Lichtentanne: Discover the Castle, Trails and History

Lichtentanne combines outdoor activities with tangible traces of history and architecture. You can explore the municipality on foot or by bike along its hiking and cycling trails; at the same time, Schönfels Castle, St. Barbara’s Church and the source of the Pleiße in Ebersbrunn offer a variety of points of interest. The Rußbuttensteig trail tells the story of its former role as a transport route, while the castle museum and tower turn your attention to medieval life and the surrounding landscape.

Trails with a History

Cycling signposts can be found in all districts of Lichtentanne. The historic Rußbuttensteig connects Lichtentanne and Schönfels; in the past, it served as a transport route for soot from the surrounding soot kilns and pitch huts towards Leipzig. This history adds another layer to the hiking trail: it also represents the former use of routes to transport soot.

Schönfels Castle is a starting point for circular hikes and cycling tours. From the castle tower, you can enjoy views across the surrounding landscape. This makes it easy to combine an interest in the castle’s history with a desire to get out and about on foot or by bike.

Schönfels Castle: Medieval History and Culture

Schönfels Castle is a medieval castle complex in the district of Schönfels. It was built in the 12th century on a diabase rock spur at an elevation of 393 metres. Schönfels was established around 1200; the castle served as the administrative centre of the Lordship of Rode. The founding of the settlement and the construction of the castle are two distinct historical points of reference.

The castle museum explores the history of the complex and life in the Middle Ages. The development of the building and everyday life in that era are presented as complementary themes. The castle also hosts exhibitions, educational museum programmes, concerts and markets. If you have a particular event in mind, it is best to check the date before your visit; individual events may change.

Church and Source of the Pleiße

St. Barbara’s is a simple hall church without a choir, built in the rural Early Baroque style. The church offers a different architectural accent from the medieval castle: its focus is on the simple form of rural Early Baroque architecture.

In Ebersbrunn, the Pleiße rises at the Drei-Linden-Brunnen in a small park that invites you to linger. This offers a quieter contrast to the trails, cycling tours and cultural activities. A stay that caters to different interests can thus combine outdoor activity, history and a break in the greenery.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

When looking for accommodation in Lichtentanne, it helps to decide what you want to focus on first. For a family trip, you can consider whether culture at the castle, activities on hiking and cycling trails or a break at the source of the Pleiße is most important.

In the Zwickau District

For a wider range of hiking options, it is also worth exploring the Zwickau district. It has an extensive network of marked hiking trails, with plenty of rest areas and places to stop for refreshments; around 700 kilometres can be explored on foot. The district lies between the valley of the Zwickauer Mulde and the foothills of the Ore Mountains. This lets you consider Lichtentanne’s specific points of interest as part of a broader regional hiking plan.

Discover more destinations: Gersdorf, Kirchberg, Werdau, Callenberg, Zwickau, Remse, Niederfrohna, Hirschfeld.

Back to the main travel overview: Zwickauer Land.