Rheinsberg Nuclear Power Plant

Decommissioned Cold War reactor with guided tours of the control room

About 5 km north of town, the decommissioned Kernkraftwerk Rheinsberg is an unexpected attraction — one of the few places where you can walk through the control room of an intact Cold War-era nuclear reactor. The plant operated from 1966 to 1990 as East Germany's first nuclear power station, and its decommissioning is still ongoing. Guided tours (available on selected dates; advance booking required) take you through the turbine hall, the reactor containment area, and the original control panels, which look exactly as they did in the 1980s.

The setting is striking: the reactor sits on the shore of the Stechlinsee, one of the cleanest lakes in Brandenburg, surrounded by pine forest. It is a peculiar combination of Cold War industrial heritage and pristine natural landscape.

things to do sight
A story
The Rheinsberg plant was the first nuclear power station in East Germany, starting operation in 1966 and shut down in 1990 after reunification. Its distinctive Soviet-era design, now frozen in time, makes it one of the most evocative industrial heritage sites in Brandenburg.

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