Sonnewalde: Palace Park and City History

Local History Museum and Palace Park

Housed in Sonnewalde’s front palace, the local history museum presents the town’s history and everyday life in the 20th century across twenty rooms. Its focus therefore differs from that of museums centred on individual events or technological developments: here, the subject is the town’s history and life during a particular century. The local history museum is not open regularly; visits and guided tours are available by request. Ask about a suitable date before making plans.

The palace park adjoins the front palace directly. Its remarkable collection of trees includes some rare species; ponds, formed from the former palace moat, lie among the old, picturesque trees. Together, the trees and water shape the park’s character. The palace park is freely accessible at all times. Check before your visit whether local conditions have changed.

Preserved architectural features also bring the historic site to life: at Sonnewalde Palace, visitors can explore sections of the defensive wall, the moat and a defensive tower. In the palace park, the open-air stage provides the setting each year at Pentecost for the Culture and Local Heritage Festival. If you would like to plan your stay around it, check the specific festival dates.

Culture and Industrial Heritage in the Elbe-Elster Destination

Elsewhere in the Elbe-Elster destination, other museums add different perspectives to Sonnewalde’s town history. Four major museums in the district have been part of a joint museum network since January 2015. The Mühlberg 1547 Museum focuses on the meeting of armies in 1547, which shaped the course of the Reformation, and bears the European Heritage Label. This offers a contrast between an interest in 20th-century history in Sonnewalde and another historical focus in Elbe-Elster.

Industrial heritage can be explored at sites including the Louise briquette factory in Domsdorf and the Plessa power station. Louise is Europe’s oldest surviving briquette factory; visitors can experience working historic machinery and discover steam engines there. Plessa power station is one of Europe’s oldest lignite-fired power stations and has retained its original building fabric. Possible highlights of a visit include authentic power station technology from the 1920s and the guided “Path of Coal” tour. The tour takes visitors through the outdoor bunker, boiler house, turbine hall, control room and transformer area. Plessa is also on the “Coal, Wind and Water Tour” cycling route.

Nature, Cycling Routes and Regional Discoveries

Nature watching and outdoor activities are also among the options in the wider Elbe-Elster destination. On outings with a ranger from the nature conservation service, visitors can identify bird calls, find rare plants and observe animals. The F60 visitor mine is in Elbe-Elster district, south of Lichterfeld. Visitors can explore the nearby Bergheider See by bicycle or Segway, or take a walk along its long beach. Another cycling option is the Elster Cycle Tour, a circular route past old mills and through the Niederlausitzer Heidelandschaft Nature Park. The 200-kilometre “Coal, Wind and Water Tour” brings the history of energy production to life through the elements.

In Schlieben, winegrowing meets a historic cultural landscape. Grapes have been grown again on the southern slope of Langer Berg since 1992; more than 2,000 vines of the Müller-Thurgau and Bacchus varieties now grow there. Visitors can learn about and taste Schlieben wine on a guided tour. The wine town’s history also includes Kellerstraße, with more than 30 wine cellars dug into Langer Berg since around 1540. Another regional option is the 65-kilometre Apple Route, which includes a guided tour of the Pomological Garden in Döllingen; check the latest dates in advance.

Choosing a search location depends on whether you mainly want to experience the palace park and local history museum in Sonnewalde or include other destinations in the Elbe-Elster region. Bus routes 433/437 from Riesa, 536 from Falkenberg or Bad Liebenwerda–Koßdorf, and 565 from Bad Liebenwerda are listed for the Mühlberg 1547 Museum. The museum is about 300 metres, or a four-minute walk, from Mühlberg bus station. Check timetables before travelling. If you plan to visit several regional destinations, consider their locations and transport connections alongside your planned excursions when choosing a holiday apartment.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Röderland, Fichtwald, Wahrenbrück, Gorden-Staupitz, Herzberg, Finsterwalde, Mühlberg, Elsterwerda.

Back to the regional travel overview: Elbe-Elster.