Schwielowsee (municipality)


Schwielowsee is a municipality in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Schwielowsee lake, through which the River Havel flows. The municipality was founded on December 31, 2002 in merger of the three villages Caputh, Geltow and Ferch. The Caputh Ferry, a cable ferry across the Havel, links Caputh and Geltow. In the east Schwielowsee shares border with the City of Potsdam, in the west with the town of Werder.

History

Geltow was first mentioned as Slavic Geliti within the Hevelli lands in a 993 deed by Emperor Otto III, who ceded it to his aunt, abbess Matilda of Quedlinburg. The ford in the Havel had been a significant river-crossing since ancient times. Today the Bundesstraße 1 federal highway crosses the river at the Baumgartenbrücke.

Demography

Sights

Caputh

Caputh got a railway station in 1904. Since early 20th century it was appraised as a remote residencial area by wealthy urban people.
Geltow was always passed by a lot of strangers on the main road. Like Caputh it has a railway station since 1904. The village church of Geltow was built according to plans of the unlucky Emperor Frederick III after the model of the church of Terlano in Tyrol, with glazed roof tiles and a spire outside the nave. It was consecrated in 1887. Friedrich's last visit on June 6, 1888 was perpetuated by Theodor Fontane in his poem Kaiser Friedrich III. Letzte Fahrt.
Caputh and Geltow are connected by one of the busiest ferries of river Havel and by a railway bridge with a sidewalk,

Ferch

The fishermen's village of Ferch on the southwestern end of lake Schwielowsee kept its rural character into the late 20th century. A colony of painters also settled there.