Bautzen
Bautzen (Sorbian: Budyšin) is an old city in Saxony, Germany. It is a well preserved medieval city and the cultural center of the Sorbian community in Germany.
Get in
By train
The main station is within walking distance of the city centre and easily accessible by bus or car. Regular trains leave for Dresden and Görlitz.
By car
Bautzen can be reached without problems by car from the rest of Germany. It is connected with the German highway system. The best way to get there is from Dresden.
Get around
The best way of getting around is on foot. The city center is compact. You can also easily use a bus or bicycle. If you got in by car, it is best to park it outside the city wall and walk.
See
Above all Bautzen is renowned for its historical town centre with its skyline of medieval towers.
Some examples:
- The Reichenturm: One of the steepest leaning and still passable towers north of the Alps
- Ortenburg Castle
- The Old Waterworks: architectural monument and museum; landmark of Bautzen
- Saint Peter's Cathedral: Germany's oldest and Eastern Germany's only historic interdenominational church edifice. The tower is passable, take the door at west side.
Bautzen is the most important cultural center of the Sorbs, who make up 10% of the city population. You will find many places of Sorbian culture importance in the city. As a result the city uses bi-lingual signs with street names both in German and Sorbian.
Kleinwelka is a subdivision of the city of Bautzen. There is the largest maze of Germany and a large Dinosaur-park.
Do
- Go on a tour through town or rest at romantic places, go into the museums (city museum or Sorbian museam) or go shopping
- The city nestled in the heart of Upper Lusatia offers plenty of opportunities for memeroable hikes and day trips. The bioshere preserve "Upper Lusation Pond and Heath Region" extends an area of 21.800 hectares with over 240 ponds. You can easily do day trips to the Upper Lusatian Highlands.
- Do water sports at the Bautzen reservoir
Events
Bautzen is often called the "Easter-capital". Sorbian and German customs, including famous processions during Easter, meet with a great deal of interest.
Easter events:
- Easter eggs market (the Sorbian Easter eggs are known for their beauty and are made with special techniques)
- Easter riding in Bautzen and the villages around
- "Eierschieben"
Other events:
- Wedding of the Birds"
- Bautzen has an important summer open air theater
- street festival "Bautzener Frühling"
Buy
- Easter eggs
- Bautz'ner Senf (mustard) - one of East Germany's best known specialities. In fact if people hear Bautzen, they usually think one of two things: the notorious Stasi prison - or mustard.
Eat
Sorbian and traditional German-Lusatian cuisine.
- Mönchshof, Burglehn 1, ☏ +49 3591 490141. "Medieval" style restaurant with occasional live music. Website in German and English 10€ to 15€ for a main course.
Drink
Bautzen beer is only obtainable in only a few places in the city, but it's worth trying.
Sleep
The Youth Hostel is in an old bastion. There are also some rooms of a hotel in another bastion. There are many other places to stay in Bautzen.
Budget
- Hotel Alte Gerberei, Uferwerg1, ☏ +49 3591 272390, info@hotel-alte-gerberei.de. All room prices include breakfast. The hotel is situated close to the river single from 54€ double from 74€.
- Spreepension Bautzen, Fischergasse 6 (weitere Innenstadt), ☏ +49 3591 48960, fax: +49 3591 489644, Frenzel.pension@t-online.de.
- Pension „Am Schloss“, Schlossstr. 11 (innerer Altstadtkern), ☏ +49 3591 40921, fax: +49 3591 40921.
- Pension „Stephan“, Schlossstr. 1 (innerer Altstadtkern), ☏ +49 3591 47590, fax: +49 3591 47591, Pension.Stephan@t-online.de.
Mid-range
- Pension „Dom-Eck“, Breitengasse 2 (innerer Altstadtkern), ☏ +49 3591 501330, fax: +49 3591 501334, info@wjelbik.de.
- Pension „Schloss-Schänke“ (innerer Altstadtkern), ☏ +49 3591 304990, fax: +49 3591 490198, info@schloss-schaenke.net.
- Best Western Plus, Wendischer Graben 20 (Innenstadt), ☏ +49 3591 492-0, fax: +49 3591 492100.
Splurge
- Hotel „Goldener Adler“, Hauptmarkt 4 (innerer Altstadtkern), ☏ +49 3591 48660, fax: +49 3591 486620, kontakt@goldeneradler.de.