At the local history museum in Sonnewalde’s front castle, discover the town’s history and everyday life in the 20th century across twenty rooms. The museum is not open regularly; visits and guided tours are available on request. Be sure to check in advance about visiting and confirm that it is possible before making it a fixed part of your stay.
Castle Park and Surviving Parts of the Complex
At Sonnewalde Castle, you can explore parts of the defensive wall, the moat and a defensive tower. The castle park adjoining the front castle offers a different focus: old, picturesque trees shape the grounds, including some rare species. The ponds also tell the story of the former castle complex, as they were formed from the old moat.
The castle park is freely accessible at all times; briefly check whether local conditions have changed before your visit. Every year at Whitsun, the open-air stage in the park hosts the Culture and Local Heritage Festival. If you would like to plan your stay around it, check the latest festival dates. The museum, castle remains and park offer different perspectives: an exhibition on life in the 20th century, visible parts of the defensive complex and a park landscape with historic associations.
More Things to Explore in the Wider Elbe-Elster Destination
In the wider Elbe-Elster destination, attractions beyond Sonnewalde add other themes to the region. Industrial heritage sites include the Louise briquette factory in Domsdorf and the Plessa power station. Louise is Europe’s oldest surviving briquette factory and began operating in 1882. Visitors can experience working historic machinery and steam engines there. Plessa power station is one of Europe’s oldest lignite-fired power stations and has retained its original structure. Visitors can see authentic power station technology from the 1920s; the guided “Coal Trail” tour passes through the outdoor bunker, boiler house, turbine floor, control room and transformer area.
The F60 visitor mine is also in Elbe-Elster district, south of Lichterfeld. Visitors to the mine can explore nearby Bergheider See by bicycle or Segway, or take a walk along its long beach. Those more interested in history can learn about the 1547 meeting of the armies at Museum MĂĽhlberg 1547, an event that shaped the course of the Reformation. The museum holds the European Heritage Label. Since January 2015, four major museums in Elbe-Elster district have formed a joint museum network.
For nature watching, visitors on outings with a ranger from the Elbe-Elster-Land Nature Watch can identify birdsong, find rare plants and observe animals; dates may vary. Cyclists can also choose from a range of themes in the wider destination: the Elster Cycle Route is a circular tour that passes old mills and runs through the heart of the Niederlausitzer Heidelandschaft Nature Park. The 200-kilometre “Coal, Wind and Water Tour” brings the history of energy production to life through the elements. Plessa Adventure Power Station is on this cycle route.
Regional garden and wine experiences offer further options. The 65-kilometre Apple Route includes a guided tour of the Pomological Garden in Döllingen; check the latest dates. Wine has been grown again since 1992 on the southern slope of the Langer Berg in Schlieben. More than 2,000 vines of the “Müller-Thurgau” and “Bacchus” varieties now grow there. Visitors can learn about and taste Schlieben wine on a guided tour; here too, it is advisable to check the latest dates. Schlieben’s historic Kellerstraße includes more than 30 wine cellars, dug into the Langer Berg from around 1540.
Choose Sonnewalde as Your Place to Stay
If you are looking for a holiday apartment for your stay, first consider whether your focus is on Sonnewalde itself or whether you would also like to explore other themes in the wider Elbe-Elster destination.
Discover more destinations: Herzberg, Doberlug-Kirchhain, Hohenleipisch, Massen-Niederlausitz, Sallgast, Elsterwerda, Wahrenbrück, Gröden.
View the wider travel guide: Elbe-Elster.
