Discover Nossen’s history and trails

Nossen combines a historic town center with castle history and routes for cycling and hiking. If you’re looking for a hotel in Nossen, it helps to first choose the focus of your trip: town history or time on a cycling or hiking route. The historic buildings and trails offer different points of interest for each.

Market Square, Town Church and Castle History

The ensemble around the market square and town hall is almost entirely protected as a historic monument. The town church is a rebuilt Baroque hall church. It features two portals of considerable art-historical value and carved elements from the former Altzella Monastery. The church thus combines its Baroque reconstruction with older architectural elements from Altzella.

The history of Nossen Castle dates back to the 12th century, and the museum presents this history. The museum display includes a reconstructed torture dungeon and modern cells from the period when the castle served as a prison. For travel planning, the closure period is important: Nossen Castle is closed from November 4, 2024, to December 31, 2032, for renovation and redesign of the museum concept.

Getting There and Cycling Connections

Nossen Castle is on the Mulde Valley Cycle Route, which connects to the Elbe Cycle Route at Döbeln. If you’re traveling by car, consider the Nossen-Nord and Nossen-Ost exits on the A14, or the Siebenlehn exit on the A4. The car park on Grüner Weg is considered a more affordable nearby parking option and is about 300 meters from the castle. As parking conditions can change, it’s best to check them before setting out.

The Ketzerbachtal Trail starts at the Pöppelmann Bridge on the Freiberger Mulde in Nossen and ends in Leuben. You can travel it on foot or by bicycle. The trail follows the Ketzerbach and combines natural scenery with cultural highlights and a viewpoint. A short detour to Radewitzer Höhe offers panoramic views.

The Muldental Hiking Trail and the Luther Access Route also pass through the region: from the junction at Altzella Monastery, they run through the Herrenaue toward Gleisberg and on to Döbeln. The Ketzerbachtal Trail can be used for both hiking and cycling; the other two routes add further hiking connections to the options.

Nature and Activities in Altzella

Walderlebnis Rodigt includes the Rodigt Tower, a wooden tipi and picnic areas. These spots add specific destinations along the routes for a break or a stay in the forest.

At Altzella Monastery Park, herbal expert Koreen Vetter offers seminars, herb courses, fasting evenings and activities for school groups. The individual offerings may vary. In addition to the routes, themed events about herbs and fasting provide further options to consider when planning your trip.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Niederau, Ketzerbachtal, Großenhain, Strehla, Gröditz, Meißen, Weißig Am Raschütz, Diera-Zehren

To the main travel overview: Meißen.