Westhavelland
Nature and Star Park
The shire of Brandenburg
Located on the border with Saxony-Anhalt and only about 70 kilometers west of Berlin, Brandenburg's most extensive large-scale protected area covers an area of 1,315 square kilometers.
Water, wide lowlands, wooded hills and small towns in the Brandenburg region give the landscape between Brandenburg an der Havel, Friesack and Neustadt/Dosse an unmistakable face.
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With the Havel river, its tributaries and lakes, the nature park is one of the regions with the most water in Germany.
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The Lower Havel between Brandenburg and Havelberg shapes the area. Originating in Mecklenburg, it flows into the Elbe after a run of around 341 kilometers.
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The Lower Havel lowland is one of the largest contiguous wetlands in western Central Europe and a habitat for many threatened and endangered animal and plant species. Wading and waterfowl, beavers and otters, sea eagles and red kites can be found here, as can Germany's last great bustards.
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The dark night sky over the nature park, where the Milky Way shines in all its glory, is also spectacular. For this natural beauty just outside Berlin, the nature park was designated a star park - Germany's first star park!