Bautzen Reservoir, reservoir

Bautzen Reservoir is an artificial lake formed by damming the Spree River, sitting just outside the town of Bautzen in Saxony. It supplies drinking water to the surrounding region and is bordered by open banks and walking paths on several sides.

The reservoir was built in the 1970s to secure the water supply for the growing population of the Bautzen area. Flooding the Spree valley transformed the land, covering areas that had previously been used for farming.

The reservoir's Upper Sorbian name is Budyska rěčna zawěra, and the surrounding area is part of Sorbian territory, so some signs appear in both German and Upper Sorbian. The reservoir is also used for fishing, one of the purposes listed for the dam.

A path runs around much of the lake, making it easy to walk along the water without needing any special equipment. Some sections of the bank can be muddy after rain, so sturdy footwear is a good idea.

The reservoir sits in the heart of Sorbian territory, a West Slavic community with its own language that has been present in the Lausitz region for centuries. Some signs and place names around the lake appear in both German and Upper Sorbian, which can come as a surprise to visitors who are not familiar with the area.