A distinctive introduction to Gosda’s culture is the craft tradition in the Plins villages: André von Martens creates artistic vessels there using an elaborate black-firing technique. His work is inspired, among other things, by Slavic ceramics; he has received several awards. The names “Plins villages” and “hill villages” are also part of the local character: in local parlance, Gosda, Weißag and Zwietow are known by these names.
Landscape and village character
Gosda, Weißag and Zwietow lie in a valley shaped by the Calau Switzerland, surrounded by meadows and forests. The Calau Switzerland is part of the “Niederlausitzer Landrücken” Nature Park. The three named villages therefore share a common landscape, while each has its own local and architectural history.
A particularly large number of fieldstone buildings have been preserved in Gosda, Zwietow and WeiĂźag. Their owners have renovated them in recent years. These preserved buildings offer another tangible point of interest alongside the crafts: visitors interested in the area can take note both of the building material used and of the local names.
Routes and navigation
The Kranichtour (Crane Tour) passes through the Plins villages of Gosda and Zwietow. It is marked with a stylized crane on a yellow background. The Heedekornweg, by contrast, is marked with a yellow dot on a white background. The different symbols help distinguish the two route markers; associate the crane marker with the Kranichtour and the yellow dot with the Heedekornweg.
Several walking routes are named for the Luckaitztal brick tower. The shortest starts at the rest area near WeiĂźag; marked trails also lead to the tower from Werchow and Luckaitztal station. The viewing platform is 38 metres above the forest floor, and 216 steps lead to the top. This describes both the ascent and specific starting points for finding your way.
Observation towers and mills
Different details come to the fore at the Calau Switzerland observation tower. The tower is made of 93,850 clinker bricks from the nearby Buchwäldchen brickworks of Wienerberger GmbH. In clear weather, the view from there extends to Calau’s town church, Cottbus, the Jänschwalde power station, the F 60 visitor mine near Lichterfeld and the Lusatian Highlands. The clear-weather condition is part of the description of the view: these distant vistas are described for such conditions.
The mills also offer different insights. The former Zwietow post mill was built in 1860 and converted into a motorized mill in 1937. Today it is used as a museum of rural everyday culture; the collection includes small-scale farming equipment and household items. It is located on the main road between Gosda and Zwietow in the Calau Switzerland. Visits and guided tours are available by appointment, so arrange your visit in advance.
The “Fuchsmühle” is located on the Starick family’s property, directly beside the cycle path between the Plins villages of Zwietow and Weißag. The “Alte Mühle”, meanwhile, still operates as a buckwheat, grain and sawmill. Together, the named mills illustrate different aspects: a museum collection, a location beside a cycle path and several types of mills that are still operational.
Discover more destinations: Hohenbocka, Schipkau, Lübbenau/Spreewald, Luckaitztal, Kroppen, Hermsdorf, Altdöbern, Schwarzbach
To the main travel overview: Oberspreewald-Lausitz.
