Calau combines distinctive architectural history with excursions of different lengths and character. The Late Gothic town church, the Wendish Church and the local history museum in a half-timbered house offer tangible ways to explore the town’s history. A 14-kilometre cycling and hiking route leads from Calau station towards Plieskendorf and on to the “Hölle” valley. This gives you a choice when planning your day between cultural stops in town and a longer tour; the leisure pool adds a seasonal option to your stay.
Town history through churches and houses
The Protestant town church in Calau is Late Gothic and has three naves; construction is dated to before 1400. A three-nave church has an interior divided into three sections. The Wendish Church, also known as the country church, has had its present form since 1666. These dates offer different historical reference points: for the town church, the date refers to the start of construction; for the Wendish Church, it refers to its present form. A guided tour of Calau passes, among other places, the Protestant town church and the town hall, and provides insight into the town’s eventful history. A description from 2020 mentions organised public tours to the town church’s viewing platform. If you plan to climb up, check current visiting arrangements in advance.
The local history museum is housed in the old girls’ school, a half-timbered house dating from 1789, right next to the town church. The museum site thus brings together its former use as a girls’ school and a half-timbered building from 1789. At the local history museum, the Calau Local History Association (Heimatverein Calau e.V.) regularly presents special themed exhibitions. If you would like to visit for a particular exhibition, check the latest dates in advance.
Circular routes and a longer tour
The town of Calau opened the Witz circular trail in 2011. Its name adds another thematic focus alongside church and local history. A longer tour covers 14 kilometres in total, starting from Calau station and heading towards Plieskendorf, past the Weinberg and uphill to the “Hölle”. The destination is a valley formed by erosion, with natural vegetation and several springs. The route is described as suitable for cyclists and hikers. Its length makes it a separate activity, which you can distinguish from a town walk when planning your day. The Weinberg, the climb and the valley are clearly named waypoints along the route.
Plan for the leisure pool’s seasonal opening
Calau leisure pool has one pool each for swimmers, non-swimmers and toddlers. A large water slide and a mushroom fountain add to the pools. As an outdoor pool, the leisure pool operates seasonally. Bear this seasonal opening in mind if you plan to visit, and check the current opening hours before you go. This helps you fit the activity to your travel dates.
Calau in the wider destination of Oberspreewald-Lausitz
The wider destination of Oberspreewald-Lausitz provides another scale for planning your trip. Hiking routes in the district of Oberspreewald-Lausitz are between 4 and 32 kilometres long. For cycling trips, there are cycle routes from 40 kilometres upwards, including self-guided or guided multi-day tours with good places to rest and eat. More than 580 kilometres of signposted cycle routes connect the regions between the Spreewald and the Kmehlener Berge, and link southern Brandenburg with Saxony and northern Brandenburg. In the south of the district, the flooding of former open-cast mines is creating a waterscape with more than 20 artificial lakes: the Lusatian Lake District. These regional options sit alongside the specific 14-kilometre route from Calau, helping you distinguish between the different scales when planning a stay.
Discover more destinations: Raddusch, Schwarzheide, Hermsdorf, Hohenbocka, Schwarzbach, Luckaitztal, Vetschau/Spreewald, Laasow
Back to the overview of the wider destination: Oberspreewald-Lausitz.
