Stadt Zeitz

The winegrowing area between the rivers Saale and Unstrut enjoys a good reputation beyond its immediate region in Middle Germany. Already in the 10th century the tradition of winegrowing began around the town of Zeitz. Bishop Dietrich I. mentioned vineyards and winegrowing territories connected to the Benedictine monastery Bosau (today called Kloster Posa) on a hill east of the town, which was a centre of winegrowing in our region for centuries. Apart from its meaning for the Christian liturgy the wine was - because of its quality - an important commodity.


The chapter of the winegrowing tradition seemed to end in 1766, when the last winegrowing territory was converted into farmland. But in 1998 the winegrowing tradition was resuscitated through dedicated entrepreneurs. At the southern side of the hill belonging to the monastery the historical vineyard of Kloster Posa was recultivated. Along the river Weiße Elster followed vineyards in the English Garden in the village of Salsitz and at the so-called Bischofsleite, an area near the village of Wetterzeube.


Together, the winegrowing estates form a wine route along the river Weiße Elster. On May 1, 2004 the cycle track named "Elsterradweg" was officially inaugurated as well as the before mentioned wine route. The wine route extends over a distance of 17 kilometres from the vineyard Kloster Posa via the villages Salsitz, Schleckweda and Wetterzeube to Trebnitz. The winegrowing estates welcome visitors to sample the good quality of their local wines; a goat and an ostrich farm also invite travellers to stop by.