In the north-east of the Saale-Holzland district, in the Weiße Elster valley, overlooked by a castle, lies the town of Crossenwhich was first mentioned as "Castrum Croszena" and can look back on over 1000 years of history. The first castle was built in Crossen as early as the 10th century to protect the Gera-Zeitz trade route. In the 16th century, it was converted into a Renaissance castle and in the 18th century into a Baroque castle and, like the town, has experienced a varied history over the course of time. The Great Banqueting Hall, in which a rich, architectural room layout is simulated by artistic illusion paintings by Italian artists, is remarkable. Today, the ballroom is used for concerts and gives Crossen Castle a central role in the cultural life of the region.

One of the oldest buildings in the village is the Gothic church of St. Michaelis. Its oldest parts date back to the 13th century. Inside, the baroque stucco ceiling, the high Gothic net vault of the choir, the pulpit from 1750 and an epitaph from 1636 are worth seeing. The rafting ditch and the raft house are reminders of Crossen's importance for rafting on the Weiße Elster. The Elster bridge is a seven-arched bridge and a technical cultural monument from the late 19th century.

Today, numerous festivals, such as the dahlia, pond and bridge festivals, invite visitors to Crossen, as does the varied meadow, forest and mountain landscape of the surrounding area. The section of the Elster cycle path also passes through Crossen.