Discover Callenberg: Reservoir, Church and History

Callenberg combines swimming and leisure activities with village history and culture. The Oberwald Reservoir is nearby; in the village, St. Catherine’s Church and a story passed down through generations recall the past. Several hiking trails and the views from Langenberg Heights round out the options.

Oberwald Reservoir: Water and Leisure

Swimming and leisure activities go hand in hand at the Oberwald Reservoir near Callenberg. The beach is 360 metres long, and facilities include a water slide, mini golf, beach volleyball, pedal boats, a children’s playground and a summer toboggan run. Holiday homes and camping are also available at the lake. Families looking to alternate time in the water with active pursuits will find a range of ideas for planning their day. Individual facilities and their seasonal opening schedules may vary; check current conditions before your visit.

Church, Organ and a Story Passed Down Through Generations

The neo-Romanesque St. Catherine’s Church was built between 1856 and 1859. Inside is an original Kreutzbach organ, used for church services and performances by international musicians during the Saxon Organ Academy. This offers a chance to appreciate the architecture alongside a special connection to music. If you would like to attend a performance, check the specific dates before your visit.

Callenberg’s history also tells of a former manor in the village. According to local tradition, the ladder used in the abduction of the Princes of Altenburg in 1455 was made in its barn. The story has been passed down as tradition and gives the village a distinctive historical note, without requiring you to plan an extensive museum visit.

Local Dining and Walks

The “Zur Alten Schule” café and restaurant serves meals in a historic setting associated with Callenberg’s first manor. The premises include a beer garden, historic rooms—including a prison cellar—and a small school museum. Alongside the facilities at the lake, this offers another focus for your stay: sharing a meal and learning about local history. The menu and opening hours may change.

If you prefer to spend time outdoors, Callenberg has several hiking trails. The 484-metre-high Langenberg Heights offer views towards the Leipzig Lowlands. The trails and the viewpoint are two useful reference points when planning walks; no specific route between them is implied. For travel, the B180 runs directly through Callenberg, with roads connecting to the A4, B173 and B175. Traffic conditions may vary, but these road links can help you identify Callenberg as a possible base.

Zwickau District as a Broader Planning Area

If you would like to explore more than Callenberg, Zwickau District offers its own regional perspective. It currently has 14 FFH sites and two bird protection areas designated, covering a total area of about 2,200 hectares. The district also has an extensive network of marked hiking trails with rest stops and places to eat; around 700 kilometres can be explored on foot. These figures refer to the district as a whole, not to Callenberg alone.

The “Mulden- und Chemnitztal” Landscape Conservation Area is among the district’s landscapes. Its core area follows the course of the Zwickauer Mulde between Zwickau and Wolkenburg and covers approximately 4,348 hectares. There are also regional options for days out cycling and hiking: the section of the Mulde embankment within the city of Zwickau forms part of the 268-kilometre long-distance Mulde Cycle Route.

Cultural attractions broaden the choice across the district. The German Agricultural Museum at Blankenhain Castle is a unique museum complex in Germany, with 80 buildings and 100 themed exhibitions across 13 hectares. In Zwickau, the August Horch Museum is located at the historic birthplace of Audi. Its 6,500 square metres of exhibition space showcase more than 120 years of Zwickau’s automotive history; English-language tours and an audio guide are also available. Callenberg can therefore be considered as a destination in its own right or combined with broader plans across the district, depending on whether local leisure activities, landscapes or culture are your main focus.

Discover More Destinations

Falken, Glauchau, Zwickau, Werdau, Remse, Crinitzberg, Reinsdorf and Hohenstein-Ernstthal.

For the main travel overview: Zwickau Region.