Discover Bertsdorf-Hörnitz

If you’re looking for a hotel in Bertsdorf-Hörnitz, start planning your day by choosing a focus: historic buildings, the 7.6-kilometer Nature and Culture Trail between Hörnitz and Bertsdorf, or the geological features of Breiteberg.

Churches, a castle, and historic buildings

Bertsdorf Baroque Church was built between 1672 and 1675 to a design by Andreas Klengel. It served as a model for several Baroque village churches in southern Upper Lusatia. Bertsdorf’s rectory also preserves features dating from around 1700. Hörnitz Church retains original mechanisms from before electrification, including systems for the bells, the tower clock, and the organ. Visits are possible by arrangement; call ahead to ask about the key.

Althörnitz Castle was built between 1651 and 1654 and features a striking Renaissance gable. A large elm in the castle park is protected by law. Hof Weikelt is a residential-and-barn house dating from 1754, with a projecting roof. This type of building combines residential and agricultural use; the roof is another distinctive feature of rural architecture.

The village’s history also includes earlier craft and milling activities. Ressel Forge dates from 1866 and once produced wrought-iron tools for nearby farms and kitchen gardens. Upper Mill operated until 1900. An extension houses the Schubert Collection of cultural and historical objects from farming and domestic life. If you’d like to visit the collection, check access arrangements in advance.

The Nature and Culture Trail and Breiteberg

The 7.6-kilometer Nature and Culture Trail runs from Hörnitz to Bertsdorf and connects 13 natural, historical, and cultural points of interest. These include Althörnitz Castle, the two parish churches, Koitsche, Hof Weikelt, Upper Mill, and Ressel Forge, as well as traditional Umgebinde houses and the landscape of Breiteberg. Parking is available at the trailhead in Hörnitz; bus route 1 runs from Zittau Central Station. Check the timetable before you travel.

At the summit of Breiteberg, volcanic origins meet a varied phonolite hill landscape. The mountain is home to the rock formations Querxloch and Zscherschelsteen. From there, you can see across the Zittau Mountains. The Dr. Curt Heinke Tower is a 13-meter-high stone tower built from phonolite from the mountain. Check the tower’s opening arrangements before visiting.

Trails and cycle routes in the nature park

For regional excursions, Zittau Mountains Nature Park offers a range of options: it has 115 kilometers of cycle paths connected to the Czech cycle route network, as well as a 500-kilometer marked trail network with cross-border signposting. These figures refer to different options: cycle paths on the one hand and the marked trail network on the other. If you’re planning a route, check current trail conditions before setting out.

Bertsdorf station and the narrow-gauge railway

The narrow-gauge railway reaches Bertsdorf station, where the line branches toward Oybin or Jonsdorf in the Zittau Mountains. Check the timetables before your journey. At historic Bertsdorf station, you can watch shunting operations. Railway rarities are on display in the locomotive shed; what is shown there may change. Check the current offerings in advance.

Discover more destinations: Mücka, Reichenbach/Oberlausitz, Seifhennersdorf, Lawalde, Gablenz, Boxberg/Oberlausitz, Grossschönau, Olbersdorf

Back to the main travel overview: Görlitz.