to do so quite nicely.
Although, much of the sightseeing to be done is in the surrounding countryside or in the city itself. But, check out the local history museum filled with prehistoric and handicraft exhibits. There’s also a lot of information on how agriculture was important to the region and a look at historic life here in Rüdersdorf.
However, mining was such a huge boon to the economy through the centuries and today the town capitalizes on this. The Museumpark Rüdersdorf, once part of a working mine, is now a museum dedicated to the industry.
The “Lime Cathedral” at the quarry holds many musical concerts and is often used as a movie backdrop. The limestone that was found here was considered to be first rate and used to build (and rebuild) the city of Berlin. It was this limestone that was used to build Berlin’s impressive Brandenburg Gate. The same limestone built the 19th century church in the Rüdersdorf’s Kalkberger neighborhood.
One of Rüdersdorf’s main attractions is the Quail Tower. It’s not that old, only having been built in 1938, but the view of the town is fantastic. Another attraction (and quite old) is the the Church of Hope, or Hoffnungskirche, built in the 14th century. The 15th century Kirche Lichtenow now hosts many cultural functions in town. The Parish Church Heilige Familie is only a few hundred years younger than some of the other churches in the area, but is worth a look, too.
What’s great about Rüdersdorf is all the outside activities to be found in the countryside. Many of the old mines have flooded out over the years creating many new lakes for canoeing or other watersports. There are also plenty of jogging, hiking, and biking trails for the entire family, especially around Lime Lake.
But, best of all is the annual Rüdersdorf Mountain Celebration held on the first weekend of July. So some will say, “Forget about Berlin and just enjoy Rüdersdorf!” :-)