Radibor: Sorbian Traditions, Churches and Cycling Routes

Radibor is a destination for travelers who want to include Sorbian culture, church and castle history, and cycling tours in their plans. Local highlights range from an Easter tradition and a memorial trail to named churches, castles, and routes.

Sorbian Culture and Churches

During the Easter horseback procession, riders in festive attire carry the Easter message in a procession. Radibor welcomes guest processions from Storcha and Bautzen. Bilingual German-Sorbian place and street signs can be found throughout the Radibor area and reflect the coexistence of the German and Sorbian communities. The cultural connection is evident both in a tradition and in the local landscape.

The Alojs Andritzki Memorial Trail offers a distinct way to explore local history. The trail consists of an introductory panel and five thematic information boards at different locations in the town. The texts cover Alojs Andritzki’s life in Sorbian and German. At each stop, QR codes provide additional multilingual texts and audio in Sorbian and German.

The Catholic parish also offers a historical reference point for Radibor: it dates back to the 13th century, and a first chapel is mentioned around 1270. The Church of the Holy Cross was built in 1397. Together with the Old Parish Church and the New Parish Church, this makes three named Catholic churches in Radibor.

Castle History and Local Highlights

Radibor Castle was built between 1709 and 1719 as a Baroque palace; its four-wing layout is considered rare in Saxony. At Milkel Castle, the south tower is the oldest part and dates from the 13th century. These details refer to different aspects of the buildings’ history: in Radibor, the construction period of the Baroque palace is given, while in Milkel, the age of the south tower is noted.

Another local feature is fish farming: at the fishery in Radibor OT Lippitsch, the Lippitsch fish farm accepts orders for stocking fish and fish for consumption.

Cycling Routes and Getting Around

Radibor’s sights can be explored on foot, by bicycle, or by car. For a cycling tour of a set length, the 17.14-kilometer Teichetour Neschwitz-Radibor is a good option. It is described as an easy, family-friendly circular route and can start and end at Radibor sports ground. Check route conditions and signage before setting out.

A considerably longer route is the approximately 88-kilometer Seeadlerrundweg. It passes through a biosphere reserve and partly through the northern part of the municipality of Radibor. Comparing its length with the Teichetour helps put the routes’ different scales into perspective; only part of the Seeadlerrundweg runs through the municipal area.

Another cultural cycling option is the Sorbische-Impressionen-Radweg, which offers an opportunity to discover Sorbian culture in Upper Lusatia.

Cycling Routes in Bautzen District

In the wider destination of Bautzen district, the Bautzener Nordtour is a 43.1-kilometer circular route. It runs from Bautzen via Quatitz, Großdubrau, Milkel, Klix, and Malschwitz, then returns to Bautzen. The route crosses the heath and pond landscape and follows the nature trail in Crosta.

Other regional tours focus on different themes: the Berg- und Talroute is a circular route through the West Lusatian Hills in Bautzen district. The Krabatradweg is a regional circular route following in the footsteps of Krabat, the hero of Sorbian legend. The Mittellandroute is a long-distance cycle route from Zittau to Aachen; one section runs through the Upper Lusatian Highlands in Bautzen district. The Spreeradweg runs from its source in Upper Lusatia to Berlin; the section from Taubenheim to Zerre lies in Bautzen district.

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Back to the main travel guide: Bautzen District.