Beelitz is one of our recommend excursion destinations for different reasons: history, nature and gastronomy.
Only around one hour by car or by train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof (with the RE7 direction to Dessau), Beelitzis a historic city of more than 12000 inhabitants known as the asparagus town.
It is the largest asparagus cultivation area in Brandenburg and also well-known for its abandoned hospital, Beelitz Heilstätten.
Worth to visit at any time in the year, but of course if you want to enjoy the asparagus in one of its traditional restaurants, you should go between April and June.
It is also nice to take the bikes in the train, so you can enjoy the nature around and the complex of the abandoned hospital, which is quiet large, with 60 buildings.
The hospital was built at the end of the 19th century and was the place where Hitler recuperated after being wounded in the leg in 1916, during the World War I. In 1945, Beelitz-Heilstätten became a Soviet military hospital, hosting also Erich Honecker in 1990, who escaped to the sanatorium in order to protect himself from the German legal system under Russian protection. In 1991, he and his wife Margot were expelled to Moscow.
In 2000 all buildings of the complex were abandoned and gave the place a kind of creepy image that attracted the attention of many and ended being the scenery of some movies such as Valkyrie or The Pianist.
Nowadays, you can visit the abandoned hospital by joining a tour. There are a few options:
1 - Join one of the "public" tours guided by Irene Krause for 5 Euro. You can check her calendar or email her.
2 - Join one of the tours or photo-tours leaded by Go2Know, specialized in hidden places, for 10 Euro.
3 - See the complex by walking on top of the trees. TheBaumkronenpfad Beelitz-Heilstätten is a treetop walkway that winds its way for 320m over, between and around the buildings at the abandoned hospital. The entrance to the Baumkronenpfad costs 9.50 EUR for adults and 7.50 EUR for children (free for kids under 6).
