The Elster cycle path, which stretches from Bohemia to Halle/Saale, also brings numerous visitors to the picturesque little town throughout the year. The Pegauer Schützenplatz boat landing stage also gives water hikers the opportunity to take the Neuseenland water course 1a over the Weiße Elster along the Zwenkauer See to Leipzig's city harbor.
This positive development of the town into the gateway to Leipzig's New Lake District almost didn't happen, because Pegau was originally supposed to make way for open-cast lignite mining. Fortunately, these plans were scrapped. Today, Pegau is more attractive than ever for locals and tourists thanks to extensive renovations and the connection to the water tourism of Leipzig's New Lake District.
Attractive small town with heart and history
Pegau was first mentioned in a document in 1091 in connection with the founding of the Pegau Benedictine monastery by Wiprecht II, later Margrave of Meissen and Lower Lusatia. The town occupies an important position in medieval historiography through the Pegau Annals. The "Annales Pegaviensis" with the "Vita Wiperti" was written in 1155 by a monk from the Pegau monastery and is considered an important medieval chronicle. Pegau experienced the peak of its development in the 15th and 16th centuries through its flourishing livestock and grain markets. The Thirty Years' War and devastating city fires hit the town hard and initially halted its promising development. The Napoleonic Wars (1806-1813) also affected the town after the Battle of Großgörschen (May 2, 1813).
In 1813, before the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig in October 1813, the house of the merchant Richter housed several famous personalities: Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his opponent, the Russian Tsar Alexander I. In the so-called "Napoleon House", which today houses the city library and the tourist information office, you can follow in the historical footsteps of the great rulers.
Discover the Old Town on Foot
The tranquil old town of Pegau invites you to discover the numerous sights on a relaxed stroll. Even without a guided tour, visitors can discover the town on their own thanks to 19 information boards. A special sight in Pegau is the town church of St. Laurentius. It was built around 1189 by the abbot of the Benedictine monastery of St. Jakob Siegfried von Rekkin (1185-1224). The three-story altar from 1621 by Jakob Meynhardt is richly decorated with cartilage and shows a characteristic Protestant picture program in five paintings by the painter Jacob Wendelmuth. The organ is a work by the organ builder Urban Kreutzbach from Borna from 1855 with 35 registers on two manuals and pedal. Also worth seeing are a number of tombs and epitaphs from the 16th and 17th centuries. The most valuable piece of equipment is the sandstone cenotaph for the founder of the monastery St. Jakob Wiprecht II from around 1224.
An architectural highlight in the old town is the Renaissance-style town hall, which was built from 1559 to 1561 according to plans by Hieronymus Lotter and Paul Wiedemann. In summer, the town hall tower can be climbed. After climbing 136 steps at a height of 30 meters, visitors are rewarded with a great view of the Leipzig Battle of the Nations Monument in good weather. Under its roof, the town hall houses the Pegau City Museum and a historic tower keeper's room, which can be visited.
Industrial History at Hands-On
The Pegau City Museum was founded in 1899 and is the oldest local museum in West Saxony. Two permanent exhibitions on the city's history and annually changing special exhibitions offer visitors a comprehensive range of experiences. The technical monument of the Erbs brickworks is attached to the museum. Here you can experience industrial history first hand and understand how brick production worked 100 years ago. Another unique industrial monument is the last remaining iron mill in Germany in the neighboring town of Elstertrebnitz, which is over 100 years old. In the monument, built in the late classicist style, the Iron Mill Museum clearly shows how iron powder was produced. A private collection of mechanical musical instruments completes the technical ambience. Events such as company parties, events, conferences or weddings can also be held in the historic rooms. A small country guesthouse also offers the opportunity to stay longer.
Saxon architecture and Italian painting united in Pegau
Just outside the city center is the Baroque Wiederau Palace, one of the most important examples of Baroque architecture in Saxony. It was built by the town architect Gregor Fuchs in 1705 on the site of a medieval moated castle. The palace became an important reference point in music history, as Johann Sebastian Bach immortalized it in his 1737 cantata "Angenehmes Wiederau, gerne dich in deinen Auen". A particular highlight is the illusionistic ceiling painting in the ballroom, which is unique in Saxony and extends over two floors of the three-story building. The wall and ceiling paintings are by the Italian painter Giovanni Francesco Marchini. The palace is currently being renovated.
