Bahretal: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Nature

There are numerous signposted hiking trails and sandstone formations in the Cottaer Busch. These include the Gersdorf Ruin, the Mühlsteinbruch quarry, the rock bridges, the Stone Mushroom, the Zehistaer Walls and the Jagdstein. The elevations of Schärfling, Herbstberg, Roter Berg, Mühlberg and Bahreberg are also named in Bahretal’s hiking landscape.

Geographical Setting

Bahretal lies on the edge of Saxon Switzerland and within the Osterzgebirge Landscape Protection Area. The Bahre flows through the valley; near Gersdorf, it is fed by the Gersdorfer Bach, Wingendorfer Bach and Bornaer Bach streams.

The church in Ottendorf is one of the area’s historical and cultural testimonies. It is of Romanesque origin and the oldest church in Bahretal. Its chancel frescoes depicting apostles and evangelists date from around 1500. The church also contains a carved, three-storey Renaissance altar by Franz Dittrich the Elder, a donor portrait by Lucas Cranach the Younger, and numerous epitaphs associated with the von Carlowitz family.

The Borna church also preserves a connection to regional stoneworking: the marble used for its altar comes from the Borna quarries. The organ chapel houses two organs built by Siegfried Creuz.

The history of lime is documented in several institutions. The Museum of the Historic Borna Lime Works covers a lime industry in the Elbtalschiefergebirge that existed for more than 600 years. The Museum of the Historic Lime Kiln in Borna documents the history of lime production in the region; its centrepiece is a protected lime kiln that is more than 200 years old. The lime kiln site also includes a fire brigade museum presenting the history of the local fire brigade since 1878. A small field railway runs along a 300-metre circular track. The circular trail around the lime kiln is six kilometres long and leads past old quarries, historic firing sites and information stations. Limestone quarried in the region supplied mortar for Saxon towns along the Elbe as far as Wittenberg.

Local Life

In Gersdorf, the riding stable specialises in show jumping and offers training for competitive equestrian sport. The Gersdorf village festival has been held annually since 1967 and is associated with the bird-shooting tradition of the volunteer fire brigade.

Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Bahretal can continue their accommodation search afterwards.

To the higher-level travel overview: Saxon Switzerland.

More Destinations

More places within the same destination:

Bannewitz, Sebnitz, Pirna, Hohnstein, Bad Gottleuba-Berggießhübel, Stolpen, Reinhardtsdorf-Schöna, Freital.