In the Land of the Thousand Crosses

Bicycle tour: “Sorbs – Beliefs – Customs” (Serbja – Wěra – Nałožki) – 46.9 km

The paths and small roads to the north of Bautzen, the capital of the Sorbs, are lined with shiny golden crosses. These symbolise the vibrant religious culture that defines the Slavic minority living in the local area. Bilingual signs and a multitude of wayside crosses accompany visitors along the entire route of this bicycle tour. As you pass through the villages, you will probably hear the Sorbian language as local residents engage in daily conversation. In this rural setting, it is polite to greet people, and visitors can make a good impression and maybe start an interesting conversation by using the Sorbian greeting “dobry dźeń” (pronounced ‘dobry dscheen’), which means “Good Day!”. The churches, monasteries and chapels in the villages bear witness to the Catholic faith practised by the Sorbs and invite visitors to sit back, relax and let their minds wander. An impressive feature of the region is the unique cemetery in Ralbitz, where all of the crosses are identical to reflect the fact that we are all equal before God. Visitors can discover Sorbian customs such as the “Bird Wedding”, many Easter markets, Easter riding, witch burning, and maypole throwing throughout the year.

You can find a map and description of the entire “Sorbs – Beliefs – Customs” bicycle tour (in German) here.