Discover Lauchhammer: Cast Iron Art, Park and Nature

Foundry history and local history

A notable historical landmark is St. Nicholas Church in Lauchhammer-Mitte, built around 1200. Industrial history, by contrast, has a precise date: in 1784, Lauchhammer succeeded in producing life-size hollow iron figures. No other foundry anywhere in the world had achieved this before. The scale of the figures makes this accomplishment especially vivid and adds a distinct note alongside the town’s architectural history.

Baroque park and historic buildings

Lauchhammer-West Palace Park is laid out in the Baroque style and planted with exotic trees arranged individually and in groups. The historic buildings are also among the park’s oldest features: these include the palace church, the Cavalier House and the orangery in the palace courtyard, as well as the forester’s lodge in the northern part of the park. Here, garden design and architectural history come together as distinct but connected themes.

Traces of a person and of industry

The Baroness von Löwendal Trail follows a historic route through Lauchhammer. It shares insights into the baroness’s life and work, as well as the town’s history. Anyone interested in both can gain another perspective on Lauchhammer through these themes.

The listed collection at the Lauchhammer Cast Iron Art Museum is housed in a former school building right next to a foundry that is still in operation. This proximity places cast iron art and industry in a tangible local context. The Lauchhammer Biotowers, in turn, are remnants of a once-huge coking plant described as the first of its kind in the world. An audio guide to the biotowers can be listened to on site or at home through the free “Hearonymus” smartphone app. If you plan to use it, check in advance whether the app is currently available.

Swimming lake and holiday interests

The “Grünewalder Lauch” recreation area includes a swimming lake nestled among pine and mixed forests, inviting visitors to relax and unwind in a natural setting. This offers a nature-focused alternative to the area’s industrial and architectural history. When looking for a holiday apartment, consider which side of Lauchhammer will shape your plans most: cast iron art and local history, the design of the palace park, or relaxation by the lake. If you are travelling with others who have different interests, you can weigh up these different themes together.

Hiking, cycling and scenery in Oberspreewald-Lausitz

Looking at the wider destination of Oberspreewald-Lausitz opens up further ideas for planning. The district has hiking routes ranging from 4 to 32 kilometres. Cycling routes start at 40 kilometres and include self-guided or guided multi-day tours with good places to stop for a rest or a meal. More than 580 kilometres of signposted cycling routes connect the regions between the Spreewald and the Kmehlener Hills, linking southern Brandenburg with Saxony and northern Brandenburg. Hiking and cycling routes therefore offer different options for planning trips around the district.

In the south of Oberspreewald-Lausitz district, the flooding of former open-cast mines is creating a waterscape of more than 20 artificial lakes: the Lusatian Lakeland. The historic old town of Lübbenau/Spreewald, with its Neoclassical palace ensemble, adds another cultural highlight. These landscape and cultural attractions are part of the wider destination of Oberspreewald-Lausitz; they should be distinguished from the places and experiences described in Lauchhammer.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Schwarzbach, Kroppen, Calau, Großkmehlen, Hohenbocka, Hermsdorf, Vetschau/Spreewald, Ruhland

Go to the broader travel overview: Oberspreewald-Lausitz.