Between 1750 and 1770, the monks had the baroque monastery garden laid out – in the “French style” – as a place for relaxation, cooking, and monastic experiments. To this day, it provides herbs and medicinal plants for cooking and medicine. And: 

This was a place for research and experimentation.

For example, through crossbreeding of tree species. Two trees in front of the monastery, bearing two different types of foliage, and the legendary linden tree, which grew upside down as a sign of the innocence of a monk suspected of having an affair, still bear witness to this living heritage. Above all, however, stands: 

The monastery garden still invites visitors to find peace and inspiration. 

Take your time, enjoy the view of the Oder River, discover the linden tree among artful hedges, the carnations in whose cultivation the monks once competed, or relax in the orangery, which is now a fine café.

The tour takes you through the Dorche Valley with its ancient forests, wetlands, and small gorges to the Schwerzko Mill. Mills were a cornerstone and symbol of monastic craftsmanship – imported from Italy. As early as the Middle Ages, the monks of Neuzelle operated several watermills along the Dorche River – including the Schwerzkoer Mühle, one of the oldest in the Stiftsland region.

It is still completely preserved and can be visited today. 

Once, grain was milled here, grain was pounded, and work was carried out using water power. For this, the millers had to pay a high rent to the monastery. But things got even worse: the Dorche River often carried too little water, so the mills could only operate for a few hours a day.

The monks were inventive! 

They diverted the stream and dammed up two millponds. Today, their banks invite visitors to take a stroll with a magnificent view of the mill, and the regional shop offers delicious, oven-fresh mill bread in addition to thirst-quenchers.

The path leads gently uphill through a cool forest to Wellmitz, once an important monastic estate where things were once very serious. For the monks of Neuzelle, beer was far more than just a beverage – it was their livelihood, and they took it very seriously. In the 16th century, the legendary "Beer Mile Dispute" erupted between the monastery and the nearby town of Guben. Guben claimed the exclusive right to brew and sell beer within a one-mile radius.

However, the opponents applied a double standard.

And so, no agreement could be reached on the extent of a "mile." Guben was more generous and wanted to extend its right to sell beer to the villages belonging to the monastery. The monastery wouldn't back down, so the dispute over unpaid beer escalated in Wellmitz. The monks chased the debt collector from Guben away with "murder rifles and Turkish sabers." The story finally came to a peaceful end—crowned by the mediation of a new dispute.

This time it was about the famous Black Abbot of Neuzelle! 

This beer can now be sold again – including at the monastery brewery in Neuzelle and in the restaurants along the tour. Highly recommended!

After the devastation of the Thirty Years' War, the monastery's lands lay in ruins. The monks of Neuzelle began the reconstruction systematically, relying on outlying farmsteads, separate monastic estates. 

Coschen was an important outlying farm and starting point for activities. 

From here, the monks, together with the survivors of the war, gradually developed the devastated land. New fields were cultivated and abandoned settlements were revived. 

The reconstruction was hard, arduous, and required enormous organizational talent.

The monks used their contacts to bring cattle and sheep herds from other regions. Their efforts paid off and continue to shape the settlement structure and thus the cultural landscape of the region to this day. The once-small outlying farmstead has become the vibrant community of Coschen. Located directly on the Neisse River, the Europe Bridge now offers a view of the border river with Poland.

After the Thirty Years' War and its upheavals, the monks faced the threat of losing control over their subjects. To restore order, the monastery issued the "Ordinary Rules of Procedure" in 1661.

A set of rules that deeply impacted the lives of the villagers here in Ratzdorf. 

Farmers were forced to perform unpaid corvée labor, children were compelled to work, and, worst of all, festivals and dances were restricted. Even in taverns like the still-existing "Kajüte," the following rules applied: 

Limited access and celebrations only until nightfall – even written communication is now limited! 

Strict rules, which caused resentment, ultimately helped to stabilize the monastery and its villages – enforced with a firm hand, but with lasting effect. Get off your bike here and let your gaze wander from the dike across the idyllic waterfront village to the Oder-Neisse estuary.

