The Paltrock windmill in Schönewalde stands on the western edge of town; in 1939 it was moved to its current location. Bread and cakes are baked in its wood-fired oven, which is still in working order. Tours of the mill are available by prior arrangement by telephone. If you are planning a tour, arrange the date in advance. The traditional mill festival takes place on Whit Monday; check the specific event dates for the year you wish to visit. Whether a baking demonstration is offered may vary.
The mill and school museum: arrange your visits in advance
The Schönewalde School Museum displays teaching materials, school furniture, photo collections and other objects from the past. Visits are available by prior arrangement. This places two distinct cultural perspectives at the heart of Schönewalde: the Paltrock windmill links local history with crafts and technology, while the school museum illustrates past learning and everyday life. If you are planning to visit both, arrange each visit in advance.
Places of interest in other parts of the municipality
Other parts of the municipality also have historic and scenic places to visit. On the south side of Ahlsdorf Palace Park is the crypt of the Georg von Siemens family; it was restored in 1994/95. The 15-hectare park contains rare trees and shrubs. The palace itself is privately owned; the park is considered open to visitors. Check the access conditions before visiting.
A striking natural landmark stands in Hohenkuhnsdorf: an 800-year-old, protected small-leaved lime tree with a trunk circumference of 6.40 metres. In Grassau, bread and cakes are baked in the traditional oven for special occasions such as village festivals; this is also possible for family celebrations on request. Arrange such requests in advance. In the district of Brandis, Brandis Lake was developed into a bathing lake in 2003.
Cycle routes and lakes
The cycle routes around the town of Schönewalde connect to Fläming Skate. The municipality is also home to the natural lake at Bernsdorf, which was created by gravel extraction. The “Island of Recreation” on the lake lies directly beside a new cycle path. This offers two different cycling connections: a route from Schönewalde to Fläming Skate and a specific cycle path by the natural lake at Bernsdorf.
More cultural attractions in the wider Elbe-Elster destination
In the wider Elbe-Elster destination, industrial heritage and museums offer additional options. The Louise briquette factory in Domsdorf is Europe’s oldest surviving briquette factory. Visitors can experience working historic machinery and discover steam engines there. Plessa power station is one of Europe’s oldest lignite-fired power stations and has retained its original building fabric. The guided “Path of Coal” tour leads through the outdoor bunker, boiler house, turbine hall, control room and transformer area; authentic power station technology from the 1920s can also be viewed.
The Mühlberg 1547 Museum is devoted to the meeting of armies in 1547, which shaped the course of the Reformation, and bears the European Heritage Label. Another way to explore the Elbe-Elster region is the 200-kilometre “Coal, Wind and Water Tour,” where the history of energy generation comes to life through the elements. These destinations broaden the view of the wider Elbe-Elster region without replacing the local attractions in Schönewalde.
Choose your accommodation to suit your visits
A stay that includes pre-arranged tours in Schönewalde raises different scheduling considerations from a trip that also takes in places in the municipality or cultural attractions in the wider Elbe-Elster region. Check dates and any arrangements required for each destination before deciding the order of your excursions.
Discover more destinations: Brandis, Herzberg, Mühlberg, Fichtwald, Plessa, Sallgast, Bad Liebenwerda, Gorden-Staupitz.
Return to the wider travel overview: Elbe-Elster.
