A forested ridge of ancient moraines in southwestern Brandenburg, dotted with medieval castles and stone churches.
Naturpark Hoher Fläming
Naturpark Hoher Fläming is the third-largest large protected area in the German state of Brandenburg, covering roughly 827 square kilometers in the Landkreis Potsdam-Mittelmark. Established on 28 November 1997, it protects a distinctive inland landscape dominated by forested ridges, agricultural fields, flowing streams, and open meadows along the northern edge of the central German Fläming highlands.
The park's defining feature is a steep, partially forested escarpment that rises up to around 60 meters from the flat Baruth glacial valley into the rolling, ice-age-old uplands of the Hoher Fläming. This southern, hilly portion contrasts sharply with the northern Belziger Landschaftswiesen, a broad lowland of meadows and wetlands shaped by meltwater from the more recent Weichsel glaciation. Nearly the entire park is designated as a landscape protection area, with nine nature reserves nested inside it.
Beyond its natural character, the park is also notable for its cultural heritage, including four well-preserved medieval castles and a high concentration of historic Feldsteinkirchen (fieldstone churches). Small towns such as Bad Belzig, Wiesenburg/Mark, and Görzke anchor the park region, while a network of art trails, historic avenues, and long-distance cycling routes links the protected area to broader regional tourism.
