Located in Niederlausitz, this town hugs the banks of River Schwarze Elster (Black Magpie) and Lake Senftenberg which is one of the biggest artificial lakes in Germany.

Fortress fortifications and castle formed the starting point of urban development in Senftenberg. First mentioned in documents in the year 1279 the settlement at first counted around 300 to 400 inhabitants. They lived on agriculture, fruit and wine-growing as well as craft production. About 1860 brown coal was found, which caused economic impetus and industrialisation.

Germany‘s reunification as well as the energy reconstruction brought structural changes. Today Senftenberg is the economic and tourist centre of the administrative district; due to a good infrastructure this is valid also for sectors like health service, education and research, especially in the field of biotechnology at University of Lausitz.

More information: http://www.senftenberg.de/index.php?La=2&mNavID=2055.190&sNavID=2055.190

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