The Lausitz: central and alive

In the middle of Europe lies the Lausitz region, located between the German capital of Berlin and the World Heritage city of Dresden, and not far from the trade-fair and cultural city of Leipzig.

The 12,000 square kilometre area is not only surrounded by major cities. Nestled between the three countries of Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, the Lausitz serves as an important link for European transport routes. Nine universities/poly-techs and many innovative enterprises are located in the Lausitz, which belongs to the German States of Brandenburg and Saxony, and is regarded as an area with a very high future potential.

With around 110 inhabitants per square kilometre, the Lausitz region is relatively sparsely populated and has become a tourist attraction with its pristine natural wonders and seemingly endless scenery. The former open-cast mine areas are today attractive destinations for leisure activities. There are 900 kilometres of canals to explore through the impressive Spreewald alone.

Another unique feature of the Lausitz: This is the only German region where the bagpipes are traditionally played. The instrument is played by the Sorb and Wend people, after being introduced to the region in 600AD by their Slavic ancestors. Not only do these people play the bagpipes but they also have a highly interesting tradition of cooking as well as their own language. For this reason, signs and streets are in two languages.