Two themes take centre stage when visiting Jerichow: Romanesque brick architecture and nature along the Elbe. Sights range from the former Premonstratensian monastery to historic mills and churches, as well as routes through the Elbe meadows. You can tailor your choices to whether you are more interested in architectural history, bricks or the landscape.
Monastery, Mill and Brick Churches
The former Premonstratensian monastery in Jerichow is an important Romanesque monument and is located on the Romanesque Road. It is considered the oldest brick building in northern Germany. The monastery includes restored rooms, the cloister and a historical exhibition in the dormitory. The monastery museum offers guided tours of the church and monastery complex; check the dates in advance. Brick-making can also be demonstrated there for interested travel groups. Arrangements for this should also be made separately.
Another stop on a journey through architectural history is the Jerichow Dutch windmill, the last of the town’s seven former windmills. It was built in 1857 to replace an older mill. Its complete interior structure from the time of its conversion has been preserved. Jerichow Town Church, meanwhile, is a late Romanesque brick building dating from the first quarter of the 13th century. Its half-timbered tower dates from the 17th century. Inside is a Renaissance epitaph made of marble and alabaster for bailiff M. von Arnstedt and his wife.
Brickmaking Insights and Hands-on Discoveries
The Brick Museum explores the origins, history and regional spread of bricks in the Elbe region. If you would like to learn not only about the building material but also how it is made, you can book a brick-making demonstration: visitors shape a new brick from clay and make a miniature brick themselves. Check current availability in advance. Jerichow Monastery herbal liqueur, a mild and savoury herbal liqueur, is also offered as a regional souvenir.
Routes and Landscape along the Elbe
The Bucher Brack–Bölsdorfer Haken nature reserve lies west of Jerichow. It covers 1,008 hectares and is part of the cross-state Elbe River Landscape Biosphere Reserve. Wet meadows, remnants of floodplain forest, scrub, dune ridges, ditches and ponds form a varied mosaic. The area provides breeding, resting and feeding habitat for numerous bird species, including white-tailed eagles, cranes, white and black storks, and ospreys. The species you may see can vary depending on the season.
The stated distances and destinations can help you choose a specific route: a 2.5-kilometre nature trail passes through the “Alte Elbe” and “Bucher Brack” protected areas between Jerichow and Klietznick. A 3-kilometre walking and cycling path crosses the Elbe meadows to the main Elbe. The routes are of similar length but lead to different destinations and through different types of landscape. Jerichow is also connected to local walking and cycling routes that link to the Elbe Cycle Route; check the conditions for each route in advance.
Jerichow within the wider Jerichower Land Destination
The wider Jerichower Land destination also provides guidance for a longer cycling trip: the Elbe Cycle Route runs through the district from north to south. The Elbe–Havel Cycle Route follows the canal and connects the Elbe Cycle Route with the Havel Cycle Route. These regional routes add a broader perspective on Jerichower Land to the local options, without requiring you to follow a particular itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Wulkow, Roßdorf, Karow, Möckern, Elbe-Parey, Biederitz, Gommern, Möser.
Go to the wider travel overview: Jerichower Land.
