Gherkin Cycle Route

Cottbus is a city in the southeast of Brandenburg state, in Germany. It is the state's second-largest city and is considered the cultural center of the Sorbs, a Slavic ethnic minority in eastern Germany. Cottbus sits on the southern edge of the famous Spreewald and north of the developing man-made Lusatian Lake District. After the flooding of the Cottbus-Nord surface mine, the city will lie on the shore of the one of the largest lakes in the district. Also to the north is the beautiful Schlaube Valley, which can easily be reached by day trip.

Understand

The name of the city comes from "Chotibuz" from the Sorbian (Wendish) language, which is itself a derivation of Choitische Budky, meaning approximately "pretty little houses".

Modern Cottbus is a small city, in what was formerly in East Germany, and due to high unemployment the city has suffered from the "brain drain" to more prosperous German cities. Its proximity to Berlin allows a lot of people to commute between the two cities. Today, it is most associated with coal mining, Communist-era prefabricated buildings, and the nearby Spreewald forest, but the city has much more to offer visitors than drab East German nostalgia.

The city's history is inexorably linked to its expansion during the industrial revolution. Today, it offers a beautiful and well-preserved medieval core and its surrounding 19th century districts that arose during the city's textile boom. There are many parks in and around the old city center which give the city a "green" reputation. The Soviet-era suburbs do not currently have much to interest tourists, but significant efforts to refurbish these districts and make them more attractive are being undertaken.

Historically, Cottbus is renowned for three specialties: Cloth, Grain and beer, and "baumkuche" (lit. tree-cakes), a traditional circular layer cake that resembles tree rings.

Starting in around 1860, the arrival of the industrial revolution granted Cottbus huge economic benefits. The first clothmaking factory and the first military barracks were founded here during that time. Then, in 1865, the railroad connecting Berlin to Görlitz was built through Cottbus, which resulted in an industrial and economic boom. Other railway companies eventually connected their lines through the city as well, ultimately interconnecting the city with the nearby clothing mill towns of Guben and Forst, as well as Wroclaw.

See

Churches

• ⊙Oberkirche St. Nikolai, Oberkircheplatz (Near the "Altmarkt" stop on Line 3). 10AM to 5PM daily. This protestant church is still largely intact from the middle ages, except for a new spire which was repair a few years ago. With the new spire, it now stands as the tallest church in the Lower Lusatia region. The church spire is open to the public. offering a scenic panorama of the whole city. Due to its excellent acoustics, this church is also a popular music venue. Spire access €1.00. 
• ⊙Schlosskirche (Castle Church), Spremberger Straße 5. This Protestant church was built in 1419 and is located immediately adjacent to the pedestrian zone in the city center. 
• ⊙Klosterkirche (Cloister Church), Klosterplatz 1,  ☎ +49 355 24825. Monday to Friday 9AM to 11AM and Thursday 3PM to 5PM. This Wendish church is attached to an old Franciscan monastery and is located along the north edge of the old city wall. 
• ⊙Kirche St. Maria Friedenskönigin (Church of St. Mary, Queen of Peace), Adolph Kolping Straße 17. Catholic church just south of the city center.

Castles and Palaces

• ⊙Schloss Branitz (Branitz Castle), Robinienweg 5,  ☎ +49 355 75150. Tuesday-Sunday, November–March 11AM to 5PM. April–October 10AM to 6PM. The castle of Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau. It features two permanent exhibits and a regularly rotating theme exhibition of ". all that is different than elsewhere, fantastical, or fairytale" - Everything about the famous landscape artist, bookseller, and world-traveler, who lived from 1785 to 1871. The permanent exhibit featuring Carl Blechen (1789-1840), is also worth seeing. The castle is located in scenic Branitzer Park, which was created by the Prince in the English garden style. Castle: €5.50/€4.00 reduced. Estate: €4.50/€3.50 Stables: €3.50/€2.50. Comprehensive: €10.00/€7.00. 
• ⊙Schloss in Cottbus (Cottbus Castle), Magazinstraße 1. The former city castle (first mentioned in the 10th century!) is now the seat of the district courthouse, but is still beautiful in its own right, with its imposing 46-meter spire springing from the peak of the castle hill. The castle grounds feature a waterfall on the back side of the hill. 

Buildings

• ⊙Gerber Cottages, Uferstraße 16 (Take Line 3 to Sandower Brücke station). The Gerber houses are the oldest private buildings in Cottbus. There were erected, respectively, in 1727, 1760, and 1860. 
• ⊙Konservatorium (Conservatory), Puschkinpromenade 14,  ☎ +49 35541 780.  
• ⊙Neue Rathaus (New City Hall), Puschkinpromenade 1. Built between 1934 and 1936. 
• ⊙Staatstheater Cottbus (State Theater), Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 23,  ☎ +49 355 7542494. This theater was designed by the Berlin architect Bernhard Sehring and completed in 1908. It is the sole remaining art nouveau theater in Europe. 
• ⊙Spremberger Turm (Spremberg Tower),  ☎ +49 355 75420. 11:30AM-6PM, closed Tuesday. A fortified tower preserved from the old city wall, overlooking the medieval city core. €1.00. 
• ⊙Elektrizitätswerk (Old powerhouse), am Spreeufer 1. The 19th-century power plant, near the old city castle, provided hydroelectric power for the city's many textile mills. It was later home to a discotheque, which has subsequently closed due to neighborhood complaints, but guided tours can still be made by special arrangement.
• ⊙Weltspiegel Cottbus (World-Mirror Cinema Cottbus), Rudolf Breitscheid Straße 78,  ☎ +49 355 4949497. Opened to the public in 1911. One of the few cinemas of this era still operating, featuring impressive art nouveau architecture. 

