People often say you can’t have it all. But a few hidden gems around Berlin prove exactly the opposite. From spectacular sandstone landscapes reminiscent of the Grand Canyon to former NSA listening stations that are now considered Europe’s largest street art gallery: there is an incredible amount to discover around the capital. One of these special places is the Finkenberg Observation Tower in the Döberitzer Heide. The observation tower is situated in the middle of a nature reserve home to rare animal species and a landscape that, in places, looks more like a remote steppe in Eastern Europe than the Berlin countryside.
The observation tower is situated in the middle of a vast nature reserve, which is now considered one of the wildest and most pristine landscape projects around Berlin. The Döberitzer Heide is particularly well-known for its wild bison, as well as for the rare Przewalski’s horses, which are considered the last true wild horses in the world.
From the tower’s upper platform, an extraordinary panoramic view opens up over the vast grasslands of the heath. On a clear day, the view reportedly extends up to 25 kilometers straight toward the Berlin TV Tower and Alexanderplatz. It is precisely this contrast that makes the place so special: before you lie seemingly endless expanses of wilderness with bison and wild horses, while at the same time the Berlin skyline appears on the horizon.
The Döberitzer Heide itself has an extraordinary history. For decades, the area was a restricted military zone and was used, among others, by the Soviet Army. As a result, the landscape remained largely untouched and developed into a refuge for rare animal and plant species. After the military withdrew, the area was gradually renaturalized and transformed into a large-scale nature reserve .
Today , the area encompasses vast open grasslands, sandy paths, heathlands, and wetlands. It is precisely this mix that creates an almost surreal atmosphere, which many visitors would associate more with African savannas or Eastern European steppes than with Brandenburg.
Particularly fascinating are the bison, some of which roam freely through the landscape there. The animals can weigh up to 900 kilograms and are among the largest land mammals in Europe. At the same time, Przewalski’s horses live in the heath; this species was once considered nearly extinct. The animals are regarded as the last remaining wild horses on Earth and are among the rarest horse species in the world .
