Gleesberg is a modest but charming summit in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge), rising between the towns of Aue and Schneeberg. At its top stands a stone-and-brick lookout tower paired with a mountain inn that has welcomed hikers for well over a century.

The eastern slopes are cloaked in dense mixed forest, so the approach is shaded and pleasant before opening up to sweeping views across the Ore Mountains from the tower platform. In winter the wooded paths often lie under a quiet blanket of snow, while summer brings cool shade beneath the trees. The Köhlerturm tower, named after the founder of the Erzgebirgsverein hiking association, has stood since 1898 and still offers its glazed viewing platform to visitors. This is a low-key, local favourite rather than a crowded tourist hotspot.

How to reach the summit

• From Schneeberg or Neustädtel — following the centuries-old path once used between Aue, Neustädtel and Schneeberg, an easy walk of under an hour
• The access road to the summit is paved, making it manageable even for casual walkers

Good to know

• The trails over Gleesberg form part of the European long-distance footpath E3 (Eisenach–Budapest)
• A mountain inn at the summit serves food and offers overnight rooms in traditional Ore Mountains style
• The Köhlerturm lookout tower stands 18 metres tall with a glazed observation deck

The mountain's name likely comes from an old Middle High German word meaning 'to glimmer' or 'to shine' — a nod to the mica-rich rock found here, also visible in a nearby quarry.