The Dörnthaler Teich is a quiet, historic reservoir tucked into the forests south of Dörnthal in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge). It's a place for hikers who appreciate industrial heritage blended with peaceful nature, rather than crowded viewpoints.

Built between 1787 and 1790 to serve the Freiberg mining industry, this artificial lake still plays a vital role today, supplying drinking water to Freiberg, Chemnitz and Dresden while also providing flood protection. Surrounded by dense forest, the reservoir has a calm, almost untouched atmosphere - lush green reflections in summer, colorful hillsides in autumn, and a quiet, snow-covered stillness in winter. Its most striking feature is the impressive earth dam with a clay core and a curved terrace wall on the water side - the tallest of its kind among the historic water-management structures of the Revierwasserlaufanstalt Freiberg system.

How to get there

• Dörnthal (part of Olbernhau) — hiking trail, easy walk, duration depends on chosen route
• Alternative approach via Obersaida, following the historic Kunstgraben water channels

Practical information

• No recreational facilities are available at the lake apart from hiking
• Swimming and water sports are not permitted, as the reservoir supplies drinking water

Fun fact: in the 19th century the lake was also known as Gläserteich, and it was once linked to a planned network of canals and underground channels exceeding 40 kilometers in length, part of it carved through solid rock.