Page 186 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

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climbing the 15th-century of churches in Jerusalem. Görlitz Zittau Mountains, a paradise
Alte Wasser kunst, a tower that still has remains of its medieval for rock-climbers, walkers and
pumped Spree water up to the town fortifications with original nature lovers. The town itself is
town. It is the symbol of Bautzen towers and gates, including the splendidly preserved, with many
and offers splendid views. Kaisertrutz, a 15th-century historic buildings, such as the
The cathedral Dom St Peter barbican, extended in the 19th beautiful, Baroque Noacksches
is now used jointly by Catholics century and now home to the Haus (Markt 2). The Neo-
(choir) and Protestants (nave). town’s art collection. Renaissance Rathaus (town
The late-Gothic Schloß hall) was built in 1840–45,
Ortenburg houses the Environs to a design by Carl Augustus
Sorbisches Museum, devoted The small town of Ostritz, Schramm. The Johanniskirche,
to Sorbian history and culture. 16 km (10 miles) to the south, by Karl Friedrich Schinkel,
has a charming original combines elements of Neo-
E Sorbisches Museum Cistercian abbey, St Marien thal Classical and Neo-Gothic styles
Ortenburg 3. Tel (03591) 42 403. (1230). Its red-and-white build- and is an excellent example of
Open Apr–Oct: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun; ings are to this day inhabited by Historicist architecture.
Nov–Mar: 10am–4pm Tue–Sun. Baroque Neptune fountain in Untermarkt, nuns, who show visitors around
in Görlitz and serve food and home- Environs
brewed beer. The charming spa town of
Gothic altar from 1513 in St Annen church, in Kamenz u Görlitz Oybin, 9 km (6 miles) south
of Zittau, can be reached by
r Kamenz t Bautzen Road map F4. * 66,000. £ @ i Zittau
n Obermarkt 32 (03581-475 70). narrow-gauge railway. Its
Road map F4. * 16,800. £ @ Road map F4. * 44,000. £ @ _ Kultursommer (May–Sep); Road map F4. * 28,000. £ @ attractions include the hilltop
n Schulplatz 5 (03578 379 205). _ n Hauptmarkt 1 (03591-4 20 16). Sommertheater (Jul); Strassen theater- n Markt 1 (03583-75 22 00). ruins of a Gothic abbey,
Hutbergfest (May). ∑ kamenz.de _ Vogelhochzeit (Jan); Lausitzer festival (Aug). ∑ goerlitz.de _ Klosterfest (Ascension) (May); Fest immortalized by Caspar David
Fischwochen (Oct). ∑ bautzen.de am Dreiländereck (Jun); Stadtfest (Jul). Friedrich. It is worth timing your
The best time for a visit to Kamenz This border town, whose eastern ∑ zittau.eu visit for a Saturday evening in
is the end of May or June, when This town is scenically situated part, Zgorzelec, has belonged summer, when you can witness
the rhododendrons that cover on a high rock overhanging the to Poland since 1945, boasts a Zittau is an excellent starting the procession of torch-bearing
the Hutberg (294 m/965 ft high) Spree River valley. Known long history. Its oldest records point for excursions into the monks or listen to a concert.
are in flower. The poet, Gotthold mainly for its top-security jail date back to 1071. Founded in
Ephraim Lessing, was born in for political prisoners during 1210–20, the town flourished
Kamenz in 1729. Although his the GDR era, today it enchants in the 15th and 16th centuries.
house no longer exists, the visitors with its beautifully In 1990 an extensive restoration
Lessingmuseum, founded in reconstructed old town. Many plan was begun, and now visit-
1929, is devoted to his work. signs are bilingual, German and Doorway of the Neo-Renaissance palace in ors can see its historic buildings
A great fire destroyed much Sorbian, reflecting the fact that Bad Muskau in their former glory.
of the town in 1842, but it Bautzen is the cultural capital of The charming houses in
spared the late-Gothic St Marien the Sorbs. The winding streets y Bad Muskau Obermarkt (upper market),
church, a four-nave 15th- with their ori ginal houses, the Road map F4. * 4,170. @ the Renaissance portals and
century structure with Gothic city walls, the curiously crooked n Schloßstraße 6 (035771-504 92). decorations on houses in
altars and other interesting Reichen turm tower and the ∑ badmuskau.de Brüderstraße and the fasci nating
features. Equally noteworthy Baroque town hall in the town Untermarkt (lower market),
for their furnishings are the square form a very attractive Bad Muskau, a small town and with its vast town hall complex,
Gothic ex-Franciscan complex. It is also worth spa, boasts one of Saxony’s enchant everyone. The older
St Annen church and most beautiful parks, which has wing of the town hall, the work
the unusual hall-church been included in the UNESCO of Wendel Roskopf, has an Fountain with a statue of Roland, the French knight, in Zittau
Katechismuskirche. Cultural Heritage list. It was amazing external staircase with
Originally part of the created in 1815–45 by the writer Renaissance ornaments, and The Sorbs
town’s fortification system, Prince Hermann von Pückler- winds around the statue of Justice.
it has a row of loopholes Muskau. The Neo-Renaissance One of the most remarkable The Sorbs, also known as the
on its upper storey. The palace at its centre was churches is the imposing five- Lusatians or Wends, are an
old cemetery and the destroyed in World War II and nave, 15th-century Haupt­ indigenous Slav minority who live
Gothic funereal church reopened after reconstruction stadtpfarrkirche St Peter und in the eastern regions of Saxony
and Brandenburg. Their ancestors,
Begräbniskirche St Just in 2008. The English-style St Paul whose Baroque furnish- the Lusatian Slavs, were conquered
are also worth a visit. landscaped park surrounding it, ings are among the finest in by Germans in the 10th century.
As is the Museum der a nature reserve since 1952, is Saxony. Also noteworthy is the Although condemned to exter-
Westlausitz, a museum well worth visiting. Its main Oberkirche, with an original mination by the National Socialists,
of the local region. part, on the northern shores of Gothic main altar and 15th- today they enjoy complete
the Lusatian Neisse River, is in century wall paintings in the side cultural autonomy. The revival
E Lessingmuseum Poland. A joint Polish-German nave. One of Görlitz’s curiosities of their language and traditions
Lessingplatz 1–3. Tel (03578) programme has opened the is the Heiliges Grab (Holy tomb), is apparent in the bilingual signs
380 50. Open 9am–5pm Tue–Fri, Impressive Baroque entrance to the Domstift entire area to visitors from both built in 1481–1504, a group of in towns.
1pm–5pm Sat & Sun. in Bautzen sides of the border. three chapels that are replicas
For hotels and restaurants in this area see p494 and pp514–16

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.2)
Date 15th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm