Pyramids and works of art in a power station

Cyclists don’t necessarily have to board a plane or a ship to get a snapshot of a pyramid. A leisurely ride through Cottbus is enough. After all, ingenious landscape architect Prince Pueckler created two such tombs in Branitz Park, based on original Egyptian models. But just like the area on the south-western city limits, this tour along the River Spree has numerous other surprises in store as well.
On the grounds of the 1995 Federal Horticultural Show you can still see flowers blossoming in diverse colours, for example. It’s also worth stopping off for a little longer at the art museum established inside what used to be a diesel power plant. The exhibitions shown here often harmonise incredibly well with the Spree island.
Via the lively Altmarkt – where there are lots of places to stop for a bite to eat or a drink – you can walk to the latest landmark in Cottbus: the curved glass façade of the university library. The contrast with the State Theatre could hardly be greater: this 1908 structure exhibits many of the best features of the art nouveau style.Length: 15 kilometresStart / finish: Cottbus Hauptbahnhof (central station)Logo/route sign: not specifiedDirections:Train: Take the RE2 (Cottbus) from Berlin central station to Cottbus (approximately 1.5 hours).Car: Take the A13 and A15 motorways from Berlin (approximately 1.5 hours).Route: Cottbus inner city areaPoints of interest/background information:Branitz Park with palace and estateCottbus zooStadion der Freundschaft CottbusDieselkraftwerk Cottbus art museumCottbus space flight planetariumCottbus district courtSt. Nicholas’ ChurchAltmarkt with Brandenburg Pharmacy MuseumCity promenade with city wallStaatstheater CottbusBTU Cottbus with IKMZSpreewehrmühle (mill)Spremberger Turm (tower)Weltspiegel Filmtheater CottbusPossible combinationsPrince Pueckler PathGherkin Cycle PathLower Lusatia Mining TourSpree Cycle PathTour BrandenburgTrail conditions/surface: not specifiedMaps/Literature: "Radwander- und Wanderkarte Cottbus, Drebkau, Peitzer Teiche und Umgebung: Radeln und Wandern zwischen der Talsperre Spremberg und dem Oberspreewald", 1:15.000, Barthel, A; Auflage: 2 (1. Juni 2010), ISBN-13: 978-3895910852, Euro 4.90