Discover Walternienburg

Walternienburg combines the history of a medieval castle with a 21st-century church building and several cycling routes. This means you can choose different focuses when selecting your destination: architecture and local history are just as much an option as a cycling trip connected with the Elbe Cycle Route, Saale Cycle Route or Fläming Cycle Route. The following topics can help you tailor your stay to whether you would mainly like to discover the moated castle, local history or the riverside and cycling landscape.

Moated Castle, Local History and Architecture

The information centre on the castle grounds presents the 5,000-year-old Walternienburg culture. The moated castle itself takes you further back into medieval history: its 30-metre-high keep dates from the 13th or 14th century. The old tower of the moated castle houses exhibits about the history of the town and castle across four levels. This brings two perspectives on time together on the castle grounds: a cultural history reaching far back into the past and the history of the medieval building. If you are interested in the town, this combination offers a concrete introduction to its earlier culture and the development of its castle.

Another architectural highlight is the Walternienburg Ark. Completed in 2020, this church was built in a modern style using timber-frame construction. It replaced the Romanesque St. Bartholomew's Church, which was demolished in the 1980s. Thus, alongside the medieval castle stands a contemporary church building with a much older history. The tower and local history shape the story of the moated castle, while the Ark is distinguished by its modern construction and the history of its Romanesque predecessor.

Ms Reifarth offers guided tours of the moated castle. If a guided tour is important to your stay, check in advance whether a time can be arranged that suits your visit.

Cycling Routes and Connections

Walternienburg is a junction for the Elbe Cycle Route, Saale Cycle Route and Fläming Cycle Route. The Fläming Cycle Route connects the long-distance EuroVelo Route R1 near Bad Belzig with the Elbe Cycle Route near Walternienburg or Dessau-Roßlau. This allows you to plan your route on two levels: the junction identifies three cycling routes in Walternienburg, while the Fläming Cycle Route also places the town between the R1 near Bad Belzig and the two named connections to the Elbe Cycle Route. If you are planning a cycling trip, you can decide whether the choice among the three routes or the Fläming Cycle Route connection is more relevant to you.

The Elbe, Biosphere Reserve and Nature

In Ronney, a district belonging to Walternienburg, a cable ferry crosses the Elbe to Barby. If you plan to include the crossing in your itinerary, check the timetable in advance. Parts of Walternienburg lie within the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve. This adds another perspective to the area's architecture and local history: the landscape along the Elbe and its protection.

Programmes at the Ronney Environmental Centre also explore nature and food. The “From Grain to Bread” project involves making your own bread rolls and herb butter from a variety of garden and wild herbs. The “Out and About with a Net, Bucket and Magnifying Glass” programme takes visitors to the Nuthe or Elbe to discover aquatic life and creatures along the banks. The two programmes have different focuses: one connects grain with food preparation and herbs, while the other draws attention to waterways and the creatures that live in and along them. This can help you decide whether you are more interested in plants and food or in nature by the water during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Aken, Southern Anhalt, Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Zörbig, Raguhn-Jeßnitz, Sandersdorf-Brehna, Köthen (Anhalt), Osternienburger Land

Go to the regional travel overview: Anhalt-Bitterfeld.