Wettiner Weg - Eastern Route

Short Description

The Wettiner Way is a new cultural experience route that leads to the beginnings of one of the most significant European noble families. The rise of the Wettiners began in the 10th century in the region between the rivers Saale and Mulde. Many testimonies from the early days, including the ancestral castle in Wettin, have been preserved to this day. In later centuries, other significant buildings were built. Two interconnected circular routes combine cultural experiences with nature enjoyment in a landscape for explorers.

Description

The Eastern route is planned as a circular route. Over a length of 62.3 km, it connects the cities of Landsberg and Zörbig, reaching westwards to Petersberg. Along the route, there are significant testimonies from Wettiner history, such as the collegiate church on Petersberg, the double chapel in Landsberg, or the bergfrieds in Zörbig and Hohenthurm. From later epochs come the castles and parks of Ostrau, Zörbig, and Quetzdölsdorf. Side trips are possible to the town and monastery church of Brehna and to the Romanesque church in Salzfurtkapelle. The route is largely flat, with steeper inclines especially in the area of Petersberg.

At Petersberg, the Western and Eastern routes of the Wettiner Way meet. From there, the Eastern route initially leads downhill on a lightly trafficked district road to Ostrau. The local castle park is part of the Garden Dreams in Saxony-Anhalt. The castle café welcomes guests on weekends. On the way from Ostrau to Zörbig, there are lightly trafficked side streets, road-side bike paths, and well-paved service roads. In Mösthinsdorf, the renovated rest and cultural church offer a stop. Other attractive stage destinations include Cösitz Castle and Park and the estate surrounded by a landscape park in Mößlitz. In Zörbig, the KulturQuadrat with the newly opened museum and museum restaurant is an important milestone.

The route partly follows southward the course of the Strengbach and the Strengbach cycle path. This section largely runs on bike paths and asphalted service roads away from major roads to Landsberg. Stations include the Romanesque church of Spören, Quetzdölsdorf Castle and Park, the excursion restaurant at the Keramikscheune Spickendorf, and the cultural church in Gütz.

The double chapel is located on a porphyry hill above the attractive center of Landsberg. Around the historic town hall, there are several restaurants and shopping opportunities. The route leads on bike paths and lightly trafficked side streets to other significant Romanesque buildings like the castle and church in Hohenthurm and the village church of Peißen. After crossing the federal road B 100 in Peißen, the route mainly runs on district roads and past some small medieval village churches through Braschwitz, Niemberg, Eismannsdorf to Brachstedt. These sections are partly more heavily trafficked by motor vehicles. Afterwards, the route continues on smaller side streets and meets the Halle-Petersberg-Fuhne cycle path south of Kütten. This path runs on concrete service roads initially to Kütten and further on a forest path back to the starting point near Petersberg.

More about the Wettiner Way and the history of the Wettiners: www.wettiner-weg.de

Here is the link to the West route of the Wettiner Way: https://www.outdooractive.com/de/route/radtour/wettiner-weg-westroute/801662957/

Info

Eateries are good, with open restaurants and excursion restaurants available during the day in places such as Petersberg, Zörbig, Landsberg, and Peißen, as well as at the Keramikscheune Spickendorf. The café in the Baroque castle in Ostrau is open on weekends and holidays.