 

The journey continues along the Oder River. A wide floodplain opens up, a region historically prone to flooding. Particularly during the Middle Ages, devastating floods repeatedly destroyed fields and villages, making life in the region virtually impossible.

The monks took the initiative. 

Their principle pray and work Subsequently, they declared dam construction a major undertaking. Citizens and farmers were obligated to build sections of the dikes to protect fields and villages. The starting point for this enormous effort was Fürstenberg, now a district of Eisenhüttenstadt. 

They had to work hard for over 20 years!

The monumental project was completed in 1701. The marshy lowlands were transformed into fertile land, giving the river landscape its present-day appearance. Today, cyclists on the still-existing dike are treated to breathtaking views of the Oder River and its floodplains.

In the Neuzelle monastery region, beekeeping – the cultivation of bees in the forest – was one of the oldest crafts. As early as the 13th century, beekeepers tended their bee colonies in the forests around Aurith and were highly regarded by the monks. 

Honey, as the only sweetener, was a precious commodity! 

And the wax for the candles in the monastery was indispensable. But the beekeepers, too, were subject to the monks – for their work they paid "honey tax" and "wax tax." The work was also painful: they harvested the honey in high tree hollows – sweet, but hard-earned: the wild bees were fierce! 

The tradition lives on! 

Even today, one can still in the Linder Honey House Experience the art of beekeeping and the authentic flavors of the region in Aurith. A visit is well worth it, including a short trip on the passenger ferry to the other side of the Oder River. From the observation tower there, you'll have a magnificent view across the entire Oder landscape.

As early as the 15th century, the monks of Neuzelle sought places of silence and contemplation. Aurith was the perfect place for this. Here they established a castle as a place of rest and retreat, where the monks found strength and community away from the daily routine of monastic life. After secularization in 1815, the estate became state property; it burned down during the Second World War and was demolished after the war. 

The mystical power of the Oder lives on!

This special place of tranquility still invites you to pause and enjoy the expansive view across the Oder!

Near Brieskow, the route follows the Friedrich-Wilhelm Canal, which once connected the Spree and Oder rivers and today enchants visitors with its magical charm. In the Klosterland region, tensions repeatedly arose between clergy and peasants – especially in Brieskow, a village of Slavic origin. 

The monks of Neuzelle were tired of the quarreling.

They also needed money. Therefore, in the 15th century, they sold the village to the neighboring Carthusian monastic order in Frankfurt. However, the Carthusians also encountered problems with the recalcitrant farmers of Brieskow. These farmers refused to help the monks transport their wine.

Even worse: They drove them out by force.

Only through the mediation of neighboring villages was reconciliation achieved – the farmers vowed "eternal obedience." But the peace was fragile: until the dissolution of the monastic order, the relationship between the monastery and the farmers remained strained, and physical altercations repeatedly broke out. If you enjoy the tranquility of the old Oder river channel in Brieskow today, you might wonder: how could such disputes ever occur here? 

In the 15th century, the wooded village of Groß Lindow belonged to the Neuzelle Monastery; later, the Carthusian monks from Frankfurt also took over the village. When the Reformation took hold and the Carthusian monastery threatened to lose its possessions, the situation became critical. 

Even the monks could use tricks!

They secretly sold monastic property and siphoned the proceeds out of the country. To monetize their forest lands, they also ruthlessly collected taxes from the farmers who farmed them.

But the farmers fought back!

From the 1520s onwards, they regularly set fire to the forests. This only came to an end when the Elector intervened, sent soldiers, and expelled the remaining monks. Peace returned, which can still be enjoyed today, for example at Café Holzappel.

On the old trade route to Frankfurt, the monks of Neuzelle built a village inn in the 18th century – right on the border between Saxony and Prussia. Endowed with its own brewing rights, it became a lively meeting place for travelers, merchants, and pilgrims. 

The “Green Diamond Wreath”, a symbol of exchange and hospitality at the border.

