Tegeler Forst, forest in Berlin, Germany

Tegeler Forst is a large mixed woodland in the northwest of Berlin, covering about 2,169 hectares with a dense network of paths and forest roads. It opens onto clearings, small lakes, and a wildlife enclosure where roe deer and wild boar can be seen behind fences.

The area was already known in the 16th century as a hunting ground, and by the early 18th century it was troubled by poachers. In 1915 the city bought the land under a permanent forest contract, which stopped any building and kept the wood open for public use.

Near the water stands the Dicke Marie, an old oak that many people visit as a local curiosity, though its true age is uncertain. The wood is used daily for walking, running, and cycling, and in autumn families come to collect mushrooms along the trails.

Paths are well signed, and several routes connect the northern and southern sections of the wood, with some crossings over local roads. From the Tegel U-Bahn or S-Bahn station it is a short walk to the edge of the trees along the Tegeler See.

The highest tree in Berlin, a European larch planted in 1875, stands in this wood and rises to nearly 45 meters. Many visitors are surprised to find that a forest so close to the city hides such unusually old and tall individual trees.