Have you ever walked along a stream shaped by a glacier? The Tegeler Fließ is such a stream. It’s a unique Berlin waterway a 30 4 kilometer-long brook. Nine point nine kilometers of it flow through Berlin itself. This is the Tegeler Fließ.
The Tegeler Fließ begins its journey from two small streams in Brandenburg. These streams merge in the Mühlenbecker See. The Tegeler Fließ then flows through charming villages. It flows past Buchhorst between Woltersdorf and Mühlenbeck. For about eight kilometers it forms the border between Brandenburg and Berlin. It separates Schildow and Glienicke/Nordbahn from Blankenfelde and Lübars. The Tegeler Fließ continues through Hermsdorf widening into the Hermsdorfer See. It then flows through Waidmannslust finally reaching its mouth in the Tegeler See. The Tegeler Fließ then empties into the Havel River. This is the Tegeler Fließ the lifeblood of this unique landscape.
Imagine the Tegeler Fließ during the last Ice Age. A massive glacier carved its path leaving behind a meltwater channel. This is where the Tegeler Fließ valley was born. Ancient hunters followed the reindeer here. This area was a crucial hunting ground. The Tegeler Fließ provided sustenance for them. Later Bronze Age settlements appeared on the sandy ridges. The Tegeler Fließ shaped their lives too. A 13th-century tar kiln discovered nearby revealed the existence of centuries-old pine trees. Only such mature pines were suitable for tar production. The Tegeler Fließ sustained more than just hunters. It nourished entire communities.
The construction of watermills around 1450 greatly impacted the Tegeler Fließ. The mills brought water regulation. This led to the creation of the Hermsdorfer See and Tegeler Teich. Extensive peat extraction in later centuries altered the landscape further. This extraction created the Köppchensee for example. Clay extraction for brick production also left its mark. The Tegeler Fließ has a long history of human interaction.
The Tegeler Fließ also played a significant role during the Cold War. A section of it formed the border between East and West Berlin. Remnants of the border fortifications still exist today. You can find some of these remains along the Berlin Wall Trail near Köppchensee. This is the Tegeler Fließ a waterway with a rich past.
Today the Tegeler Fließ is a treasure for nature lovers. The landscape features a diverse ecosystem. There are sources streams wetlands meadows and forests. The Tegeler Fließ itself meanders through this diverse environment. This area is partly located within the Barnim Nature Park. In Berlin it’s protected under the Tegeler Fließ landscape protection area. There’s also the Kalktuffgelände and Niedermoorwiesen nature reserves. The Tegeler Fließ is a Natura 2000 site spanning both Brandenburg and Berlin. This is a rare and valuable ecosystem in a major city. The Tegeler Fließ is a testament to nature’s resilience.
The Tegeler Fließ is a place where history nature and recreation merge. This makes it a unique destination in Berlin. Take a stroll along its banks. Appreciate the beauty and the stories it whispers. The Tegeler Fließ has much to offer.