Lake Cospuden

Around Markkleeberg, lignite was mined in two different opencast mines until the energy-economic turnaround in 1990. Markkleeberg itself also lies on coal. However, urban development was too dense, so the opencast mines took a different course. The recreational areas, river meadows and agricultural land that once lay to the south of the city were nevertheless destroyed and entire villages were dredged over. Today, only the two lakes that have been created are reminders of the former exploitation by open-cast mining - Lake Cospuden and Lake Markkleeberg.

After the end of the Cospuden open pit mine, mining rehabilitation began as well as the design of the lake and the surrounding landscape park as an EXPO 2000 project. The area, which covers approximately 1,000 hectares, is exemplary for the further renaturation and recultivation of mining areas.

At the Scandinavian-style port Zöbigker you will find various water sports and stores, gastronomy as well as bike and boat rental. From here you can start to ship round trips over the lake. The dune-like sandy beach on the north shore, also known as the longest sandy beach in Saxony, invites you not only for swimming.

From the lookout tower Bistumshöhe offers a fantastic view over the southern Leipzig Neuseenland created all around. Recreational paddlers can canoe on the watercourse 1 from the city of Leipzig past two locks throughout to Lake Cospuden.