Barleben: Church History and Cycling Routes
Accommodation in Barleben
For your trip to Barleben, there are several topics to help you find your way: the architectural history of St. Peter and Paul, paths and cycling routes with described waypoints, and places to visit that you can reach by bicycle. This makes it easy to tailor your choice to whether you are interested in historic architectural styles or would prefer to plan a tour with several stops.
St. Peter and Paul: Building Phases and Interior
St. Peter and Paul is a plastered Gothic-style hall church dating from the 14th century. Its building history includes several clearly dated phases: between 1632 and 1636, the church was partially destroyed, followed by reconstruction in the Baroque style from 1681 to 1699. The lower part of the tower, the sacristy and the masonry of the nave date back to the 14th century. These parts of the building make it possible to distinguish the older structure from the later Baroque phase.
Special interior features include a two-tier gallery, a flat coffered ceiling and the Magdeburg Council pew with bull’s-eye panes. Several historic gravestones in and around the church are also of particular historical interest. Those interested in the building’s history will find several aspects here: the Gothic forms, traces of medieval masonry, the Baroque reconstruction and the interior furnishings.
Paths and Cycling Routes
One route follows nature trails along the Kleine SĂĽlze and passes the Barleben nature and village educational trail. Information boards there provide explanations. The Mittelland Cycle Route connects Barleben, Ebendorf, Meitzendorf and Rothensee in a loop that returns to Barleben. The route description starts at Barleben Town Hall, but you can also begin the loop at another point.
Starting from Barleben, an avenue leads to Ebendorf, followed by a cycle path running alongside the road to Meitzendorf. On the section towards the Rothensee ship lift, there is a view of Lake Jersleber. One possible turn-off leads over the trough bridge at the waterway junction and under the Mittelland Canal. From the observation tower at the Rothensee lock, you can see the lock’s technical facilities and the surrounding region. Check the route details again before your trip.
Places to Visit and Special Sites
Places you can reach by bicycle from Barleben include the Colbitz-Letzlinger Heide area, GroĂź Ammensleben estate, Wolmirstedt castle estate, Friedrichsruh Park, Barleben petting zoo, Lake Jersleber and the waterway junction. This selection combines different kinds of destinations, from heathland and parks to a lake and a water engineering structure.
Nearby in Ebendorf, the Georg-Schulze quarry is a registered geological site. It documents the region’s geological history and the extraction of local building materials. Barleber See I offers a sandy beach and sunbathing lawn, supervised swimming, rowing, snorkelling, volleyball, camping and refreshments. Public transport, car and bicycle are also options for getting there.
The Börde Region in Context
As part of the wider Börde travel destination, the Börde district stretches from the fertile Börde region in the south, home to Germany’s largest contiguous area of black earth, to the meadows and marshlands of the Drömling in the north. Wooded ridges and the Colbitz-Letzlinger Heide define the centre of the district; the heath is associated with Europe’s largest contiguous lime forest. The region’s visitor attractions in the Börde also include churches, monasteries, palaces, castles, museums and historic architectural monuments.
Discover more destinations: Rogätz, Wanzleben, Colbitz, Kroppenstedt, Wanzleben-Börde, Bertingen, Gröningen, Harbke.
View the wider travel overview: Börde.
