The best cycling routes in Burgaue

The lake is beautifully situated and sometimes the "Pioneer Railway" came by.

The 12-hectare Auensee, while a popular destination, has been suffering from recurring blue-green algae problems for decades. Auensee is a highly eutrophic lake with no inflow or outflow, fed exclusively by groundwater heavily loaded with nutrients. When temperatures are high in summer and little fresh water is supplied, the oxygen content in the water can drop drastically. Fish – especially sensitive species and large, established populations – then suffer from acute oxygen deficiency. Under unfavorable weather conditions or further stress such as nutrient input, a critical situation arises, regularly leading to significant losses of animal life. For the affected fish, this means great suffering, as the suffocation or oxygen deficiency often extends over hours. In addition to fish, numerous other animals in and around the water are also affected: insects, waterfowl, and small mammals lose an important food source, and the ecological balance is thrown off. Repeated fish kills indicate fundamental deficits in water management and a lack of protective measures. From an animal welfare perspective, this should be counteracted – for example, through sustainable management (e.g., better fresh water supply, reduction of nutrient inputs, technical aeration in midsummer). Only in this way can the body of water be developed back into a species-rich and animal-welfare-friendly habitat. Measures aimed at long-term improvement of water quality and the prevention of fish kills are indispensable for a functioning urban ecosystem and the preservation of biodiversity. The Green Party faction has repeatedly advocated for improving the lake's condition through additional oxygen input. Since spring 2012, three deep water aeration systems (TIBEAN) have been in use, supplying the lake with oxygen. However, the fundamental problem of high sludge volumes in the lake cannot be solved by this alone. This station is part of the Discover Green Corners tour "Animal welfare in Leipzig" - gruene-ecken-entdecken.de

I've walked around the Auensee so many times already.

I attended the Unheilig concert there on November 20, 2025. A very nice venue. Easily accessible by tram (Wahren/Rathaus stop). Friendly staff.

In addition, the steam-powered railway

The Auensee is a 12-hectare, popular tourist destination in northwest Leipzig. Not only does the park railway make its rounds here, but there's also a great public playground, a restaurant with boat rentals, the Haus Auensee, an event and concert venue, and a campsite. The Auensee, as idyllic as it is, is not particularly inviting for bathing or swimming due to its recurring blue-green algae problem. The Green Party has repeatedly advocated for the improvement of the condition of the lake, which is considered highly polytrophic. It has no inflow or outflow and is fed exclusively by highly nutrient-laden groundwater, through additional oxygenation. Since spring 2012, three deep water aeration systems (TIBEAN) have been in use to add oxygen to the lake. However, this cannot solve the fundamental problem of the high amounts of sludge in the lake. ``` This stop was created as part of the "Discovering Green Corners" tour "Leipzig's Northwest" by the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group https://www.gruene-ecken-entdecken.de/leipzig/leipzigs-nordwesten.html

A superb bike path along the dike. You can cycle all the way to Halle.

On August 5, 1951, the second pioneer railway of the former GDR was put into operation in Leipzig. It covers a distance of 1.9 km on its circular route. There is a station and three stops. From the beginning of April to the end of October, on weekdays and on Sundays and public holidays, the park railway, a locomotive with a track width of 381 mm, makes its rounds around the idyllic Auensee across meadows and through densely wooded areas. This lake was created in 1909 from a gravel pit that provided material for the construction of Leipzig Central Station. The railway is operated by the Parkeisenbahn Auensee e.V. association in cooperation with the city of Leipzig. However, as has been the case since its founding, the trains are operated by children and young people in their free time.