I should be frustrated with some German bureaucrat for changing the borders of some German towns, but then I’d probably wouldn’t have ever gotten to see the Saxon town of Lossatal otherwise. Created on January 1, 2012, the present day town of seventeen villages is worth getting excited about — not any other emotion.
Located next to Wurzen and not too far from Leipzig, Lossatal gets to boast of its castles and museums, its Bronze Age beginnings, and its idyllic countryside around the Geopark Porphyrland.
Sounds perfect for a few days of fun, right?
As I said, Lossatal is a town of more than a dozen villages, and I think Falkenhain might actually be my favorite. Here you’ll find not only a Bronze Age cemetery, but also a charming village church, and the Schloss Falkenhain.
Frauwalde’s beginnings also date back to the Bronze Age, so it does seem the right place for the Museum of Pre & Early History (located at Erlenweg 7).
Another museum is the Heritage Museum in the village of Großzschepa, which is only open by appointment, so it’s best to call ahead. At least the Museum Steinarbeiterhaus has more regular opening hours.
And you’ll find yet another museum in the village of Kühnitzsch. The Schloss Kühnitzsch (the present building from only the 17th century) and church seem to be the same ocher color, so consider them a matching set. Its Bockwindmühle is also an attraction you shouldn’t miss, even if the mill you see today is not the original from the 1500s.
You’re never too far from an old building here in Lossatal, for which Schloss Dornreichenbach is one of them. The original use of the castle is a far cry from its use today, a grand park with its own game reserve. And Schloss Thammenhain can be rented for special events, or just a locale for a private picnic.
Speaking of special events, Lossatal seems to always have something extraordinary going on. The fun kicks off at the Hexenfeuer and Maypole celebrations on April 30th and May 1st, with the Summer Festival taking place in June, while the Park Festival goes off every August, followed by both the Fischerfest and Pumpkin Festival in September. The Wine Festival is always an October delight, and the Christmas Market is just a fantastic way to enjoy a cold November day.
After all this, I should thank those German bureaucrats for changing things around — I think I love Lossatal exactly the way it is now. :-)
