Burgk Castle brings together Freital’s mining history, art and several reasons to visit in one place. In the 19th century, it was the residence of Baron Carl Friedrich August Dathe von Burgk and also the administrative centre of the Freiherrlich von Burgker Steinkohlen- und Eisenhüttenwerk, founded in 1819. Since 1946, it has housed the Freital Municipal Collections; the park, the castle café and the “Burgkania” adventure playground also invite visitors to explore.
Burgk Castle: Museum and Art Collection
The Freital Museum was established in 1924; the Municipal Collections have been housed in the castle since 1946. The Municipal Art Collection features works dating from around 1890 to 1950; highlights include nine paintings by Otto Dix. This brings two distinct periods together at the castle: the history of the museum and the period represented by the art on display.
For children, Burgkania offers a playful way to engage with the history. At the adventure playground in Burgk Castle, they can discover and experience the world of mining.
Mining Above and Below Ground
The winding towers are also part of Freital’s mining history. Since 2003, Freital has had two mining-technology monuments and tourist attractions in the form of the reconstructed winding towers. Each tower is 28 metres high and weighs 54 tonnes. Their dimensions give a tangible sense of the scale of these technical monuments.
The “Tagesstrecke Oberes Revier Burgk” visitor mine offers another perspective. In the authentic underground workings, visitors can learn about the hard daily working life of miners and the 1869 mine disaster. While the winding towers represent the technical aspect of the mining heritage, the focus here is on the work and a specific historical event. If you plan to visit, check the opening times before setting out.
Swimming and Leisure Activities
The leisure pool at the “Hains” leisure centre offers public swimming throughout the day. Facilities include a multi-purpose pool with a current channel and two 20-metre lanes, a water playground for the youngest visitors and two tube slides.
Oskarshausen offers a different kind of leisure experience: this family leisure park in Freital, near Dresden, has indoor and outdoor activities across more than 15,000 square metres. Activities include porcelain painting, a woodworking workshop, textile printing and arts and crafts. Unlike Hains, the focus here is not on swimming but on a range of creative and craft activities.
Cycling: Long-Distance Route and Former Railway Line
Freital also offers cyclists different kinds of routes. The Mittellandroute D4 long-distance cycle route (Aachen–Zittau) passes through Freital along State Road 194 between Tharandt and Freital. In addition, cycle paths and leisure routes follow former railway lines; these include the Windbergbahn through the Freital districts of Burgk and Kleinnaundorf to Bannewitz. The routes differ in character: the D4 is described as running along the state road, while the Windbergbahn follows a former railway line and passes through specific districts. Cyclists can therefore plan around either a long-distance route or a route along former railway lines.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Liebstadt, Kleinhennersdorf, MĂĽglitztal, Heidenau, Rabenau, Bannewitz, Wilsdruff, Tharandt
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