Discover Plessa: Orchards and Industrial Heritage

Plessa brings together different sides of the region: in Döllingen, meadows with traditional orchards and orchard culture take centre stage, while Plessa Power Station tells the story of the area’s industrial past. There is also a historic mill, a listed church and routes to explore on foot or by bike. This lets you shape your stay around different interests rather than reducing Plessa to a single theme.

Orchard Garden and Traditional Orchards in Döllingen

The Döllingen Pomological Display and Teaching Garden covers three hectares. More than 400 old and newer fruit trees and shrubs grow there, including apples, pears, cherries and plums, as well as nuts and wild fruit. In spring, the garden offers a special succession of blossoms. Later, the fruit ripens gradually and visitors can sample it. The experience therefore changes over the seasons, without requiring a visit in any particular month.

The programme also focuses on traditional orchards. Seasonal theory and practical seminars are traditionally held there; the annual Blossom Festival and Lower Lusatian Apple Day also take place. A circular hiking trail laid out as a nature trail leads through the traditional orchards. This allows visitors to experience the garden through both its trees and fruit and the surrounding landscape. It also provides an outdoor learning environment for schools and kindergartens.

Industrial History at the Power Station and Mill

The two clinker-red chimneys make Plessa Power Station a striking sight: they rise 100 metres above Plessa. The guided “Path of Coal” tour leads from the external coal bunker through the boiler house and turbine hall to the control room and transformer area. If this tour is part of your plans, check its current availability with the operator. The visitor power station is also located on the “Coal, Wind and Water Tour” and “Fürst-Pückler Cycle Route” cycling routes.

Another way to explore the history of technology is a visit to the Elstermühle Plessa. The historic mill museum displays cutting tools and grain mills across three floors. Advance booking is required for a museum visit. The demonstration operation is also subject to a specific condition: when the grinding mechanisms are running, the mill’s large external waterwheel starts turning. The interplay between the mill and the wheel offers a special glimpse into historic technology, though visitors cannot assume that the mill will be operating during every visit.

Church, Miners’ Settlement and Routes

A Baroque church was built in Döllingen in 1739 and is now a listed monument. Another striking testament to the area’s industrial history can be found in Kahla: the 35-metre-high Bertzit Tower in the “Waldeslust” miners’ settlement is a landmark visible from far away. It belonged to a Bertzit plant completed in 1918. The church and tower therefore offer historical points of interest distinct from the technology at the power station and mill.

For walking tours, in addition to the circular trail through Döllingen’s traditional orchards, there is the multi-location hiking route “From Old Orchards to 1,000 Oaks”, which passes through Plessa. Check the route’s current condition before using it. For cycling, the two routes that pass the visitor power station provide another point of reference.

Plessa and the wider destination of Elbe-Elster

Those looking beyond Plessa to the wider destination of Elbe-Elster will find more to explore elsewhere in the region. F60 Visitor Mine is in Elbe-Elster district, south of Lichterfeld. The Louise Briquette Factory in Domsdorf is considered Europe’s oldest preserved briquette factory. Four major museums in the district have formed a joint museum network since January 2015. On excursions with a ranger from the nature conservation service, bird calls, rare plants and animals may be the focus; dates can vary. In this way, exploring Elbe-Elster adds further regional perspectives to Plessa’s orchard culture and industrial heritage.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

When looking for accommodation in Plessa, your preferred focus is a useful starting point: Döllingen brings together the garden, traditional orchards and seasonal events, while the power station and mill offer a different focus on industrial and technological history. If you would like to combine several themes, take the relevant visitor requirements into account: advance booking is required for the mill museum, and you should check the availability of the guided power station tour with the operator. Event dates and the condition of older listed hiking routes are also worth considering when planning your trip.

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Back to the main travel guide: Elbe-Elster.