Bundesstraße 96
Encyclopedia
The Bundesstraße 96 is a federal highway in Germany. It begins in Zittau
in the Saxony
, close to the border triangle between Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic
, heads north through Berlin
and ends in Sassnitz
on the island of Rügen
in the Baltic Sea
. Part of B 96 forms part of the European route E22
.
The former F 96 was the longest road in the GDR and a major route in north-south direction. When the Berlin Wall
was built in 1961 the route of the F 96 was altered so that it went through Mahlow just south East Berlin
and Birkenwerder
just north of East Berlin. This section is now called B 96a. South of Berlin was the B 96 different from today's route at Klausdorf
Mellensee (both now at the municipality Am Mellensee
) because of a diversion around Wünsdorf and Zossen
the site of the headquarters of the Supreme Command of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. In the 1960s and 1970s additions were made to the route between Greifswald
and Stralsund
to bypass narrow cobblestone village streets and a new parallel route to the west was built to transport tourists to the island of Rügen
.
, the road passes through Ebersbach, Bautzen
, Hoyerswerda
, Senftenberg
, Großräschen
, Finsterwalde
, Luckau
, Zossen
, and enters Berlin's Lichtenrade
quarter. In Berlin, the road runs in the north-south direction through the German capital. This route was completed on 26 March 2006 with the opening of the Tiergarten tunnel under the city district at Potsdamer Platz
and the government district.
North of Berlin, the road passes through Glienicke/Nordbahn
, Oranienburg
, Fürstenberg/Havel
, Neustrelitz
and Neubrandenburg
. Between Neubrandenburg-east and Süderholz
, the B96 is replaced by the Bundesautobahn 20
. From there, it continues through Stralsund
, where it crosses over the Rügenbrücke to the island Rügen
. It passes through Samtens
and Bergen auf Rügen
, and ends in Sassnitz
.
Although it is now also partly rebuilt as the A20 Highway with interchange north of Greifswald
it is still one of the major highways in Germany.
Zittau
Zittau is a city in the south east of the Free State of Saxony, Germany, close to the border tripoint of Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. , there are 28,638 people in the city. It is part of the Görlitz district....
in the Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, close to the border triangle between Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, heads north through Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and ends in Sassnitz
Sassnitz
Sassnitz is a town on the Jasmund peninsula, Rügen Island, in the Federal State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The population as of 2007 was 10,747....
on the island of Rügen
Rügen
Rügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. Part of B 96 forms part of the European route E22
European route E22
The European route E 22 is one of the longest European routes. It has a length of about . Many of the E-roads have been extended into Asia since the year 2000; the E 22 was extended on 24 June 2002.-United Kingdom:...
.
History
Before the formation of the GDR the highway was known as Reichstrasse 96.The former F 96 was the longest road in the GDR and a major route in north-south direction. When the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
was built in 1961 the route of the F 96 was altered so that it went through Mahlow just south East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
and Birkenwerder
Birkenwerder
Birkenwerder is a municipality in the Oberhavel district, in Brandenburg, Germany....
just north of East Berlin. This section is now called B 96a. South of Berlin was the B 96 different from today's route at Klausdorf
Klausdorf
Klausdorf is a former municipality in the district of Plön, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated approx. 20 km northwest of Plön, and 5 km east of Kiel. On 1 March 2008, it was merged with Raisdorf to form the town Schwentinental....
Mellensee (both now at the municipality Am Mellensee
Am Mellensee
Am Mellensee is a municipality in the Teltow-Fläming district of Brandenburg, Germany. The municipality, south of Berlin, is the home of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Gertrud. An Associated Press story appearing in the August 1, 2011 online version of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch detailed the...
) because of a diversion around Wünsdorf and Zossen
Zossen
Zossen is a German town in the district of Teltow-Fläming in Brandenburg, south of Berlin, and next to the B96 highway. Zossen consists of several smaller municipalities, which were grouped together in 2003 to form the city.-Geography:...
the site of the headquarters of the Supreme Command of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. In the 1960s and 1970s additions were made to the route between Greifswald
Greifswald
Greifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
and Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
to bypass narrow cobblestone village streets and a new parallel route to the west was built to transport tourists to the island of Rügen
Rügen
Rügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
.
Route
Starting from its southern end in ZittauZittau
Zittau is a city in the south east of the Free State of Saxony, Germany, close to the border tripoint of Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. , there are 28,638 people in the city. It is part of the Görlitz district....
