Mildenberg Brickyard Park

Industrial culture

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The “Zehdenicker Ziegeleirevier” used to be the largest brickfield in Europe. Today, the brickyard serves as a recreational destination with its museum park in the heart of a nature conservation area.

Mildenberg’s factory chimneys have ceased smoking. Meanwhile, many train tracks are overgrown with grass. Where once clamouring caterpillars burrowed into the earth, there are now twittering skylarks everywhere. For some 100 years, Mildenberg was synonymous with dust, smoke, noise and hard labour. Today, nestled in an idyllic lake landscape, the sprawling area has become a tourist destination which blends the joy of nature with industrial culture.

At the end of the 19th century, Berlin's growing population caused living space to be scarce. Bricks were urgently needed to build new housing. Luckily, while tracks were being built in the vicinity of the village of Mildenberg, 50 kilometres north of the capital, large clay deposits were accidentally located in the area. During the turn of the century, approximately 5,000 people worked in the territory of “Zehdenicker Revier”. They were producing several hundred million bricks annually. 100 ships continuously carried bricks to the booming metropolis. To this day, the total number of buildings of entire streets was built with the clay from Mildenberg.

In 1991, the era of brick-making ended in Mildenberg and the clay pit was later returned to mother nature. A conservation area, a museum park, a yacht harbour, a guesthouse, a camping site, and an adventure playground were built. In 1997, the Mildenberg Brickyard opened its gates to visitors. A new tourist destination was added to Brandenburg's landscape of attractions.

Explore one of the most significant sites of industrial culture in Europe – by foot, by bike or, like the workers used to, by field railway. Visit the original Hoffman kilns, authentic workplaces, and the field railway exhibition. Learn about the difficult conditions workers were exposed to on a guided tour and in multimedia exhibition features. Here, part of the old technology is brought back to life: the old steam engine, for instance, or the transmission-powered machines in the former work sites. Conclude this eventful day at “Gasthaus Alter Hafen”, a waterside restaurant, where you dine in a relaxing atmosphere on the banks of River Havel.

Recommendations:

Make bricks: Make your own brick from clay using the traditional hand-moulding technique.

Recreational activities for families and children: Bike, canoe, and boat hire, adventure playground with giant slide, cable ferry, and petting zoo plus picnic area. BBQ grills and other accessories can be obtained or reserved at the visitor's centre.

On a rainy day we recommend visiting: the “Bausteine für Berlin” (building blocks for Berlin) exhibition in the Hoffman kiln III and the “Arbeiten im VEB” (working in a people-owned enterprise) exhibition in the machine brick works including a cinema in the Kesselhaus.

Charging station on the premises of the brickyard near the visitor centre.

Additional information:

Accessible entrance, museum shop