Discover Hochkirch

Hochkirch offers hikes with different starting points and a rich historical heritage. Trails run through the area, while the museum and church offer insights into local and Sorbian history. When planning your trip, it is worth first considering whether you want to focus on a particular hike, culture or a mix of both.

Hiking from different starting points

The 14-kilometre day hike Hochkirch–Czorneboh–return begins and ends in Hochkirch. The Pommritz–Waditz–Steindörfel–Pommritz hike, by contrast, starts and ends at Pommritz station. The two routes therefore differ from the outset in their starting and finishing points: one is Hochkirch, the other the station. Check trail conditions before setting out.

The Seven Bridges Trail passes through the “Siebenbrücken” railway viaduct near Pommritz. Tour 5, “Drei Schanzen – Breitendorf”, takes you to Pommritz by regional train; from Breitendorf, the return journey follows the Bautzen–Görlitz railway line. Train services and trail conditions may change, so check this information before your hike.

The Drei-Schanzen Tour also offers a special way to find your bearings along the route: there are audio stations at interesting points. As the stations’ facilities may change, it is a good idea to check the latest information before visiting.

The Hochkirch hiking map brings together layers showing sights, places to eat and rest, car parks and public transport. Hiking routes in the area have been recorded with GPS data and are provided as GPX files. This lets you take various practical points of reference and the route details into account when planning.

The planned starting point is also a useful guide when choosing accommodation: will your hike begin and end in Hochkirch, start at Pommritz station or include a return trip from Breitendorf? The hikes described have different focuses. If you would like to combine exercise and culture, you can weigh up the interests that suit your trip without treating the routes as interchangeable.

Local history and Sorbian heritage

The local history museum is housed in a restored half-timbered building. It displays historical everyday objects and documents, as well as changing exhibitions. The museum barn contains a diorama of the 1758 Battle of Hochkirch. Group tours can be arranged in advance.

The historic church ensemble includes a Protestant church with a Baroque tower, a 13th-century baptismal font and a church door with bullet holes. There is also a monument to Jacob von Keith, two obelisks in the churchyard, a hand-forged clock mechanism from 1751 and the Lehnsche family crypt from the 17th century. These different details give the church several historical points of interest to explore individually during a visit.

After the Reformation, Hochkirch developed into a centre for Protestant Sorbs. A pastor in Hochkirch was among the translators of the Bible into Sorbian; the first Sorbian superintendent’s office was also located in Hochkirch. These episodes in the town’s history offer a different way to discover the area than its hiking trails: they show Hochkirch’s historical importance to Sorbian Protestant life.

A recurring cultural event is the Sorbian National Ensemble’s Vogelhochzeit programme, presented every January at the concert and ballroom venue. Check the date of the current performance before your trip.

The eastern route of the Saxon Towns Route also passes through Hochkirch between Nostitz and Niederkaina. If your tour includes a train journey, check the latest connections as well.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Crostwitz, Radibor, Schirgiswalde-Kirschau, Bretnig-Hauswalde, Steinigtwolmsdorf, Demitz-Thumitz, Cunewalde, Wilthen.

Back to the main travel overview: Bautzen District.