Bad Gottleuba-Berggießhübel

Situated in a basin of the Gottleuba, Bad Gottleuba was established as early as the 12th century. Mining, agriculture, and craftsmanship shaped the small town for centuries. In 1861, the first spa guests were welcomed, and between 1909 and 1913, a unique Art Nouveau complex with 35 buildings was constructed on the slope of the Helleberg in a 28-hectare park—Germany's first spa facility for workers. The sheltered valley location, the mild low mountain range climate, the competent health facilities, the diverse cultural life, and the central location at the intersection of the Saxon Switzerland and Eastern Ore Mountains nature and hiking regions attract numerous guests today. The medical historical collections, the viewpoints at the Gottleuba dam, the Bähr Mill museum, and the historical townscape with the St. Peter's Church, the market fountain, and the post distance column invite individual tours.

"Everything comes from the mine" - no other phrase characterizes the history of the charming small town of Berggießhübel, picturesquely located in the Gottleuba Valley, more accurately. It was miners who discovered the first healing springs; Berggießhübel was the first Kneipp spa in Saxony and now looks back on a 300-year tradition of spa treatments. Miners also created the city's most frequented attraction today, the current show mine "Marie Louise Stolln." Throughout the year, an interesting guided tour allows visitors to experience the subterranean work environment, or during Advent, one can enjoy a close-up experience of the Erzgebirge Christmas tradition of the "Mettenschicht." Just a few steps away, the popular outdoor pool "Billy" welcomes guests from May to September, while the Bismarck Tower or the wild romantic "Forellensteig" in the Zwiesel district offer attractive hiking destinations.

In addition to agriculture and forestry, the population of the two districts earned their income through sandstone. Today, the structures in the forests are primarily characterized by the edge breaks of former quarries, as well as many large sandstone blocks, especially at the confluence of the Bahra and Gottleuba rivers. Climbing on the designated climbing peaks in this region is rapidly developing. Thus, in almost any weather, you will primarily encounter young people with their equipment in the rocky landscape around the Zwieselbrücke. Further downstream, the largest waterfall in Saxon Switzerland, with a drop of 9 meters, draws attention. The Langenhennersdorf rock labyrinth, a heavily fractured sandstone rock island in the middle of the forest, is a popular destination and adventure playground, especially for families. From there, small hikes to the Napoleon or Bernhardstein are recommended.

It was certainly not an easy life that the mountain farmers and forest workers led in earlier times in the villages near the Ore Mountains ridge. However, the convenient location already ensured a modest livelihood back then. The old Dresden-Teplitz postal road ran across the village lands, with original postal mileposts and distance stones still bearing witness to this historic travel and trade route today. Incidentally, this section of the route is the only one where all the historic stones are present. The route of the federal motorway A17 also closely follows this stretch and the favorable geographical conditions on its way from the Dresden Elbe Valley to the Bohemian Basin. Thus, the nearby "Bad Gottleuba" junction has become a starting point into the cultural regions on both sides of the border for locals and guests. A quiet country path right beside the Breitenau Church leads to the Pfarrberg. From the 603-meter-high vantage point, there is a fantastic panoramic view in all directions.

The rural and forestry-influenced districts of Markersbach and Hellendorf nestle against the valley edges of the Bahra. The surrounding ridges, mountain meadows, rock formations, and mixed forests are popular with nature lovers, hikers, and families. A popular hiking destination is the Zeisigstein, which, at a height of 551 meters, is the third highest rock in Saxon Switzerland and provides access via the Forststeig Elbsandstein to the sandstone rock worlds of the nearby Tissa Walls and the Bielatal. Near Markersbach, the "Buchenhain Forest Nature Trail" begins, offering informative educational boards about flora and fauna. Hellendorf was once significant as a border and customs station. Since 1977, the Bahratal/Petrovice border crossing has invited countless travelers to visit the Czech neighbors.

The rugged conditions above 500 meters in elevation and the corresponding adverse weather near the Ore Mountains ridge made life difficult for farmers in the past. Today, the small village benefits from its location and offers hikers a diverse natural experience, whether seeking the seclusion of the upper Gottleuba Valley or being enchanted by the panoramic view from Sattelberg in neighboring Czech Republic. The hamlet of Bienhof became widely known beyond the region when the "Landesverein Sächsischer Heimatschutz" established its research and recreation center here in 1921. The decisive factor for choosing this location was the area's unique natural features. This reputation has endured, and nature enthusiasts and botanists find rare and diverse plant communities in the protected mountain meadows and surrounding forests.