Elsteraue: Elster Cycle Path, Mills and Village History

Elsteraue is best explored via the Elster Cycle Path. In Elsteraue, it runs from Bornitz via Göbitz, Draschwitz, Ostrau, Reuden and Predel to Profen. If you are looking for a hotel in Elsteraue, this route can serve as a thematic framework, linking your bearings in the destination with scenic and cultural stops. Along the route, floodplain landscapes, old mills and traditional village architecture alternate. This can help you decide whether to focus more on cycling, history or both when planning your trip.

Cycle route, floodplain landscape and breaks

Between Bornitz and Profen, 32 information boards along the Elster Cycle Path describe features of Elsteraue. The protected landscape area includes stands of old pollarded willows, which you can explore by bicycle on the Elster Cycle Path. This gives you both a specific theme to follow and a scenic focus for a cycling tour.

At the Elster weir in Bornitz, there is a seat with a view, suitable for a picnic or a break. There are also numerous places to stop between the new Elster Bridge in Bornitz and the Profen wildlife enclosure. The viewpoint at the weir and the stopping places along the entire stretch offer different options for planning your breaks.

Mills and architectural history along the way

The Ostrau Double Mill connects two periods in time: it was first put into operation in 1210, and the mill complex as a whole has changed little to this day.

In Predel, the Elster Cycle Path passes through the historic village center, with its half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets. The west tower of Predel Church is crowned by a steep slate-covered spire, considered a landmark in the surrounding area. The village streetscape and church tower add distinct architectural accents to Predel’s cultural history.

Regional cuisine in Profen

In Profen, the Landgasthof und Pension Zur Eiche serves Bohemian beer and Slavic or seasonal cuisine; its facilities also include an outdoor seating area. Food and service may change, so check what is on offer before your visit.

The Burgenlandkreis as a regional setting

The wider destination of the Burgenlandkreis opens up a broader view of the Saale-Unstrut region, at whose center the district is located. The region combines tourism and winegrowing with Romanesque heritage, river valleys and archaeological sites. Terraced vineyards shape the landscape of the Burgenlandkreis. The Wine Route and the Romanesque Road help visitors explore the wider area by bicycle, boat, on foot or by car.

Cultural highlights in the Burgenlandkreis include Naumburg Cathedral, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 1, 2018, and is considered one of the most significant cultural monuments of the European High Middle Ages. Its architecture, stained-glass windows and sculptures are described as unique worldwide. The Goseck circular ditch enclosure is considered the earliest archaeological evidence of systematic observation of the heavens; the approximately 75-meter-wide monument was fully excavated and precisely reconstructed at its original site. The Arche Nebra, at the site where the Nebra Sky Disc was found, is a modern visitor center offering guided tours, activities and special exhibitions. Its digital planetarium presents the astronomical knowledge of the Bronze Age in a 22-minute show.

More destinations

Explore more destinations: Langendorf, Kretzschau, Hohenmölsen, Gleina, Laucha An Der Unstrut, Karsdorf, Langendorf, Naumburg/Saale.

Go to the regional travel overview: Burgenlandkreis.