Muskau Arch Geopark

The Muskau Arch is a horseshoe about 40 km long, pressed into the ground by an ice sheet on both sides of the Lusatian Neisse — it is sometimes described as the only terminal moraine on Earth visible from space. For decades lignite, clay and gravel were mined from its folds, leaving dozens of small lakes in shades of turquoise, green and rust. The Polish-German geopark covers more than 170 km² and has held UNESCO Global Geopark status since 2015.

How the arch formed

A Pleistocene ice sheet pushing against the ground piled up and folded layers of sediment into a horseshoe open to the north and 3–5 km wide. The ends of the arch rest near Tuplice on the Polish side and Klein Kölzig in Germany, and the Lusatian Neisse flows through its middle. The folding brought lignite seams to the surface, which is why mining developed here. Differences in height reach about 100 m, and the highest hills on the Polish side are just under 183 m above sea level.

A lake district made by people

Opencast mining left pits that filled with water. Their colours depend on the mineral content of the lakebed and water, so turquoise, greenish and almost orange ponds lie side by side. On the Polish side, part of the geopark has been protected since 2001 as the Muskau Arch Landscape Park, covering about 187 km²; it includes the "Nad Młyńską Strugą" nature reserve and several Natura 2000 sites. The area became a national geopark in 2009 and a European geopark in 2011.

What to see

• "Former Babina Mine" geotourism trail near Łęknica — about 5 km of wide gravel path through a lignite and clay mine that operated from 1920 to 1973, with information boards, shelters and viewpoints. An observation tower on the trail overlooks Lake Afryka, the largest in the area.
• Muskau Park — a landscape park on both banks of the Neisse, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, right in the centre of the arch.
• The German part of the geopark — including the former brickworks at Klein Kölzig with an information point, the park at Kromlau and the forest railway in Bad Muskau.

Interesting facts

The geopark's mascot is Susi the mammoth — her almost complete skeleton was found in 1903 in a clay pit on the German side of the arch. It shows that the mine pits uncovered not only coal but also traces of the Ice Age.

Tripto tip

The geopark has no single entrance or combined ticket, and its outdoor landscape areas are free to visit. It is best to plan a day with several stops, travelling by bike or car; allow 2–3 hours for the Babina trail alone. There is parking near Łęknica and Nowe Czaple. Do not swim in or drink from the coloured lakes — their chemistry can be far from natural. Check the current opening hours of the visitor information points on the geopark website before you go.