Lübben (Spreewald): Town History, Water and Green Spaces

Lübben (Spreewald) combines water, town history and green spaces in the heart of the town. The Schlossinsel, which covers almost 6 hectares, is a green space in the town centre and a destination for families and visitors. Its water playground features an artificial waterfall, a slide, wooden rafts, watercourses, locks and an excavator.

Water and Green Spaces in the Townscape

Next to Schlossinsel is SpreeLagune, a natural bathing spot with a beach area, a rest stop for waterway travellers, a climbing net bridge and a raft crossing. A trip on a traditional Spreewald punt offers another perspective on Lübben: visitors travel along the waterways of the Spreewald Biosphere Reserve and explore the town from the water. The water playground, natural bathing spot and punt trip offer different ways to make water part of your stay.

Town History: From Slavic Rampart to Brickwork

The Slavic rampart known as “Burglehn” is an archaeological monument and was in use until the 13th century. In the town centre stands the late Gothic Paul-Gerhardt-Kirche, built after the town fire of 1494. Lübben’s town wall also reflects a different period of construction: it dates from the 14th century and consists of a fieldstone base and a brick wall.

Two sections of the town wall have survived. The “Napoleondurchbruch” is near Reutergasse; the longer section is at Brückenplatz on the Spree and is now considered a landmark. Those interested in architectural history can discover different periods and building styles in Lübben’s townscape.

Museum Schloss Lübben tells the story of Lübben as a former residence town in a medieval defensive tower, a Renaissance palace and a Baroque heraldic hall. The Paul-Gerhardt-Zentrum focuses on the life and work of the hymn writer, as well as the international spread of his songs. The centre offers guided tours, readings, concerts, lectures, listening stations and exhibitions. Walking tours are offered from the perspectives of the night watchman and the female tower keeper, as well as with tour guides.

Markets, Music and Regional Traditions

More than 40 traders offer a wide range of regional products at Lübben’s weekly market, where visitors can buy directly from the producers. Every two years, the Quark-Leinöl-Meile invites visitors to taste, snack and enjoy. It is organised by the Lübben and Surroundings Tourism Association (Tourismusverein Lübben und Umgebung e. V.), local restaurants and businesses, and craftspeople from the region.

Lübben’s Spreewaldfest takes place once a year in the town centre on the third weekend in September. The programme includes arts and crafts, regional specialities, music and sporting competitions; the festival celebrates regional culture and living traditions. The specific programme varies from year to year.

Green Spaces and Routes of Varying Lengths

Lübbener Hain is in the heart of the town and impresses visitors with its rare vegetation and English oaks, which grow up to 30 metres tall. The town centre also has a tactile model for blind visitors: it makes the layout of Lübben’s town centre tangible and is particularly useful for helping visitors navigate accessibly.

The routes can also be compared by their stated distance and features. The 9-kilometre Nordic walking route starts and ends on Schlossinsel. The flat, 16-kilometre Fischtour leads from Lübben to Schlepzig along the main Spree between meadows and forests. The newly designed and signposted 140-kilometre Paul-Gerhardt-Weg is on a different scale: it connects important stages in the hymn writer’s life, including Lübben, Mittenwalde and St. Nicholas’ Church in Berlin-Mitte, and runs from central Berlin through the Dahme-Seenland to the Spreewald. As route conditions can change, check them before setting out on a specific tour.

Kletterwald Lübben opened for the new season at the start of the 2026 Easter holidays. Kletterwald Lübben features wobbly walkways, net bridges and zip lines between the trees.

Choose Accommodation to Suit Your Interests

When looking for accommodation in Lübben (Spreewald), the focus of your stay can help you decide: would you like to include town history, museums and guided walks, or are water activities and tours your priority? Schlossinsel, SpreeLagune, the town centre and the routes offer different starting points for planning your day.

Dahme-Spreewald as a Regional Setting

The wider travel destination of Dahme-Spreewald includes both the Dahme lake district and the Spreewald as part of the travel region in Dahme-Spreewald district, offering visitors scenic, historical and cultural attractions. The “Dahme-Heideseen” Nature Park lies in the districts of Dahme-Spreewald and Oder-Spree and includes more than 100 lakes. Across the district, more than 1,000 kilometres of well-maintained, fully signposted cycle paths connect landscapes and attractions in the Spreewald and Dahme-Seenland. These regional offerings provide a broader context for planning your trip; check route conditions before setting out.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Spreewaldheide, Eichwalde, Mittenwalde, Neuendorf Am See, Steinreich, Heidesee, Schulzendorf, Groß Köris.

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