Untouched flora and fauna on more than 30,000 hectares
House of 1000 ponds
The tradition of pond farming in today's UNESCO protected area is centuries old - the multimedia exhibition in the House of a Thousand Ponds tells you what it still means today, which rare animals and plants are at home in the ponds, meadows and forests and what opportunities there are to discover them. Marked trails around the information center of the Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape Biosphere Reserve in Wartha also invite visitors to explore everything for themselves.
Fish on the table
With over 1,000 ponds, Upper Lusatia is one of the largest inland fishing regions in Germany. The fishing tradition has been practiced here since the 13th century. Since 2021, "Lusatian fish" has also been established as a brand - and is celebrated every year from the end of September to the beginning of November at the Lusatian Fish Weeks with delicious carp, zander, pike, catfish and sturgeon.
One tour, two cycle paths, endless impressions
Rustic half-timbered houses, rustling pine forests, idyllic floodplains, impressive world heritage sites: if you cycle along the twin cycle paths, you will experience Lusatia in all its glory. The twins are the Oder-Neisse and Spree cycle paths. They lead downstream to Brandenburg. And they have two friends with whom they join forces to form a circular tour: the Froschradweg in the north and the Mittellandroute in the south.
Get to know rare animals and plants in Upper Lusatia
The carnivorous small water hose is just as much at home here as the endangered bog violet, the rare fire-bellied toad and the majestic white-tailed eagle: the Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape Biosphere Reserve is the largest contiguous pond area in Central Europe and home to over 5,000 plant and animal species. Human activity has influenced the area for centuries - especially pond farming, which has its roots in the 13th century. Today, the UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserve is characterized by a harmonious and sustainable coexistence of man and nature. The ponds, which are a maximum of one meter deep and up to 90 hectares in size, are still mainly used for carp farming. In the fall, the ponds remain without water unless they are intended for the overwintering of younger fish or must remain filled for species protection reasons.
Ambassador of Lusatia
What many children dream of: roaming through nature, observing animals and discovering rare plants - he has turned his childhood dream into a profession. Lorenz Richter has been a ranger in the UNESCO Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape Biosphere Reserve since 2015.
Become a tour guide in Upper Lusatia!
Datapolicy | Imprint
In the video: Tour guide in the Upper Lusatian heath and pond landscape
Further information on the Young Tour Guides in Upper Lusatia can be found here
Impressions from the UNESCO Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape Biosphere Reserve
Großes Erbe Faltkarte
Wie kaum eine andere Region Deutschlands steht die Lausitz für gewaltige Gegensätze auf engstem Raum. Gegensätze als Ergebnis eines ständigen Wandels. So prägen noch immer Wunden die Landschaft der Lausitz, allerdings im Kontrast zur Lieblichkeit der englischen Gartenkunst historischer Parkanlagen. Und die Landschaft heilt nach und nach.
Aus Bräuchen und Gegensätzen wird hier Welterbe geschaffen. Von der UNESCO ausgezeichnete Kultur- und Naturerbestätten, Kulturlandschaften, vom Tagebau geprägte Gegenden oder Städte wie Görlitz und Bautzen sind Leuchttürme der Region. Sie erzählen Geschichten, die teils Jahrhunderte überspannen. All das nennen wir unser großes Erbe, welchem wir uns verpflichtet fühlen.
Ausgezeichnet! Großes Erbe im Lausitzer Land
Lassen Sie sich inspirieren von dieser Broschüre, tauchen Sie ein in die Geschichte der Lausitz, ihre Landschaften und Gegensätze,
ihre Architektur und Traditionen. Und gehen Sie selbst auf Entdeckungsreise, bevor es alle tun – das große Erbe wartet auf Sie!
