nauen is situated within the havelland luch glacial lowland, the heart of the havelland region north of the nauen plateau, about west of the berlin city centre ( off the berlin city limits) and northwest of potsdam. it is one of germany's largest municipalities by area, comprising nauen proper and fourteen surrounding villages, including ribbeck whose landowners were perpetuated in theodor fontane's poem "herr von ribbeck auf ribbeck im havelland".