Museums

• ⊙Apothekenmuseum (Pharmacology Museum), Altmarkt 24 (Line 3 to "Altmarkt" station.),  ☎ +49 355 23997. Tours Tuesday-Friday 11AM and 2PM, Saturday and Sunday 2PM and 3PM. Unusual exhibit of pharmacy facilities and related historical objects from the 18th through the 20th century. Guided tour only. €4.00/€2.00 reduced. 
• ⊙Dieselkraftwerk Kunstmuseum (Diesel Power Plant Art Museum), Am Amtsteich 15,  ☎ +49 355 49494040. Tuesday-Sunday 10AM-6PM. A technologically significant historic structure, which in was constructed in 1928 to satisfy the city's ever-increasing electrical demand, utilizing (then-unique) diesel power generation. The recently restored building now houses the Brandenburg state art collection, featuring exhibits of photography, painting, sculpture, and posters. €5.00/€2.50 reduced, free entry the first Monday each month. 
• Flugplatzmuseum (Airfield Museum), Dahlitzer Straße. March–October: Tuesday-Friday 10AM-4PM, Saturday and Sunday 10AM-5PM November–February Tuesday-Saturday 10AM-4PM. The Cottbus Airfield is over 90 years old, with more than 20 airplanes, helicopters, and service vehicles in its outdoor public viewing area.
• ⊙Raumflugplanetarium Cottbus, Lindenplatz 21,  ☎ +49 355 713109. Projection planetarium, originally constructed in 1974 and named in honor of Yuri Gagarin, it has been recently modernized and now offers daily shows and educational content featuring 3,000 stars from both the northern and southern hemisphere skies. 
• ⊙Museum der Natur und Umwelt (Natural History Museum), Bahnhofstraße 52,  ☎ +49 355 380770. Tuesday-Thursday 10AM-5PM, Saturday and Sunday 2PM-5PM.  
• ⊙Wendisches Museum (Wendish Museum), Mühlenstraße 12,  ☎ +49 355 794930. Tuesday-Friday 8:30AM-6PM, Saturday and Sunday 2PM-6PM. Exhibits on Wendish/Sorbian art, culture, music, and traditions. €2.50, €1.50 reduced, €0.75 Children. 

Do

• ⊙Cottbuser Postkutscher Tour (Cottbus Coachman), Berliner Platz (In front of City Hall). 10AM, Tuesday and Saturday. Guided tours of the city by the Cottbus Coachman are available. Tours run about 2 hours. A climb up the Spremberger Tower is included. €6, €5 reduced. 
• ⊙Triebwagen 24 (Streetcar 24), Vetschauer Straße 70,  ☎ +49 355 8662 230. during daylight hours, reservation required. A traditional streetcar that began operation over 100 years ago. Visitors can take a tour of the city center. The tour is approximately 1.5 hours. Group rate only. €114.00 for up to 20 persons, €149.00 for 20-40 persons). 
• ⊙Theater, Theater. A special travel offer for the culturally inclined couple, with the following services: Overnight stay in the Hotel am Theater with a romantic dinner and champagne breakfast. Attendance of a show at the State Theater, a guided tour of the old city or Branitzer Park. €99.00. 
• ⊙Cottbuser Tierpark (Cottbus Zoo), Kiekebuscher Straße 5 (Adjacent to Branitzer Park),  ☎ +49 355 3555360. 9AM to 6PM. The largest zoo in the state of Brandenburg featuring a large number of bird species, large predators and other animals. Adults €5.00, Children €2.50. 
• ⊙Parkeisenbahn (Park Railroad). April 16 through June 1, September 1 through October 31- 10AM to 5:40PM; July–August: 10AM-6:30PM; Christmas trips December 1–6. A light-gauge railway, built in the '50s, that runs primarily in the summer months between the stations of Sandower Dreieck (with ample parking) and Friedenseiche. The nearly 4km long runs from the Sandow neighborhood, passing by the Football Stadium, stopping at the Cottbus Zoo, and then on into Branitzer Park to the "Peace Oak". From here, it is a short 15 minute walk to the Kiekebuscher Dam on the Spree river. €3.00, reduced fare €2.00, surcharge with steam locomotive €1.00. 

• Informationsmaterial und Tippszur Gestaltung Ihres Aufenthaltes
• Buchung von Hotels, Pensionen, Ferienunterkünften und der Jugendherberge in Cottbus
• Buchung von Quartieren im gesamten Land Brandenburg
• Organisation und Durchführung von Gruppenreisen mit Stadt- und Branitzführungen,
  Postkutscher-Führungen, Ausflügen in den Spreewald und die Niederlausitz, Vermittlung von 
  Kahnfahrten und Abendprogrammen.
• Verkauf von Tickets für die Stadthalle und MesseCottbus sowie viele weitere Cottbuser 
  Veranstaltungshäuser (z.B. Staatstheater, Club Bebel, Konservatorium, Alte Chemiefabrik.)
• Verkauf von Gutscheinen für die LAGUNE Cottbus, die SpreewaldTherme Burg, das Spreeweltenbad 
  Lübbenau, den Sportpark Cottbus, Trabifahrten ab Cottbus, die Salzgrotte Burg.
• Verkauf von Tickets für bundesweit stattfindende Veranstaltungen (z.B. Musicals in Berlin  und
  Hamburg,  Konzertarenen und Openairs)
• Verkauf von Souvenirs von Cottbus und dem Spreewald, Bildbänden, Wasser- und Radwanderkarten.
• Klimatisierte Lounge für kurze Aufenthalte mit Bar für kalte und heiße Getränke.

Mo-Fr 9-18 Uhr
Sa 9-14 Uhr (Nov.-März)
Sa 9-16 Uhr (April-Okt.)