Großkmehlen: Castle, Silbermann Organ and the Kmehlener Hills

Großkmehlen offers two distinct focal points when planning a stay: history surrounding the castle and Silbermann organ, and a hike through the Kmehlener Hills. Großkmehlen Castle includes a renovated estate courtyard and a public castle park. A knight’s manor is documented from 1391, and the Silbermann organ connects to events in 1717 and 1996. The village’s history also includes the castle’s later use as a retirement home after the Second World War. Outdoors, a hike starts in Großkmehlen and follows signposted forest paths along the ridge. This lets you decide before your trip whether your main focus will be historical connections or a tour through the landscape.

The Castle and Local History

A knight’s manor in Großkmehlen is documented from 1391. In 1499, the von Lüttichau family was enfeoffed with Großkmehlen. After the Second World War, Großkmehlen Castle served as a retirement home until 1997 and then stood empty. The village’s history thus brings together a medieval connection and the castle’s much later use.

The Silbermann Organ: Commission and Dedication

The contract for the Silbermann organ in the Großkmehlen church was signed with Gottfried Silbermann on 11 January 1717. The commissioner was Johanna Eleonore, the widowed Generalin von Brauße; payment of 1,000 thalers was agreed. After restoration, the organ was dedicated for a second time in 1996 with a concert by Matthias Eisenberg. The 1996 dedication and the end of its use as a retirement home in 1997 occurred close together in time, but belong to the separate histories of the organ and the castle.

Hiking in the Kmehlener Hills

The hike through the Kmehlener Hills starts in Großkmehlen and follows signposted forest paths along the ridge. The route passes the remains of a former ski jump, including the clearly visible clearing of the former landing slope. This visible remnant gives the hike a tangible connection to the landscape’s former use, in addition to its route.

More to Explore in Oberspreewald-Lausitz

The wider travel destination of Oberspreewald-Lausitz is also relevant when planning further activities. The district of Oberspreewald-Lausitz has hiking routes ranging from 4 to 32 km in length. More than 580 km of signposted cycle routes connect the regions between the Spreewald and the Kmehlener Hills; on a regional level, they connect southern Brandenburg with Saxony and northern Brandenburg. The district also has cycle routes of 40 km or more, including individual or guided multi-day tours with good places to rest and stop for refreshments. The difference between hiking routes of 4 to 32 km and cycle routes of 40 km or more offers an overview of the different types of regional routes. In the south of the district of Oberspreewald-Lausitz, the flooding of former open-cast mines is creating a waterscape with more than 20 artificial lakes: the Lusatian Lake District. The historic old town of Lübbenau/Spreewald, also in the district of Oberspreewald-Lausitz, includes a Neoclassical castle ensemble.

Discover more destinations: Frauwalde, Ruhland, Kroppen, Senftenberg, Gosda, Lauchhammer, Hohenbocka, Lübbenau/Spreewald.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Oberspreewald-Lausitz.