Fairytale Land

Upper Lusatia is a historical region in Germany and Poland that is dotted with castles, churches, and fascinating stories of ghosts and divine interventions, finds Lakshmi Sharath

- Lakshmi Sharath

Will explore 1,000 years of history in just 1,000 steps,” said my guide Anett Orzyszek, as we gathered in the Hauptmarkt, the market square of the medieval town Bautzen (bautzen.info) in Germany, for our guided walking tour. The towering Rathaus Bautzen, or Town Hall (bautzen.de), painted in shades of yellow, twinned with the cheerful yellow daffodils and coneflowers in the square. A veritable mosaic of Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance styles, this 14th-century edifice, with is majestic clock tower and ornate façade, epitomised the city's architecture.

The historic St. Peter's Cathedral or Dom St. Petri (st-petri-bautzen.de) with its Gothic interiors, Baroque dome, and two separate altars, was a place of worship for both Protestants and Catholics. Sculpted fountains and majestic statues added to the charm, while dappled sunlight washed over rows of pastel-hued medieval houses. For a moment, I was transported to a fairyland hemmed in by watch towers and fortresses. “There are 14 towers in this Old Town, and you are looking at one of them right now—the Rich Tower, in fact,” said Anett, as we craned our necks to look at the Reichenturm, the Leaning Tower of Bautzen. Built to symbolise Bautzen's prosperity during the Middle Ages, the 56-metre-tall sentinel began to lean as it rose. Locals believed the curse of an old soothsayer led to its inclination, as the divine powers wanted to show them their place.

I was on a trail through the Upper Lusatia region of Saxony, Germany, getting high on an eclectic cocktail of medieval architecture, forgotten traditions, cultural heritage, and exploring towns that are straight out of the pages of a fairy tale. Our journey began with the fortified Bautzen, the capital of the historic region, with its hilltop Ortenburg Castle, overlooking the Spree River.

THE MEDIEVAL CITY OF TOWERS