Nature preserveGermany · DE
Schönitzer See
The Schönitzer See is a long, shallow lake lying in the floodplain of the Elbe just east of Wörlitz and north of the small village of Riesigk. It is a protected nature reserve (NSG 0097) of about 145 hectares, wrapped inside the UNESCO-listed Middle Elbe river-landscape biosphere reserve, and it is one of the last places in the region where you can read the story of how the river shaped the land. More than a swimming spot, this is a quiet landscape of reed beds, wet meadows and floodplain forest, prized by birdwatchers and by the Elbe beaver that has made the lake its home. The way to enjoy it is slowly, from its edges and the river dyke, rather than by crossing into the reserve itself.