Geierswalde: Village History and Lake Geierswalde

Geierswalde brings together visible village architecture and church history with activities on Lake Geierswalde. These include a marina with berths on the water and on land, a swimming and surfing beach, and a variety of water sports. At the same time, the annual Zampern procession brings Sorbian tradition through the village. When looking for accommodation, this combination can help you decide what kind of destination you’re looking for: Are you especially interested in the water, village culture, or a blend of the two?

From Open-Cast Mine to Lakeside Landscape

Lake Geierswalde was created by flooding the former Koschen lignite open-cast mine, a process completed by 2013. Its creation gives the lakeside landscape a specific regional context: the lake was formed from a former open-cast mine. Two navigable canals connect it to other lakes. The Koschen Canal leads to Lake Senftenberg, while the Barbara Canal has led to Lake Partwitz since 2019. Both waterways therefore start at the same lake but lead to different destination lakes.

Beach, Rentals and Water Sports

The lakeside beach on Lake Geierswalde includes a swimming beach and a surfing beach. Use of the lake is seasonal, and beach conditions may vary; take the season into account and check conditions before your visit. There is also a rental service at the lakeside beach for pedal boats, kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards. This visitor service operates seasonally. The options therefore range from pedal boats and various paddle boats to stand-up paddleboarding.

Wake and More on Lake Geierswalde offers water skiing, wakeboarding and wakesurfing. Operating times and weather-dependent conditions may change, so check the latest information before making firm plans for this activity. A sailing trip on Lake Geierswalde starts and ends at the lakeside waterway rest area. The beach, rentals, wake activities and sailing trips offer different ways to spend time on or by the water.

Sorbian Traditions and Village Architecture

Every year, the Geierswalde Zampern procession makes its way from house to house through the village as a Sorbian begging custom, with colourful costumes and plenty of noise. If you’d like to experience the custom, check the exact date before your trip. The farmsteads also feature distinctive architectural details, including covered gatehouses and gateways, timber barns and upper-floor arcades. The church, with its slightly leaning tower, is visible from all roads through the village. The village thus offers two distinct ways to experience local culture side by side: an annual custom and the visible forms of village and church history.

Getting There and Getting Around the Lakes District

A connecting road leads to Geierswalde by car, branching off the B 96 near Hoyerswerda and running via Bergen along the Schwarze Elster. A cycle path connects Hoyerswerda with Geierswalde. From a large visitor car park, you can explore the lakes district by bicycle or inline skates. For trip planning, it helps to distinguish between these details: the road connection describes how to get there by car, while the cycle path and visitor car park offer different options for exploring by bicycle or inline skates.

For the broader travel overview: Elsterheide.