Small but mighty

image author: Stadtmagazinverlag AS GmbH

The word 'little' in a village name can stand here only in connection with the size of the population as Klein Behnitz has many landmarks to offer one of those even with international standing.
It is the church, which stands on a square foundation. On the weathervane one can recognise the years 1779 and 1984. The first one indicates the building year and the second the fundamental reconstruction. The Klein Behnitzer village church is the only and at the same time smallest square church in Europe. For this reason it was added to the monument list of the UNESCO. Historic and architectonical interesting is, by the way, also the village road. In August 1907 the representatives of the council county of Westhavelland decided to build a road from Groß Behnitz to Bagow near Päwesin. 

image author: Stadtmagazinverlag AS GmbH

To keep the brick factories in the surrounding area working, clinker bricks were used for building. The brickyard owners even enforced the rule that bricks were to be laid upright - nearly double the amount was needed as with traditional laying. The bricks were arranged bow-shaped in a kind of herringbone pattern, which gave the road an additional stability that even withstood the strain of tanks during the 2nd World War. By the way, the whole area is an old settlement area as stone age finds prove. Teutons and Slaves took turns later on at governing the region. In the course of Christianity the Ascanian Prince Albrecht the Bear could, in the 12th century, secure tenure through his expeditions and founding of the Mark Brandenburg. In this time falls also the founding of the present villages Groß Behnitz and Klein Behnitz.


The pictures + contents on this page were kindly made available by Stadtmagazinverlag AS GmbH. Photo: Stadtmagazinverlag AS