Cruise port
Berlin-Spandau: River cruise landing stage at Spandauer Burgwall
Berlin-Spandau: VIVA berth at Spandauer Burgwall, Gersbeck on the Havel riverbank, the station and the medieval development of the old town.
River Cruise at Spandauer Burgwall
VIVA Cruises lists Spandauer Burgwall as a regular berth in Berlin. Port operator Gersbeck gives its landing stage address as Spandauer Burgwall 23, on the banks of the Havel. Together, these details place the arrival point in the western Berlin district of Spandau. VIVA’s information identifies a regular berth for this operator; the Gersbeck address provides the local street reference on the riverbank.
The Havel Riverbank and the Station
Berlin-Spandau station is at Seegefelder Straße 1, north and slightly west of the landing area on the Havel. The station and landing stage are therefore two local reference points in the same district; the Havel quay and the rail station each have their own address.
From the Burgwall to the Medieval Town
The district office places the Slavic Burgwall one to two kilometres south of today’s old town. A castle was built at the confluence of the Havel and Spree in the early 8th century. The castle and its associated settlement flourished from the second half of the 10th century until the mid-12th century. From the 11th century, a castle also stood on the site of today’s citadel, guarding the crossing of the Havel. After Margrave Albert the Bear gained control of the Havelland in 1157, the Ascanian margraves established bailiwicks to provide military security. A document from 1197 names a bailiff of Spandau as a witness, demonstrating the town’s importance as an administrative centre in the Havelland. Around 1200, the Burgwall to the south was abandoned, and much of the population resettled in the area of today’s old town. At the end of the 12th century, a settlement of German merchants grew up near St Nicholas’ Church under the protection of the citadel castle, developing into a market town. In 1232, the margraves John I and Otto III granted Spandau town rights and further privileges.
Further Destinations
The port overview places Spandau among Berlin’s arrival points; the cruise regions and routes provide an overview of river journeys. The Berlin overview complements the other river cruise destinations in Berlin with information on Spandau as a distinct location.
