Discover Schipkau from different perspectives: from the rooftop balcony, look out over a hilly landscape, while the observation tower and church architecture each make their own mark. There are also trails by Lake Drochow and longer routes through the municipality. When looking for a hotel in Schipkau, consider whether your stay will focus primarily on the landscape, architectural history or a longer tour.
Views spanning hills and mining history
From the Schipkau rooftop balcony, you can see the Kamenz Hills, including Hutberg and Hennersdorfer Berg, to the southeast. The Hörlitz observation tower offers a different kind of panoramic view. It stands in Hörlitz, a district of the municipality of Schipkau, is 27 metres tall and made of steel. Its design is intended to evoke a former water tower.
From the tower, the panorama takes in Hörlitz and Senftenberg, the EuroSpeedway Lausitz, and the post-mining landscape of the former Meuro open-cast mine, stretching as far as the Saxon uplands. Two distinct landscapes lie side by side: the view of the hills to the southeast and the sweeping vista over towns and a landscape shaped by former mining. If you include viewpoints in your travel plans, you’ll find a distinctive option here—not just another high point to add to the list.
Church art in Klettwitz
Klettwitz Church underwent extensive renovation and expansion from 1905 to 1907, based on designs by Berlin architect Wilhelm Blaue and government architect Carl Weber. The most striking feature is the faux-coffered ceiling from 1906, which displays 91 different motifs. The ceiling’s date therefore falls within the period of the renovation.
The stone chapel is also part of the building’s history: it has been preserved as the church’s entrance hall. On the organ gallery stands the 970th organ built by royal court organ builder Wilhelm Sauer of Frankfurt/Oder; it has 12 stops. The ceiling, chapel and organ each offer their own architectural or musical interest. Together, they offer culture enthusiasts more than just a single view of the façade.
Trails by the lake and longer routes
Cycling and hiking trails invite you to spend time by Lake Drochow. This makes getting active in the surrounding area a different focus from visiting the viewpoints or Klettwitz Church. The approximately 510-kilometre Lower Lusatian Mining Tour passes through the municipality of Schipkau. It offers a longer route option, though its full length is not something to equate with a single stay.
The Fürst-Pückler-Weg also passes through the municipality of Schipkau. In 2006, the ADFC (German Cycling Club) awarded it four stars. At more than 500 kilometres long, it takes you through the history of Lusatia. The Lower Lusatian Mining Tour is approximately 510 kilometres long; for the Fürst-Pückler-Weg, the focus is on its 2006 award and its description as a route across Lusatia. Both details show the routes’ regional scale, while Lake Drochow offers a different, locally focused option for cycling and hiking.
A wider perspective: Oberspreewald-Lausitz
In the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district, hiking routes range from 4 to 32 kilometres. Cycling routes start at 40 kilometres; options include individually arranged or guided multi-day tours with good places to stop and eat. More than 580 kilometres of signposted cycling trails link areas between the Spreewald and the Kmehlener Hills and extend beyond the region from southern Brandenburg to Saxony and northern Brandenburg. This selection describes the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district and complements its local trails and viewpoints with a wider perspective on touring.
In the south of the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district, the flooding of former open-cast mines is creating a waterscape of more than 20 artificial lakes: the Lusatian Lakeland. Alongside its mining history, the district is therefore also undergoing a transformation into a lake district. When planning your stay, it’s worth deciding what you’d like to focus on: views of the hills, architecture in Klettwitz, trails by Lake Drochow or a longer tour on a regional scale.
Discover more destinations: LĂĽbbenau/Spreewald, Lauchhammer, Vetschau/Spreewald, Kroppen, Schwarzheide, Gosda, Senftenberg, Hohenbocka
For the broader travel overview: Oberspreewald-Lausitz.
