Tucked into the forested Höllengrund valley in the Ore Mountains, the Sosa Reservoir is a striking piece of engineering history wrapped in peaceful nature. Its curved dry-stone dam — the last of its kind built in Germany — makes it as much a destination for architecture lovers as for hikers.

The reservoir sits south of the village of Sosa, surrounded by dense spruce forest and rolling hills typical of the Erzgebirge. The atmosphere here is calm and unspoiled: the water shimmers in soft blue-green tones, autumn brings a blaze of color to the surrounding slopes, and winter often dusts the whole basin in snow, turning it into a quiet postcard scene. Because the lake supplies drinking water to the Aue-Schwarzenberg region, it has been spared from crowds, tourism infrastructure and noise — swimming, fishing and water sports are all off-limits, which only adds to the sense of untouched wilderness.

• Parking in Sosa — access road leads directly to the dam, about 15-20 minutes on foot, easy difficulty
• Circular trail around the reservoir — approx. 6 km, moderate terrain, well signposted

• Swimming, fishing and water sports are strictly prohibited — the lake is a drinking water source
• A public path across the dam crest has been open since September 2017
• A signposted 6 km circular hiking trail runs around the reservoir

Fun fact: built between 1949 and 1952 by 1,600 workers and engineers, the dam was declared East Germany's first Central Youth Project, earning it the nickname 'Dam of Peace' — a story still proudly remembered by locals today.