Schrotholzscheune Pattoka
Museum on Sorbian life and customs in a log barn built in 1768, with a demonstration workshop for glass and porcelain painting.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The barn in Bergen, a district of Elsterheide, was built in 1768 in the log construction typical of Lusatia. For the walls, eleven-meter-long pine trunks were hewn into square beams with a Schrotholzaxt, stacked on top of one another and notched together at the corners; wooden pegs alone hold the beams together. A high, steep roof, supported inside by the so-called Windbock, spans the barn.
After years of decay, the glass and porcelain painter Birgit Pattoka, who grew up in the Sorbian village, had the listed building restored in keeping with heritage requirements over about three years. In 1998, during the reconstruction, the badly damaged straw roof was replaced with a reed roof. In 2000 she opened the museum and demonstration workshop under one roof.
Today the upper floor shows the life, work and customs of the Sorbs; on the ground floor, regional artists, potters, collectors and associations present changing exhibitions. The site also includes a farm garden and the historic dovecote.
Highlights
- Sorbian spinning room and hand-woven peasant linen
- Sorbian costume pieces and Easter customs
- Historic carpentry tools
- Demonstration workshop for glass and porcelain painting
- Cottage garden with herb beds
- Sorbian legends
Permanent exhibition
- Sorbisches Leben und Brauchtum – On the upper floor, the spinning room, hand-woven linen, carpentry tools, costumes and Easter customs show the everyday life of the Sorbs; Sorbian legends are also told.
- Founded
- 2000
- Operated by
- Birgit Pattoka
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | €2free up to age 6 · Children aged 7 to 16 pay €2. |
| Groups (20+ people) | –Groups of 20 or more people: price by arrangement. |
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Young and old can immerse themselves in the Sorbian legends; there are workshops on egg decorating, glass painting and tote bag printing, and an Easter egg hunt for children at Easter.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bus line 500 Bautzen–Hoyerswerda; from Hoyerswerda continue with line 792 to Bergen.
The barn is in the village center of Bergen and is signposted. Some navigation devices do not find Bergen; enter the address “02979 Elsterheide, Am Anger 43”. By bike via the Seenland route to Neuwiese, then about 1 km on foot.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
In the barn, finished glass and porcelain pieces made in the demonstration workshop can be purchased.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours in traditional Sorbian dress by the operator; groups of 6 or more people can take creative courses to decorate Easter eggs, paint glass or print tote bags (registration by tel. +49 3571 426808). |
