Netzschkau provides access to a wooded low mountain landscape along the Göltzsch. The Göltzsch Viaduct, Netzschkau Castle and traces of the town’s craft and industrial history are also among its distinctive features. This raises a specific question when choosing your destination: would you mainly like to explore trails and landscapes, or focus on architectural history and technology?

Hiking Trails and Routes

You can explore the wooded low mountain landscape on foot along the Göltzsch. Netzschkau also has well-developed hiking and cycling trails. The Vogtland Panorama Trail is a long circular route that you can join at the Göltzsch Viaduct. Another route, about 8 kilometers long, connects Netzschkau, the Göltzsch Viaduct and Greiz.

Göltzsch Viaduct and Netzschkau Castle

The Göltzsch Viaduct in Netzschkau is the world’s largest brick bridge. It measures 574 meters in length and 78 meters in height. It was built from 1846 to 1851 to create a railway connection between Leipzig and Nuremberg. Its dimensions and original purpose tell two different sides of its story: the structure as an impressive feat of construction and its role in the planned railway connection.

Netzschkau Castle was built around 1490 as one of the first aristocratic residential castles in Saxony. Visits are possible during the warmer months; concerts, exhibitions and events are also held at the castle. Ketzels Mill has stood at the foot of the Göltzsch Viaduct since 1842. If you would like to visit the mill, arrange your visit by phone in advance. The visiting arrangements at these two historic sites therefore differ: the castle can be visited during the warmer months, while the mill requires prior arrangements.

Crafts, Mining and Industrial History

In the Netzschkau district of Brockau, the Wittmann embroidery company produces Plauen lace using traditional and modern machines. The world’s largest blanket made of Plauen lace is also on display there. This example brings together a textile craft, two different production methods and a special exhibit. It broadens the picture of the town beyond its major structures, without requiring another building to take center stage.

The Vogtland Mining Museum covers the development of mining technology from 1945 to 1990. Guided tours for school classes and groups are available by prior booking. The Nema industrial history exhibition is dedicated to 125 years of Nema history, a significant part of Netzschkau’s industrial history. These topics offer a different focus from the viaduct and the castle: here, the emphasis is on technological development, mining and the history of a company. When planning, you can distinguish between architectural history, crafts and industrial history rather than treating all cultural attractions as alike.

What to Focus on During Your Stay

If you choose Netzschkau for its trails, the distances of the Panorama Trail and the route over the viaduct to Greiz can help you gauge the length of each hike. For an introduction to the area’s cultural history, the viaduct’s construction period and the castle’s building dates are particularly striking. The castle’s seasonal visiting hours, the need to arrange a visit to Ketzels Mill by phone, and the bookable group tours at the Mining Museum each have different requirements. You can take these specific differences into account when choosing what to focus on.

Discover more destinations: Bad Elster, Plauen, Tannenbergsthal, Markneukirchen, Rebersreuth, Oelsnitz/Vogtland, Heinsdorfergrund, Hammerbrücke

For the main travel overview: Vogtland.