Discover Lockwitz: Castle Church, Cemetery and Hiking Trails

Lockwitz offers two specific themes to help you plan your trip: the history of the Castle Church, castle and cemetery, and hikes around the town. If you are looking for a hotel in Lockwitz, these interests can help you decide which places to visit first.

Castle Church, Castle and Local History

Lockwitz Castle Church is directly connected to Lockwitz Castle, is a listed building and is one of Dresden's oldest churches. Its origins date back to the 13th century. A new castle was built in Lockwitz in 1621. The rediscovery of the former Catholic castle chapel and its conversion into an Evangelical Lutheran village church in 1622 made it necessary to establish Lockwitz Cemetery. By 1703, the western wing of the castle had been converted into the church tower.

Lockwitz Manor is also associated with historical changes: after 1866, a grand landscaped park was laid out there and a mausoleum was built. Lockwitz Cemetery is nearly 400 years old and is one of the oldest cemeteries in what is now the city of Dresden. Different chapters of local history come together in Lockwitz, from the church's origins to the development of the manor in the 19th century.

Lockwitz was probably settled from two village centers: the upper village around what was then Jacobsplatz, now at Galgenberg, and the lower village at Plan. They were separated by the Lockwitz stream. This traditional interpretation gives local history a specific geographical context without combining the two village centers into a single origin.

Hiking Trails and Different Routes

The long-distance hiking trail marked with a “Yellow Dot” runs from Dresden-Lockwitz along the halfway point through the Lockwitzgrund valley to the “Burgstädtler Linde.” The section known as the Promenadenweg has historic stone benches. The route can therefore be identified by its course and a named stretch of trail.

Another option is a circular hike from Lockwitz over the Trutzsch and back. It is about six kilometers long, takes around two hours and starts at the “Lockwitzer Frosch.” A detour to Lockwitz Cemetery is recommended on this loop. There, you can discover the graves of notable Lockwitz families and individuals. The circular hike returns to Lockwitz, while the “Yellow Dot” section is described by its route to the “Burgstädtler Linde.”

The “Lockwitzer Frosch”

The “Lockwitzer Frosch” is a weather column on Tögelstraße, not far from the bridge over the Lockwitz stream. It was erected in 1913 based on designs by Jean Pape, a professor of architecture in Dresden. As the starting point for the circular hike, the Frosch is also a specific landmark for the route's described beginning. The weather column, street name and year of construction give the name a local and historical context.

Landscape in the Wider Region

The “Lockwitzgrund und Wilisch” Special Area of Conservation (SAC) lies in the wider region around Lockwitz. It includes the valley of the Lockwitzbach stream and its tributaries, the Wilischbach and Hirschbach, in two separate sections. The protected area adds a broader landscape perspective to the town's history; it should be considered part of the surrounding region, rather than part of any of the routes described here.

You can therefore choose between different focuses when planning your trip: the history of the church and cemetery, traces of the manor, or a hike along a specifically described route. The historical details and route descriptions each reveal a different side of Lockwitz and provide a factual starting point for your search for a hotel.

Discover more destinations: Schönfeld-Weißig, Langebrück, Friedrichstadt, Dresden, Klotzsche, Coschütz, Niedersedlitz, Hirschstein.

Go to the main travel overview: Dresden.