Brandenburg

Brandenburg (German: Brandenburg), (Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) [1] is both a historical region and a modern federal-state in Germany. Brandenburg was historically composed of a larger amount of territory now located across the Oder River in western Poland. It is also the heart of historic Prussia and thus borders on the federal capital of Berlin. It shares borders with the German federal states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Lower Saxony. To the east lies the neighboring country of Poland. Cities Eisenhardt Castle in Belzig (Fläming) Potsdam state capital Berlin Schönefeld Brandenburg an der Havel Cottbus Falkensee Frankfurt an der Oder Herzberg Mühlberg Sachsenhausen Other destinations Fläming Windmill in Borne (Fläming) Brandenburg is known for its nature. There is one national park: Lower Oder Valley National Park There are three UNESCO Biosphere Reserves: Flusslandschaft Elbe Schorfheide-Chorin Spreewald. In addition, there are 11 nature parks: Hoher Fläming, [2]. Nuthe-Nieplitz-Niederung, [3]. Westhavelland Stechlin-Ruppiner Land Uckermärkische Seen Barnimer Land Märkische Schweiz Dahme-Heideseen Schlaubetal Niederlausitzer Landrücken Niederlausitzer Heidelandschaft Understand Brandenburg is more or less the countryside around the Berlin metropolitan area. Within less than an hour, you can get out of the huge city and find yourself in the middle of a forest or a pretty village, on the banks of a lovely lake or in front of a medieval church or castle. The major attraction of Brandenburg is the city of Potsdam with its UNESCO world heritage label. However, besides Potsdam, there are plenty of other attractions that make Brandenburg worth the trip. The gray reminders of 40 years of Communist rule are gone, and now Brandenburg offers lots to discover to the visitor. Talk People in Brandenburg speak German, possibly with the Berlin-Brandenburg dialect. Low German dialects are spoken in rural Brandenburg. Younger people normally do understand English, the older tend to speak Russian rather than English. Sorbian is spoken in a small region in the south bordering Saxony. All Sorbs are bi-lingual and speak perfect German. Get in By plane Brandenburg is served by the same airports as Berlin. Tegel International Airport is in the north of Berlin and Schönefeld International Airport in the south. Schönefeld Airport turns in 2014 to Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport (BBI), while Tegel will close after BBI is established. By car Since Berlin is located in the middle of Brandenburg, there are highways (Autobahn) to all major directions crossing through Brandenburg. Many places in Brandenburg can be reached by car within one or two hours from the center of Berlin. By public transport The railway system is oriented towards Berlin. There are frequent regional trains connecting Berlin with all major cities in Brandenburg. However, it is often difficult to get to smaller places via public transport. There are buses, but travelers should check timetables. The Berlin-Brandenburg-Public-Traffic-Network (vbb) co-ordinates public transport in the region. There is also a consistent tariff system, so travelers can by a ticket for the entire journey even if they change from the train to buses. The website of the Traffic Network vbb [4] offers informations on timetables and tariffs. Get around The easiest way to get around is by car. There are several highways (Autobahn), that connect Berlin with different German regions - all leading through Brandenburg. In addition, there are well maintained roads. Public transport to many rural destinations is poor. There are a few railroad connections within Brandenburg and there are public buses, but travelers should check timetables for connections. See Potsdam with its spectacular royal palaces and parks, the Dutch Quarter is a lovely city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Spreewald, a unique landscape with hundreds of small irrigation canals, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Castles and Palaces: There are many smaller and larger rural palaces and castles, some of them are hotels, others museums or private homes; in the Fläming region, there are four medieval castles. Historic city centers: many towns in Brandenburg have pretty well kept historic city centers. Do Hiking Cycling Saddle up and explore the Brandenburg-Barnim countryside - you'll get fit too! Traveling around on two wheels you'll see loads more of the county, and with nine cycle routes to choose from there is no excuse for not getting your bicycle out. Inline Skating Eat Drink Stay safe Get out This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!