Burkhardtsdorf: Abtwald, Museums and Local Festivals

Burkhardtsdorf lies in the Zwönitz Valley, on the northern edge of the Ore Mountains. Elevations within the municipality reach just under 600 metres. Well-marked hiking trails invite you to explore the town on foot. Along the way, you can take in both the Abtwald landscape and local culture and historic technology.

The Abtwald: Water, Trail History and Views

The Abtwald walk starts at Burkhardtsdorf station and passes the Eckhardtteich pond before reaching a water-treading pool. The hike also leads to the SteinernenTischl, a preserved medieval landmark and rest stop. Parts of the route follow the Eisenstraße, with views towards the Ore Mountain ridge. Before setting out, it is advisable to check the current route description.

The individual stops give the walk a variety of highlights: water is the focus at Eckhardtteich and the water-treading pool, while the SteinernenTischl offers a historic place to rest. The view towards the Ore Mountain ridge adds a glimpse of the surrounding landscape. Those planning time outdoors will also find well-marked hiking trails for excursions in Burkhardtsdorf.

Printmaking, Agricultural Machinery and Local Festivals

The Burkhardtsdorf Printing Museum explores historic typesetting and printing methods from the time of Johannes Gutenberg. Visitors can use historic printing presses to produce a page themselves. Check the current visitor arrangements before your visit. The Burkhardtsdorf Bulldog Museum offers a very different insight into historic agricultural machinery. Its exhibits include an original Lanz steam-powered traction engine from 1911, tractors, tracked vehicles, threshing machines and stationary engines. Agricultural equipment, household furnishings, a barn loft and a preserved historic workshop are also among the exhibits.

The recurring cultural programme includes carnival, theatre performances and Oldie Night, as well as fairs, village and club festivals, Maypole raising, the starting of the Christmas pyramids and Christmas markets. The activities range from a museum visit with hands-on printing to events throughout the year. If you want to attend a particular festival during your trip, check its date separately.

Open-Air Pool and Local Shopping

Burkhardtsdorf has a heated open-air pool with a 25-metre swimming pool, a non-swimmer pool, a paddling pool for young children, a slide and a sauna. The usual swimming season runs from 15 May to 15 September. This gives your travel plans a clear seasonal focus: the open-air pool is available during this period, while hiking and museum visits can be planned around other interests.

A weekly market is held in the market square, and farm shops in Burkhardtsdorf sell regional produce. If you are planning a visit to the market or a farm shop specifically to shop, check in advance that it is open. Burkhardtsdorf station is operated by DB Regio-Netze / Erzgebirgsbahn; you should also check the operator’s information again before travelling.

More to Explore in the Erzgebirgskreis

The wider Erzgebirgskreis travel destination has a network of around 4,500 kilometres of marked hiking trails. One specific longer route is the Schwarzenberg Panorama Trail: this circular hike runs over the heights around Schwarzenberg, is 13.8 kilometres long and takes about 4 hours and 5 minutes. Panorama trails around Schneeberg, Schwarzenberg and Zwönitz offer views of their historic town centres.

The Erzgebirgskreis also offers its own cultural discoveries: the Ore Mountain Mining Region/Krušnohoří has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2019. Seiffen is considered the birthplace of Ore Mountain folk art. At the Ore Mountain Open-Air Museum in Kurort Seiffen, historic buildings and workshops from the 19th and early 20th centuries are on display; its centrepiece is the original, preserved Preißler turning workshop, powered by water. These regional examples add to the picture of Burkhardtsdorf without replacing the attractions in the town itself.

Discover more destinations: Krumhermersdorf, Amtsberg, Eibenstock, Johanngeorgenstadt, Kurort Seiffen/Erzgebirge, Pockau, Scheibenberg, Zschopau.

Back to the main travel overview: Erzgebirgskreis.