Brandenburg is the king of unintentional humor when it comes to naming places. You won’t find any classic postcard scenes on this route, but who else can claim to have ever been to Kotzen?
The ultimate place-name road trip in Brandenburg: From Ranzig to Protzen!
Let’s start in Ranzig (Oder-Spree district)
Your journey begins southeast of Berlin in the tranquil village of Ranzig. Don’t let the name fool you!
- Why is it called that? The word has nothing to do with expired butter; rather, it derives from the Old Sorbian word “vron” (or its variant Rańšyk), which roughly means “a place where there are ravens.”
- What to see: The village lies on the idyllic Ranziger See, which is surrounded by plenty of forest, nature, and fields. After you’ve taken your souvenir photo in front of the town sign, it’s worth taking a short walk along the water.
Then on to Motzen (Dahme-Spreewald / Teltow-Fläming district)
The name says it all—here, you’re free to complain about the weather, traffic, and just about everything else. Just on principle.
- Why is it called that? “Motzen” is derived from the Slavic “Mocina.” This means “wetland,” “swamp,” or “mud”—a reference to the early settlements along the lake shore.
- What makes it special: Motzen is a really nice place to relax! In addition to Lake Motzen, there’s a local history museum, a Baroque church dating from 1755, and a golf course (which inspired Reinhard Lakomy to write the song “Golf in Motzen”).
The highlight of the tour: Kotzen (Havelland district)
In Kotzen, you can snap that slightly awkward selfie in front of the yellow sign.
- Why is it called that?The town was first mentioned in 1352 as “Cozym.” This is of Slavic origin and means “place where hairy plants grow.” Over the centuries, the word was somewhat unfortunately transformed into “Kotzen.”
- What makes it special: Ranzig is nestled in the picturesque Havel landscape and proud of its century-old oak and black locust trees. The old village church from the late Middle Ages is also worth seeing.
The journey ends in Protzen (Ostprignitz-Ruppin district)
A 40-minute drive north of Kotzen brings you to the grand finale. Here you can celebrate in style and show off a bit on your Instagram Story.
- Why is it called that? This name also comes from the Slavic languages and means “place where millet grows” (or “Bruch”).
- What makes it special: There’s a late-Romanesque fieldstone church here dating from the 13th century. Even Theodor Fontane was taken with Ranzig and praised the estate park as one of the most beautiful in the region.
Can you also take public transportation along this route?
Generally speaking, yes, but since the towns are scattered all around Berlin, your own car or a car-sharing vehicle is definitely the better choice. The driving time for this round trip is about 3.5 to 4.5 hours.