Even after the trade route was rerouted, the inn remained a popular meeting place for many years. The building still exists today, is a listed historical monument, and is used as a private residence. From the cycle path between Groß Lindow and Rautenkranz, the old boundary mounds are also clearly visible – silent witnesses to a turbulent history.

The Neuzelle monastery region was always a borderland – both with other religious orders and between Saxony and Prussia. The border ran a few meters from Kaisermühl, directly on the Schlaube river and the Friedrich-Wilhelm Canal. 

Battle for the loaf

To the west began the territory of the Knights Hospitaller, with whom the Cistercians fought decades of border disputes over the Schlaube river. The monks of Neuzelle prevailed and secured the Schlaube – and with it, control over the water, mills, and fish farming. 

No luck with the construction of the Friedrich-Wilhelm Canal. 

This canal, connecting the Spree and Oder rivers, brought economic advantages, but not to the monastery. The canal ran just outside the monastery's lands, leaving the monks excluded. Tolls were levied, and control over the water was lost. Today, the canal is an enchanting refuge for plants and animals, and the charming terrace of the Hotel Kaisermühle invites visitors to rest, accompanied by the soothing murmur of the Schlaube stream.

From Müllrose, cycling south, you now enter the Schlaubetal, Brandenburg's most beautiful stream valley. In 1742, monks built a "Jägerhaus" (hunter's lodge) in the middle of the forests above the Schlaube River – a place of retreat and reflection, with vistas in every direction. They knew why; it remains the most beautiful spot on the Schlaube to this day. 

The name Siehdichum illustrates this.

It continues to inspire the imagination: as an invitation to marvel at the beauty of nature, but also as a reminder to walk mindfully through the marshes in the deep forest. Here, in the heart of the Schlaubetal valley, monks rested, prayed, and hunted. Today, the Siehdichum forester's lodge invites visitors to stop in for reflection – and to let their thoughts and gaze wander. 

Look around!

In the water-rich Klosterland region, fish farming and fishing have always played a major role. Along the Schlaube river, the monks of Neuzelle created numerous ponds to meet the high demand for fish, as they were not allowed to eat meat on many days, for example during Lent. 

But the monks knew how to help themselves! 

Beavers, otters, and even European pond turtles were summarily classified as "fish" due to their scales and aquatic lifestyle. This creative interpretation nearly led to the extinction of some species. Fish eagles and white-tailed eagles were also hunted, out of fear that they would decimate fish populations. 

Today the eagles are circling above Lake Wirchensee again.!

A symbol of nature reclaiming its space. With a bit of luck, you might spot an eagle while taking a break on the terrace of the Waldseehotel. And take your time, leave your bike behind, and hike around the lake in just under an hour. From the "Försterblick" viewpoint, you'll have a breathtaking view across the vast expanse of the lake. 

After the Thirty Years' War, the land was devastated, and the people suffered under heavy taxes levied on the monastery. The monastery itself was under pressure and therefore sold off property – for example, the Treppeln inn estate in 1652, which was acquired by an ancestor of the current Köhler family who run the inn.

Treppeln was the starting point of the uprising.

A citizen of Treppeln, Georg Wollenberg, tried everything to help the farmers. He falsified the land register used to administer the monastery's lands, thereby diminishing the obligations of the subjects. They demanded their perceived rights, resulting in refusal to perform their duties and unrest. The "Wollenberg Rebellion" shook the monastery's lands to their core.

Wollenberg had to pay a heavy price for it!

He was imprisoned, convicted, and died in the monastery prison. However, his work did not remain without consequences: the entire monastery property was resurveyed, and the resulting monastery atlas still forms the basis for the documentation of the former monastery lands.

Today's Gasthof Köhler, which invites guests to stop in for refreshments and enjoy Klosterbier (monastery beer), witnessed these momentous events. A peace oak tree in front of its door commemorates the desire for justice – a quiet symbol of how deeply this history resonates even today. 

And the story continues: 

Irony of history or fate? Right here, where Wollenberg once practiced resistance against the authorities, the monks are now building their brand-new Maria Friedenshort monastery.