, the road passes through Ebersbach, Bautzen
Bautzen
Bautzen is a hill-top town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and administrative centre of the eponymous district. It is located on the Spree River. As of 2008, its population is 41,161...
, Hoyerswerda
Hoyerswerda
Hoyerswerda is the largest city in the district of Bautzen in the German state of Saxony. It is located in Lusatia, a region where many people speak the Sorbian languages in addition to German.-Geography:...
, Senftenberg
Senftenberg
Senftenberg is a town in southern Brandenburg, Germany, capital of the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district.-Geography:Senftenberg is located in the southwest of the historic Lower Lusatia region at the border with Saxony...
, Großräschen
Großräschen
Großräschen is a town in Lower Lusatia, in Germany. Administratively, it is part of the district of Oberspreewald-Lausitz, in the state of Brandenburg.-Geographical situation:...
, Finsterwalde
Finsterwalde
Finsterwalde is a town in the Elbe-Elster district , in Brandenburg, Germany.-Overview:It is situated on the Schackebach, a tributary of the Kleine Elster, 28 m. W.S.W of Cottbus by rail. Pop. 18,840. The town has a Gothic church , a castle, schools, cloth and cigar factories, iron-foundries,...
, Luckau
Luckau
Luckau is a city in the district of Dahme-Spreewald in the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany. Known for its beauty, it has been dubbed "the Pearl of Lower Lusatia".-Origin of the name:...
, Zossen
Zossen
Zossen is a German town in the district of Teltow-Fläming in Brandenburg, south of Berlin, and next to the B96 highway. Zossen consists of several smaller municipalities, which were grouped together in 2003 to form the city.-Geography:...
, and enters Berlin's Lichtenrade
Lichtenrade
Lichtenrade is a German locality within the borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Berlin. Until 2001 it was part of the former borough of Tempelhof.-History:The locality was first mentioned in 1375, named Lichtenrode...
quarter. In Berlin, the road runs in the north-south direction through the German capital. This route was completed on 26 March 2006 with the opening of the Tiergarten tunnel under the city district at Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz is an important public square and traffic intersection in the centre of Berlin, Germany, lying about one kilometre south of the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag , and close to the southeast corner of the Tiergarten park...
and the government district.
North of Berlin, the road passes through Glienicke/Nordbahn
Glienicke/Nordbahn
Glienicke/Nordbahn is a municipality in the Oberhavel district, in Brandenburg, Germany. It ls located right north of Berlin.-Landscape:Glienicke/Nordbahn is located on the northern outskirts of Berlin. The addition "Nordbahn" is based on the proximity to the 19th century-built railway line...
, Oranienburg
Oranienburg
Oranienburg is a town in Brandenburg, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Oberhavel.- Geography :Oranienburg is a town located on the banks of the Havel river, 35 km north of the centre of Berlin.- Division of the town :...
, Fürstenberg/Havel
Fürstenberg/Havel
Fürstenberg is a town in the Oberhavel district, in Brandenburg, Germany. Fürstenberg was the site of the Ravensbrück concentration camp, and a memorial now occupies the site.-Geography:...
, Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz
Neustrelitz is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
and Neubrandenburg
Neubrandenburg
Neubrandenburg is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, on the shore of a lake called the Tollensesee ....
. Between Neubrandenburg-east and Süderholz
Süderholz
Süderholz is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It was created as a merger from several municipalities on 1 January 1999 and comprises the following villages:...
, the B96 is replaced by the Bundesautobahn 20
Bundesautobahn 20
is an autobahn in Germany. It is colloquially known as Ostseeautobahn or Küstenautobahn due to its geographic location near the Baltic Sea coastline...
. From there, it continues through Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
, where it crosses over the Rügenbrücke to the island Rügen
Rügen
Rügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
. It passes through Samtens
Samtens
Samtens is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.-External links:*...
and Bergen auf Rügen
Bergen auf Rügen
Bergen auf Rügen is the capital of the former district of Rügen in the middle of the island of Rügen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Since 1 January 2005, Bergen has moreover been the administrative seat of the Amt of Bergen auf Rügen, which with a population of over 23,000 is...
, and ends in Sassnitz
Sassnitz
Sassnitz is a town on the Jasmund peninsula, Rügen Island, in the Federal State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The population as of 2007 was 10,747....
.
Although it is now also partly rebuilt as the A20 Highway with interchange north of Greifswald
it is still one of the major highways in Germany.