Of Margraves and Mayors
Before his death, Wiprecht II (1050-1124) was Margrave of Meissen and Lower Lusatia as a monk. In 1091 he founded the Benedictine monastery of St. Jacob near Pegau and from there promoted colonization in the direction of Mulde by attracting the first settlers from Franconia. Wiprecht II died in Pegau monastery in May 1124. Hieronymus Lotter (1497-1580) is also closely connected with the city. In addition to his work as a merchant and later mayor of Leipzig, he is considered an outstanding architect of the Renaissance. He left Pegau the town hall from 1559.
Art enjoyment and carnival fun – events for every taste
Pegau is considered a Saxon carnival stronghold, which really comes to life in February and March. On the Saturday before Shrove Monday, the parade of the city's carnival club PKK fills the streets of the old town and attracts revelers from all over the region to Pegau. Things are a little more contemplative at Easter, when the handicraft fair has been held for several years. In addition to the fair, traders offer their wares at an antique and flea market in front of the Volkshaus. Another visitor magnet is the Pegau sculptors' plein air, which takes place every year in the last week of May and the first week of June in the monastery garden behind the Volkshaus. The special thing: the sculptors work in an open-air workshop in front of the public. The works are then exhibited at various locations in the city. This means that Pegau has the highest density of modern sculptures in Germany. Sculpture walks and historical city tours through Pegau are available upon registration at the "Galerie das blaue haus".
The Pegau swimming festival with a classic car show and a meeting of technology fans takes place every year in June to open the swimming season. The VC Pegau provides a sporting touch with its town volleyball championship, and there is also the big zinc bathtub race, stand-up paddling and archery and can shooting. The TUS sports festival takes place in June and the shooting festival takes place at the beginning of August. The Pegau old town festival also draws visitors to the town on the first weekend in September. The colorful medieval spectacle with knights, jugglers, musicians and traders offers all kinds of entertainment for young and old. At Christmas time, the Advent mass in the community center or the Christmas market on the church square offer a charming atmosphere for families.
Pure nature in and around Pegau
In the Pegau district of Werben is the natural Werbener See, which was created from a leftover hole from the former Profen-Nord open-cast mine. The 79-hectare lake is one of the cleanest bodies of water in Saxony. Around the lake, hikers and nature lovers will find a small, pristine oasis: the Werbener See nature trail. The 5,4-kilometer-long circular hiking trail has a total of 10 information boards that provide information about the local flora and fauna. The nature trail, as part of the European bird sanctuary, is home to numerous breeding and migratory bird species, 11 species of amphibians and reptiles, 18 species of grasshoppers, 26 species of dragonflies and 33 species of butterflies, as well as numerous mammals, fish and plants.
As part of the Leipzig New Lake District, Lake Zwenkau is about 10 kilometers away and can be reached by water or in about 30 minutes by bike. At 970 hectares, the largest lake in the Leipzig New Lake District attracts visitors with the opportunity to do water sports or take relaxing trips on a passenger boat. The KAP Zwenkau exhibition pavilion contains a model of the AFB 18 overburden conveyor bridge and an exhibition on the region's mining history. On the north bank of the lake, the hiking trails in the "Harth" and the "Neue Harth" invite you to take long walks. Lake Cospuden with the Zöbigker harbor is also not far away. Between the two bodies of water is the BELANTIS leisure park, which offers fun and adrenaline rushes for guests of all ages.
Important facts at one glance
The small town of Pegau in western Saxony has around 14 inhabitants in 6.300 districts. It is located around 25 kilometers from Leipzig and lies on the White Elster. Pegau has a rail connection and is connected to Berlin and Munich via the Leipzig-Gera railway line. Pegau can be reached by car via the A 38 (Leipzig-Südwest exit) and B 186 and the B 2.