Albert Einstein will take you on a journey to his idyllic summer retreat in Caputh and Potsdam. During the hike, you'll learn about some of the background to his research, visit his summer house, enjoy the expansive pine forests, and be impressed by the architecture of the Einstein Tower. On the return trip aboard the White Fleet, you can imagine how much Einstein must have enjoyed escaping the hustle and bustle of the city on his sailboat on Lake Templin.
Length: 11 km
Start/Finish: Caputh Civic Center/ Potsdam Central Station or Caputh Ferry Terminal “Caputh Castle”
Arrival/Departure- Public transport: from Berlin Central Station take the RE1 (Brandenburg, Magdeburg) to Potsdam Central Station (approx. 20 minutes), then take bus 607 to Caputh, Schloss stop.
- By car: From Berlin Mitte, follow the A100 and A115/E51 to L73 in Michendorf, leave the A10, take the L73 exit, Potsdamer Str. to Caputh, Str. der Einheit
Sights:- Exhibition “Einstein’s Summer Idyll”
- Einstein's Summer House
- Kleiner Ravensberg
- Albert Einstein Science Park with Einstein Tower
- Templiner See
- Caputh Castle
Directions: The hike begins at the Caputh community center with a visit to the exhibition "Einstein's Summer Idyll." The exhibition offers insights into Albert Einstein's life, his theories of space, time, and gravity, as well as the architecture and architect of the summer house, Konrad Wachsmann. A model of his sailboat, the "Tümmler," sets the mood for the Caputh lake district. Follow "Straße der Einheit" (Street of Unity) to the right onto Lindenstraße, then turn left onto "Rosenstraße" (Rose Street) and then left again onto "Am Waldrand" (At the Edge of the Forest), where Albert Einstein's summer house is located. Here, from 1929 to 1933, Albert Einstein spent the summer months well into autumn, pondering his unified field theory in the tranquil surroundings and receiving friends and scholars from around the world. Returning to "Am Waldrand," follow it until you reach the intersection, where you turn left into the forest onto the Caputher Heuweg (Caputh Hay Path). Follow this road until you reach the next major intersection, then turn left again and continue for a few kilometers until you reach the Michendorf Chaussee. Cross the road and continue over the bridge, then turn right into the forest. Here begins the "Ravensberge" area, and you follow the "Ravensberge" nature trail, marked with a green stripe on a white background. At the rest area, continue straight ahead to the "Kleiner Ravensberg" (Little Ravensberg) and from there follow the E10 long-distance hiking trail with its blue stripe until you reach the Albert Einstein Science Park on your left. The park is home to internationally renowned scientific institutions. An information leaflet is available at the gatehouse, and a sign points the way to the world-famous "Einstein Tower." Built between 1920 and 1922 in the Expressionist style by architect Erich Mendelsohn, it served as a solar observatory and was used to test the theory of relativity. Strolling through the grounds, you can discover more historic and modern buildings dedicated to earth sciences, astronomy, and climate impact research. Albert-Einstein-Straße leads down the hill to Potsdam Central Station. For the return journey along Templiner See, you can rent Nextbike bicycles, or cross the Lange Brücke (Long Bridge) to the landing stage of the Weisse Flotte (White Fleet) and return by boat. The Caputher Schloss (Caputh Palace) stop marks the starting point of the hike.
Possible combinations:- Paths and routes in Caputh - A walk through the town
Maps / Literature: - KOMPASS Hiking Map Havelland, 4-in-1 hiking map, 1:50000 with activity guide and detailed maps, including a map for offline use in the KOMPASS app., ISBN: 978-3-99044-255-5, Publisher's number: WK 745
- Green Heart: Cycling, hiking and waterway map Havel Lakes 3: Werder, Potsdam: Including Fahrland, Glindow, Geltow, Caputh, Ferch, Michendorf. Scale 1:35.000. ISBN: 978-3-86636-116-4
