Bretsch megalithic tombs

Anyone wandering along the Altmark's historic paths will come across megalithic tombs built from enormous boulders weighing several tons. In the Bretsch area, post-glacial human settlement from around 4000 BC is evidenced by corresponding finds. Impressive witnesses to this period include the megalithic tombs (megalithic graves) located on the Altmark Heights between Drüsedau and Bretsch. Not far from the road, two burial or cult sites dating back to the Neolithic period can still be seen today, estimated to be around 5000 years old. They were probably used for the burial of the dead in a communal megalithic tomb and apparently symbolized the power of the clan. Megalithic tombs were places of ancestor worship and therefore sacred sites. Thanks to the efforts of the local history association and the monument preservation authorities, the Bretsch megalithic tombs have been excavated and made accessible to the public. How


to get there:
Tomb 1 – on the L12 coming from Drüsedau, approx. 500 meters before Bretsch on the left side of the road. Tomb 2 – in the fields on the opposite side of the road; members of the local history association will be happy to accompany you.

Opening hours:
The megalithic tombs are freely accessible, but tomb 2 is more difficult to reach depending on the vegetation in the fields.

Guided tours:
As part of the archaeological hiking trail, a 4 km circular route with megalithic tombs and 10 other points of interest, with a third megalithic tomb in the forest on request.
Contact: Thomas Hartwig, honorary representative of the Saxony-Anhalt State Office for
Archaeology, telephone 0173 3081791 | Thomas.Hartwig@altmarkkirchen.de