monk's tour

121,00 km
Start: Neuzelle train station 15898 Neuzelle
Destination: 15898 Neuzelle

Monastery trails – A journey through time and silence
This landscape has captivated people for centuries. Here, Cistercian monks found peace and tranquility, transforming wild nature into a fascinating cultural landscape. On this two-day cycling tour through the monastery region between the Oder River, Neuzelle, and the Schlaubetal valley, you can experience this heritage firsthand as you cycle along rivers and streams, immersing yourself in a world full of stories.

Start / Finish: Neuzelle Monastery Tourist Information
Length / Duration: 121 kilometers / 2 days, approximately 4,5 hours of pure driving time each day
Logo / route sign: monk on a bicycle
Character: A scenically varied route between the valley and the large river, with plenty of forest, floodplains and meadows; overall a moderate tour with gentle climbs in the Schlaubetal valley, largely paved cycle paths, and occasional low-traffic side roads.
Course: Neuzelle, Schwerzko, Wellnitz, Coschen, Ratzdorf, Fürstenberg, Aurith, Brieskow-Finkenheerd, Groß-Lindow, Müllrose, Mixdorf, Siehdichum, Dammendorf, Chossewitz, Treppeln, Neuzelle
Extra tip: Visit the Schlaubetal Nature Park House in Müllrose. The exhibition provides an overview of the origins and special features of the nature park.

Arrival / Departure:
Public transport: RE1 to Frankfurt (Oder), then RB43 to Falkenberg (Elster) or RE10 to Leipzig
Cars: For example, public parking lot Brauhausplatz Neuzelle

Directions
Opening at the Baroque wonder of Neuzelle
Neuzelle Monastery is rightly considered a "Baroque wonder of Brandenburg." Its extraordinary splendor arose during the Reformation, when the Catholic monastery consciously contrasted the Protestant austerity with opulent art. The monastery church was richly decorated and still shines today. Following the resettlement of monks, a vibrant monastic life has returned.
Tip: Allow time to explore the monastery complex with its "Heavenly Theatre" museum and baroque garden. Early risers can experience the monks' morning choral singing in the first sunlight at St. Mary's Abbey Church.

The route leads into the Dorche Valley with its ancient forests, wetlands, and small gorges. Along the stream, the Cistercians once operated six mills, one of which, the Schwerzkow Mill, is still functional today. The monks brought the technology used for it from Italy. A walk around the millponds is well worth it.

The monks became physical over beer.
The path leads gently uphill through a cool forest to Wellmitz, once an important monastic estate. The town became famous for the "Wellmitz Beer Mile Dispute," which was taken all the way to the Emperor in Vienna. The monks defended their brewing monopoly fiercely, confiscating beer from other breweries and serving it publicly – an episode with far-reaching consequences for the region.

From small river to great river
The route continues to Coschen on the Neisse River, once founded as a monastic outpost. Passing along expansive meadows, you reach Ratzdorf, where the Neisse and Oder rivers converge. This former shipping village served the monks as a transshipment point for goods. Strict rules were intended to regulate the activities of the boatmen, but these led to tensions and religious change.

A wide floodplain landscape opens up along the Oder River. The historic old town of Fürstenberg comes into view, the starting point of the decades-long dike construction project leading to Ratzdorf. The route continues gently through the Ziltendorf lowlands, today an important birdwatching spot. As early as the Middle Ages, monks used the floodplains near Aurith for beekeeping.

Forest fires in the border region
Near Brieskow, the route follows the Friedrich-Wilhelm Canal, once a connection between the Spree and Oder rivers. It also marked the boundary between the holdings of the Neuzelle and Frankfurt monasteries. Conflicts over land repeatedly led to protests, during which farmers even set fire to forests. In Kaisermühl, the Oder-Spree Canal is crossed. The historic Kaisermühle mill on the Schlaube River invites visitors to stop for refreshments. A few kilometers further on lies the Großer Müllroser See (Great Müllrose Lake) – an ideal place to pause on the promenade and let your gaze wander across the water.

Siehdichum im Schlaubetal – a name with a message
From Müllrose, the route leads into the Schlaubetal valley, often described as Brandenburg's most beautiful stream valley. The historic Ragow Mill looks like something out of a fairytale. The trail continues to Siehdichum, where monks deliberately preserved the forest and built a hunting lodge as a retreat. Views of the Hammersee lake open up repeatedly, for example from the former hunting lodge, now a forester's house.

Of fake fish and counterfeiters
At Lake Wirchensee, the monks used fishponds for sustenance, especially during Lent. A curious anecdote has been passed down that pigs were simply declared "fish." A short detour to the Försterblick viewpoint offers an impressive panorama.
The route leads back to Neuzelle via Treppeln. In the 18th century, the peasant leader Georg Wollenberg planned his uprising against the monastery at what is now the Gasthof Köhler. Forged documents destabilized the economic system, but the uprising ended tragically.
Tip: To finish, follow the signposted path up Kulisch Mountain. The view from the top of the baroque wonder of Neuzelle provides a memorable end to this historically significant tour.

Sights:

Neuzelle: Neuzelle Monastery with collegiate church, baroque garden and Heavenly Theatre Museum
Schwerzko: Schwerzkow Mill
Ratzdorf: Oder-Neisse estuary
Eisenhüttenstadt: Fürstenberg Old Town
Groß Lindow: Friedrich-Wilhelm Canal
Kaisermühle (near Müllrose)
Müllrose: Schlaubetal Nature Park House and Market
Siehdichum: Siehdichum Forestry House
Between Chossewitz and Treppeln: Forester's view at Wirchensee

Refreshment tips: