The town is located on the Finow river, about 31 km (19 mi) northeast of Berlin (centre).

A local parish was already documented in 1265; the present-day fieldstone church was probably erected at this time.

The settlement on the Via Imperii trade route to Berlin was vested with market rights by Margrave John V in 1315.

A castle was mentioned in 1337, it was purchased by the Hohenzollern elector John George of Brandenburg in 1577.

The town was occupied by Red Army forces in 1945 and became part of the Soviet occupation zone.