Zittau combines Lenten veils, Neoclassical church architecture and a nostalgic steam train ride through Upper Lusatia. If you are looking for accommodation for a stay, it helps to decide early what you want to focus on: religious art and architectural history, or a regional railway experience. For getting around the region, it is also worth considering which modes of transport the ZVON network connects and how its fare system is structured.
Lenten Veils and St. John’s Church
The Great Zittau Lenten Veil was created in 1472 and depicts the biblical story in 90 scenes. Measuring 8.20 by 6.80 metres, it is a large-scale work. You can view it at the Museum Church of the Holy Cross. The Small Zittau Lenten Veil is on display at the Franziskanerkloster Museum of Cultural History. The two veils offer different points of interest: the Great Veil presents the biblical narrative in an extensive sequence of images, while the Small Veil offers another reason to visit as a further Zittau Lenten veil in its own right.
St. John’s Church offers a different architectural perspective. The Neoclassical church, designed by Schinkel, was completed in 1837. Its 60-metre-high south tower offers sweeping views over Zittau. This brings architectural history and a viewpoint together with the art of the Lenten veils. When weighing up your cultural interests, you can use this specific selection as a guide: the biblical sequence of images, the Neoclassical architecture, or the view over the city from the south tower.
Steam Train and Regional Transport
As a travel experience in its own right, the Zittau Narrow-Gauge Railway offers a nostalgic steam train ride through Upper Lusatia. It is a family-friendly regional excursion and a different kind of discovery from exploring church architecture or Lenten veils. The ride can therefore add a railway experience to your cultural itinerary without requiring you to conflate the city’s different themes.
Around Zittau, the ZVON network is served by TRILEX and ODEG trains, as well as urban and regional bus operators. A single integrated fare applies to journeys by train, tram or bus. This provides a shared fare framework for different modes of transport; check timetables and current fares before your trip, as network and ticketing rules can change.
Görlitz as a Distinct Architectural Comparison
The wider destination of Görlitz offers its own architectural focus. Schönhof in Görlitz was rebuilt in the Renaissance style from 1526 after a city fire. It is the main building of the Silesian Museum in Görlitz and is among the oldest Renaissance buildings north of the Alps. Görlitz’s historic old town contains around 4,000 listed buildings and is one of the best-preserved historic ensembles in Central Europe. Magnificent Renaissance and Baroque townhouses line Untermarkt, the historic heart of Görlitz.
The Church of St. Peter in Görlitz also offers a different architectural accent: it is Saxony’s largest hall church and a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Compared with the Neoclassical St. John’s Church in Zittau, Renaissance and Gothic styles feature more prominently in Görlitz. This difference helps you define the cultural focus of your trip more precisely, rather than treating the two places as interchangeable stops.
Choose Accommodation Based on Your Travel Focus
The RB65 runs from Görlitz via Görlitz/Weinhübel and Hagenwerder, continuing on to Ostritz and Zittau. If you plan to use this connection, check the current timetable before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Niesky, Krauschwitz, Olbersdorf, Seifhennersdorf, Bernstadt Auf Dem Eigen, Vierkirchen, Kodersdorf, Schleife
Return to the wider travel overview: Görlitz.
