Panorama view of Saxon Switzerland
The look-out in Rathmannsdorf offers a magnificent view of the rocky world of Saxon Switzerland. This short trip is also ideal for people with reduced mobility.
Panorama view from the Rathmannsdorf tower / Photo: Archive National Park Management, K. Jäpelt
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Distance: 1 km (from the car park to the tower and back)
Narrowest point: no restrictions Obstacles: none, for barrier-free access to the tower you need a Eurokey! Accessibility in wet conditions: yes Transport connections: Bus line 260 to stop Am Turm, by car to Rathmannsdorf tower car park Parking: 33 parking spaces (free of charge), two specially designated disabled parking spaces at the old school Entry fee: 1 € per person |
Your destination, the look-out tower, is easy to see from the car park. On your way, you will just have to move around and past the field inbetween. You will pass the old school of Rathmannsdorf in which the public toilets as well as barrier-free sanitary facilities are located. Right next to the building there are two specially designated disabled parking spaces.
After leaving the public road turn left onto the cobblestone path to the tower. The water-treading basin and the arm basin in the entrance area are a good place for a rest and refreshment. In order to obtain barrier-free access to the tower next to the turnstile you need a Eurokey. This opens the entrance gate. Otherwise the turnstile can be passed by paying a 1 € entrance fee.
Once you reach the top you will find a magnificent panorama view across all of Saxon Switzerland. At the lift exit you will find panorama pictures naming the surrounding peaks. They allow visitors to even spot the Barbarine pinnacle on Pfaffenstein on the left side of the Elbe River.
The Saxon side and the Bohemian side of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains: The national park region with its protected areas / Graphic: Archive National Park Management
The Rathmannsdorf tower is located in the heart of the Saxon Switzerland national park region. This consists of two adjacent protected areas. The two have different goals, however: The Saxon Switzerland National Park, founded in 1990, is the only one of its kind in Saxony. In this strictest type of conservation area, process protection is at the centre of attention. That is to let nature develop freely without any kind of human intervention. In the conservation area enclosing the national park, on the other hand, humans can and should participate in shaping the landscape. The protection of the cultural landscape is the focus here
