Attractions and Places To See in Arlitzwald - Top 11

The “Bärenbach” nature reserve near Olbernhau is one of the near-natural beech forest remnants that were placed under protection in the 1960s. The forest has some special features of the local vegetation and is home to some botanical treasures such as the green wood hyacinth, daphne and club moss. The old stands with 180-year-old spruces, 160-year-old beeches (some specimens are even older) and 140-year-old oaks are particularly valuable for wildlife. The NSG is part of the NATURA 2000 area “Beech forests and moor forest near Neuhausen and Olbernhau”. (https://osterzgebirge.org/de/natur-erkunden/schutzgebiete/naturschutzgebiete/baerenbachtal )

To mark his 50th birthday on August 19, 1929, the employees of the Pfaffroda Forestry Office gave their boss, Dr. Alfons Diener von Schönberg, an original gift. An ornamental planting had been created in the form of a spruce hedge on the upper Bärenbach meadow. The letters "ADvS" are the first letters of Schönberg's name and the number "1929" is his 50th birthday. This "script", as it is also called, then became a popular hiking destination for the Olbernhau residents on their way through the beautiful Bärenbach valley. The forest meadows in this area are an ecological gem due to their extensive use over many years. One of the most beautiful is this one in the upper Bärenbach valley. (https://www.olbernhau.de/ornamentpflanzung-advs-alfons-diener-von-schoenberg )

The legend of Hüttenmatths is not only known in Olbernhau. The end of the story, that a black dog jumps onto the hiker's back to be carried part of the way, is ancient and has been passed down from generation to generation. Hannes Schaller from Rothenthal has taken on this story. He converted the old legend of the hammer manager Matthes, who made a pact with the devil, into verse form. What is special is that he has for the first time provided the story with many self-painted and detailed pictures and thus created a work that is unparalleled. (https://www.olbernhau.de/erzgebirgische-sagentour-der-huettenmatths-von-olbernhau-top-1 )

The paneling of the barrel ceiling, made of untreated wood, the pews, the pulpit, the brick floor and the altar and choir galleries are mostly still in their original state. The colored wooden baptismal font and the ambo (raised platform) are still preserved from the old church. The pulpit was made in the 17th century and is decorated with carvings. Next to the pulpit is a large crucifix from 1707. The organ was built in 1874 by the Thuringian organ builders Ernst and Adolf Poppe. The Swedish painter created the three altarpieces for the baroque altar in 1673. They depict the Last Supper, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. A special feature of the church has been the regular dialect service in the Erzgebirge dialect since 2005. Source: https://www.olbernhau.org/oberneuschoenberger-kirche.html

"The Evangelical-Lutheran mountain church Oberneuschönberg in Olbernhau-Oberneuschönberg was built in 1659 as an exile church. The wooden interior of the church was made at the end of the 17th century and is largely still intact. It characterizes the townscape and is classified as a cultural monument." https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergkirche_(Oberneusch%C3%B6nberg)

Rest area with a good view

Nice resting point. Covered and cozy!

From here you can explore the region in any direction.