Cottbus can be explored through several distinct themes: late Gothic brick architecture, Sorbian/Wendish culture, urban and technological history, and landscaped parks. When planning your trip, you can choose a focus—such as museums, park visits or the zoo—instead of treating all the sights as equally important.
Church, Museums and City History
The Oberkirche St. Nikolai is a late Gothic, three-aisled brick hall church dating from the 15th century. It is considered the largest church in Lower Lusatia. Climb the 55-metre-high church tower for views across green Cottbus. The architecture and the view offer two distinct reasons to include the church in your itinerary.
The Wendish Museum explores the cultural history of the Sorbs/Wends in Lower Lusatia. Through exhibits, traditional costumes and documents, its permanent exhibition offers insights into Sorbian/Wendish life from the past to the present. Traditions, language and identity are also central themes. The City Museum takes a different approach: its permanent exhibition, “The City’s Memory,” presents collections on life, work and the culture of the region, as well as the development of Cottbus and Lower Lusatia.
The Brandenburg Pharmacy Museum explores the history of pharmacy. On display are fully preserved pharmacy interiors from the 19th and early 20th centuries, including original dispensaries, an herb room, a poison room and a Galenic laboratory. You can also discover technological history at the Airfield Museum, which presents 90 years of history of Cottbus’s airfields and aviation in Lusatia. The Spreewehr Mill offers a different historical focus. It is one of the few surviving river mills in the eastern German states and is of technological and historical significance.
Garden Art and Parkland
Between 1845 and 1871, Hermann Fürst von Pückler-Muskau transformed the flat agricultural landscape of Branitz Park into an elaborate landscaped park with hills, valleys and waterways. Two earth pyramids are among its distinctive features. The Lake Pyramid is Pückler’s burial place. The park therefore brings landscape design together with a direct connection to its creator.
The restored estate in Branitz Park serves as the gateway to this internationally significant work of garden art. Its visitor centre has a permanent exhibition about the artistic principles of Pückler and Cottbus painter Blechen, as well as the park’s creation and significance. The exhibition also offers the experience of a balloon ride over Branitz Park.
The 55-hectare Spreeauenpark connects Cottbus’s inner-city green space with Branitz Landscape Park. Water-side perennial gardens, old oak avenues, beech woods, expansive meadows and quiet areas shape the park. The Niederlausitz Tertiary Forest contains the Findlingsallee, Mammutstubben and Kohlemoor areas. The Meadow Park has a well-developed network of paths connecting it to the park’s other areas.
The Meadow Park is used for open-air concerts, large celebrations and picnics. The park pavilion also serves as an event venue: it accommodates up to 1,200 spectators and hosts celebrations, open-air events, concerts, and theatrical, light and fire performances. If an event is to be the focus of your stay, check the specific dates before your trip.
The Zoo and Choosing What to See
Cottbus Zoo lies between the Spree, Branitz Park and Spreeauenpark. It is home to more than 1,200 animals from 170 species; the animal counts may change over time. The petting zoo and playground make the zoo particularly family-friendly. As individual facilities and activities may change, it is worth checking them again before your visit.
Each museum focuses on its own themes—from Sorbian/Wendish life to pharmacy history and aviation—while Branitz and Spreeauenpark showcase different aspects of landscaped green spaces. This lets you tailor your choice to the interests of your trip.
More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Kahren, Brandenburg an der Havel, Frankfurt / Oder.
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