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Collection of artificial lakes in Germany created through lignite mining
Photo: TheFlyingDutchman, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Central German Lake District (German: Mitteldeutsches Seenland) is an area of artificial lakes created from former open-cast lignite mines in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and the northeasternmost parts of Thuringia around Altenburg. The area is somewhat ill-defined and the immediate surroundings of Leipzig, by far the biggest city in the area, are separately marketed as Leipziger Neuseenland ("Leipzig Lake District" or more literally "Leipzig new-lake-land")
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At surface area by far the largest lake in the region and the largest artificial lake in Germany until surpassed by the Cottbuser Ostsee in the Lusatian Lake District.
Ferropolissee
surface area. On a peninsula in the sea is Ferropolis, the "city of iron" which contains a number of former mining machines and is used for open air concerts.
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surface area.
Südfeldsee
surface area.
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Mostly used as a nature reserve. surface area.
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Despite the name, this lake is also a former open pit lignite mine which was however used to reroute the river Mulde during GDR times. surface area.
surface area.
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surface area. The lake is only some 4 km from the northern runway of Leipzig Halle Airport, so while it's no Maho Beach, the aviation enthusiast has a good chance of seeing a plane on final approach or just taking off above their heads. As LEJ is a freight hub, there'll also be some planes in the mix that have long ceased being a mainstay of passenger service.
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The former open pit mine was converted into a reservoir after flooding by installing a dam. surface area.
surface area. Notable for sitting next to the grounds of the Highfield Festival (see below).
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Tagebau Vereinigtes Schleenhain
By far the smallest in the region and unlike the others not owned and operated by MIBRAG but rather by ROMONTA a company specialized in creating a wax-like substance from the bituminous coal found here.
An assortment of mining equipment once in use in the area has been collected into an open-air museum.
The "city of iron" is composed of several old mining machines which were put on permanent display here instead of being sold for scrap. It has been used numerous times as a stunning backdrop for music concerts. There is also a campground.
Named after a former site near Erfurt, this festival has been held near Störmthaler See since 2010. It is one of Germany's biggest and frequently features well known bands and musicians.
Believe it or not, Leipzig applied to host the 2012 Olympic Games and while the application obviously failed (with London getting the nod) a few of the visionary ideas of these days were put into practice. Among them this world cup level canoe facility.
By train
Leipzig and Halle are railway nodes with services in all cardinal directions, but there are also stations close to some of the lakes
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Schkeuditz · International · LEJ
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