Just 1.5 hours from Berlin’s Ostkreuz, you’ll find a gigantic steel colossus (502 m long and 80 m high) that surpasses the dimensions of the Eiffel Tower. It stands in the middle of a turquoise lake landscape

Where lignite was once mined on a grand scale, today visitors are drawn to the gigantic F60 visitor mine in Lichterfeld, the active Welzow open-pit mine, and a beautiful man-made lake landscape.

Landscape scene in Lusatia: In the foreground, sandy hills and dry grass; behind them, the water surface of the flooded lake; and in the background, the silhouette of the F60 Lichterfeld Visitor Mine. — Image: Creative Commons and Getty Images

Moritz Klein

– Editor

· July 16, 2026

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Just an hour and a half’s drive south of Berlin , day-trippers in the Lusatian Lake District can witness the fascinating transformation of an entire region. We’ll guide you from an impressive industrial relic, past beautiful lakes, to the “origin” of the landscape.

A quick tip: If you’re into alien landscapes and out-of-this-world sights, then be sure to check out this crazy exhibition!

F60 Visitor Mine: The Reclining Eiffel Tower of Lichterfeld

A dramatic low-angle shot looking steeply upward at a massive pillar of the F60 overburden conveyor bridge, set against a bright blue sky with white clouds. — Image: Creative Commons

Even from a distance, this steel colossus takes visitors’ breath away. The F60 overburden conveyor bridge on the shore of Lake Bergheide, measuring 502 m in length and 80 m in height, is one of the largest movable pieces of machinery ever built by human hands.

On a guided tour, you’ll climb this monument to European industrial culture. From the very top, you’ll enjoy an unforgettable panoramic view of Lusatia (which requires a bit of a head for heights). But the breathtaking photo opportunity will more than make up for it!

Swimming Oases Instead of Coal Mines: The Lusatian Lake District

A vast landscape in the Lusatian Lake District with an expansive, flat sandy beach in the foreground that slopes gently down to Lake Bergheider. Along the shore and in the background, dense, green trees and shrubs grow beneath a blue sky streaked with white clouds. — Image: Creative Commons

Where deep brown scars once gnawed into the earth, the sun now glitters on the clear water. Right at the feet of the steel giant lies Lake Bergheider, which exemplifies the region’s radical transformation.

The artificial lakes in the area are a hotspot for water lovers and sunbathers. The dusty lunar landscape has been transformed into an idyllic recreational area. But where did the lakes actually come from? And what does it look like beneath the water’s surface?

Welzow-Süd Open-Pit Mine: Experience Active Mining

The terraced layers of earth and terraces in an active lignite open-pit mine in Lusatia, showcasing the various shades and textures of the soil. In the foreground, a crane is dumping new soil. — Image: Wikimedia

If you want to understand what the lake landscape looked like before it was flooded, you can take advantage of the guided tours offered in Welzow. The Welzow-Süd open-pit mine is one of the last active lignite mines in the region. Here, the earth is removed by gigantic bucket-wheel excavators.

On a guided tour of the active open-pit mine, you get extremely close to these unbelievably large machines and feel like an ant. These tours offer a gripping contrast to the peaceful lake landscape and make the trip a well-rounded experience.