Recreation in the West of Chemnitz
Visit the castle, go swimming, unwind
The west of Chemnitz is wild and romantic: Rabenstein Castle, the smallest medieval castle in Saxony, sits enthroned on its stone base. It was probably built around 1170 and was first mentioned in 1336. Several times a year, people flock here for knights' games and medieval festivals.
The baroque Rabenstein Castle, built in 1776 by the, then castle owner, Johann Georg Siegert as his family residence, shines in a new light a little further up the hill. Today, thanks to loving and detailed restoration, guests of the hotel and restaurant can be pampered in the salons and rooms. A good starting point for further discoveries. If, after a tour of the castle and a break in the palace, you are in the mood for freshness and relaxation, you are in exactly the right place above the castle. The Golfbad health park offers sauna and wellness facilities, and a little further up is the Rabenstein reservoir lake with large sunbathing lawns and plenty of water for swimming. The popular natural open-air swimming pool was opened as early as 1976 as a dam for flood protection and today its unspoilt beauty and idyllic location make it the ideal place for sun-seekers, recreational splashers and, with its own area, nude bathers.
The extensive forest around the reservoir hides other recreational delights. In addition to the excellent hiking and cycling trails, mountain bikers can also discover interesting trials outside the annual cycling highlight of Heavy 24, those who are able to handle heights can take on one or two challenges in the climbing forest, and nature lovers can discover the local wildlife in the game reserve. For those who prefer a more rustic and international animal experience, a trip to the Chemnitz Zoo and its vivarium is definitely worthwhile.
