Hermsdorf – Wetlands, Village Church and Castle Ensemble

Hermsdorf brings together wetlands, village history and a network of cycling routes: meadows, forests and ponds shape the shared surroundings of Hermsdorf, Lipsa and Jannowitz. In the district of Lipsa, nature is close at hand in a protected wetland; there is also a late-medieval village church and a castle ensemble listed as a historic monument. This means you can choose between different focuses for your stay: landscape, architectural history and cycling.

Nature and landscape near Lipsa

The Schwarzwasser nature reserve near Lipsa covers around 26 hectares in the Hermsdorf district of Lipsa. It protects a complex wetland shaped by a natural stream, former river channels and the remains of historic ponds. Reed beds, wet heathland, wet meadows and near-natural forests are also part of this landscape. This natural area therefore consists not only of bodies of water, but also of a variety of wet meadow and woodland habitats.

Nearby Wuppen is an officially designated nature reserve in the district of Oberspreewald-Lausitz. There, between Hermsdorf and Lipsa, is an 11-hectare landscape of springs and ponds. A report dated 15 January 2019 described it as a habitat for endangered amphibians.

Village church and castle ensemble

As of 1 January 2026, Hermsdorf Village Church at Jannowitzer Straße 1 is listed as a historic monument in Brandenburg under monument ID 09120227. The building is a late-medieval fieldstone hall with a three-sided east end.

The castle ensemble at Jannowitzer Weg 1 in Lipsa, Hermsdorf, is listed as a historic monument in Brandenburg under monument ID 09120226. It comprises a gatehouse, a rent office, an outbuilding and the castle park. Lipsa Castle is considered a special attraction. At the time of publication, the building was vacant; check access before visiting.

Explore Hermsdorf by bike and on foot

Hermsdorf is connected to the central network of cycling routes; the local cycling network links the village with the Lusatian Lake District. Hermsdorf, Lipsa and Jannowitz are also considered suitable places to stop and explore on foot, by car or by bicycle. You can therefore plan your stay around both local nature and cultural attractions and cycling connections.

In the wider destination of Oberspreewald-Lausitz

The district of Oberspreewald-Lausitz has hiking routes ranging from 4 to 32 km. Cycling routes start at 40 km and include self-guided or guided multi-day tours with good places to rest and eat. More than 580 km of signposted cycling routes connect the regions between the Spreewald and the Kmehlener Berge, linking southern Brandenburg with Saxony and northern Brandenburg across the wider region. These figures show the range of cycling and hiking opportunities across the broader region.

Another distinctive landscape lies in the south of the district: the flooding of former open-cast mines is creating a water landscape with more than 20 artificial lakes, the Lusatian Lake District. The historic old town of Lübbenau/Spreewald is also part of the district’s cultural offering; it includes a Neoclassical castle ensemble.

Discover more destinations: Senftenberg, Vetschau/Spreewald, Großräschen, Hohenbocka, Lübbenau/Spreewald, Calau, Schwarzbach, Gosda

Back to the regional travel overview: Oberspreewald-Lausitz.