First mentioned in 1391 under the name of Slizzig, Schleußig acquired the status of a rural municipality in 1835 before being integrated into Leipzig in 1891.

Schleußig is the only locality in Leipzig that is almost entirely surrounded by waterways and is therefore only accessible by bridges.

[8] Due to its location, a lively boating industry has developed in Schleußig during the summer months.

On water hiking maps[9] and on the children's town map[10] it is easy to see that Schleußig can be circumnavigated on a (9 km (5.6 mi) long route, boating course 7[9][11] of the Leipzig Neuseenland, in light boats with portages on the southern tip.

Old listed factories that have been converted to residential use extend right up to the water on both the Schleußig and Plagwitz sides.