Journey back thousands of years. The Pradolina Warciańsko-Odrzańska landscape was shaped by the ice age. This vast valley stretches across Poland and Germany. It reveals a story of glacial meltwater and shifting landscapes.
Today we stand within the bounds of Pradolina Warciańsko-Odrzańska. It is near Frankfurt Oder. This area was formed during the Weichsel Ice Age. Around 22000 to 20000 BC the Frankfurt phase shaped it. Glacial meltwaters carved this valley. They flowed parallel to the ice edge. This makes it the middle valley of three large valleys.
Later around 18000 to 15000 BC the younger Pommern phase used it. These meltwaters also drained toward the Elbe and the North Sea. The Pradolina Warciańsko-Odrzańska became a crucial drainage route.
The north’s continental glacier blocked rivers. This created a valley up to 20 kilometers wide. Its flat base often contains wide peat areas. The Pradolina Warciańsko-Odrzańska is made of mostly more than 10 meters of sands. These sands overlay Saale Ice Age sediments. The upper layers are fine to medium-grained. They are also partly silty. As you go deeper the sand becomes coarser. It often contains gravel.
The Berlin Urstromtal is part of Pradolina Warciańsko-Odrzańska. It formed about 18000 years ago. This was at the end of the Weichsel Ice Age. It drained meltwater from the ice sheet. The Frankfurt ice margin was slightly north of Berlin. The Baruther Urstromtal lies further south. Together they formed during the Weichsel Ice Age.
Even after the main formation the valley continued to drain water. This occurred as the ice sheet retreated. You can trace the valley through Eisenhüttenstadt. It goes through Fürstenwalde and Berlin. It continues north of Nauen to Friesack. Near Friesack it joins the Eberswalde Urstromtal. Then flows into the Elbe Urstromtal near Havelberg.
The Pradolina Warciańsko-Odrzańska is bordered by plateaus to the north and south. To the north are Land Lebus and Barnim. Further north is the Eberswalde Urstromtal. To the south are the Beeskower Platte and Teltow. These consist of glacial deposits.
Some smaller plateaus rise within the Pradolina Warciańsko-Odrzańska. The Müggelberge are a notable example southeast of Berlin. Smaller valleys connect to the main valley. This makes the boundary of the Pradolina Warciańsko-Odrzańska less clear.
The valley consists of deep sands. They can be more than 20 meters deep. These sands store groundwater. This provides Berlin with drinking water. The surface of the valley is mostly flat. Terraces rise a few meters high. Ice formed many kettle holes. These melted creating lakes and bogs.
Dunes also formed at the end of the Ice Age. These reach up to 30 meters high. The Spree River also reshaped parts of the valley. This is especially noticeable around Fürstenwalde.
East of Berlin pine forests dominate. This is due to the low water table. West of Berlin are damp lowlands and moors. The Spree and Havel rivers flow through the valley. The Havel crosses the valley. It doesn’t follow it for a long distance.
In the Middle Ages the Pradolina Warciańsko-Odrzańska was a barrier. Trade routes preferred narrow points. Towns like Berlin and Fürstenwalde were founded there.
Today you can see traces of this history. Consider the landscape around you. It has been shaped by ice age forces. The Pradolina Warciańsko-Odrzańska remains a testament to time.