Burgkunstadt: Old Town, Walking Tours and Jan Park
Accommodation in Burgkunstadt
Burgkunstadt reveals itself through its topographically varied old town as well as through individual destinations with different focal points: the recommended city walk takes you to specific stops, the Pilgrimage Chapel of the Five Wounds of Christ features a striking visual detail, and Jan Park adds its own distinctive touch. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can consider whether you would like to devote your time mainly to the town’s history, a walk or an active park.
Upper Town, Lower Town and City Walk
The Burgkunstadt Old Town ensemble includes the historic Upper Town, with the former castle grounds and adjacent areas on a spur almost 30 metres above the Upper Main valley. The Lower Town lies on the edge of the river valley. This difference in location gives the old town a distinct layout: Upper Town and Lower Town are two separate points of reference when exploring Burgkunstadt on foot.
The recommended city walk leads to the Vogtei. Stops include visits to the historic room in the town hall, the Shoemakers’ Museum and the parish church; the route returns to the Plan via the Lend. The walk is approximately 1,800 metres long and takes around 90 minutes. This estimated duration can help you plan your time. As route details may change, check the current route information before setting out.
Another way to discover the town’s history while walking is the “Borkuschter Schustebu”: this walk takes you through the old town and invites you to learn more about Burgkunstadt’s history. Unlike the recommended city walk, with its named stops, this walk focuses on the local history.
Chapel, Skate Park and Cellars
A distinctive visual detail can be found in the Pilgrimage Chapel of the Five Wounds of Christ in the cemetery grounds: a Madonna in a radiant halo adorns the chancel arch. This particular depiction offers a different view of Burgkunstadt from the stops on the walking tour and is a striking feature for anyone interested in religious art.
If you would like to include an active focus in your day’s plans, you can consider Jan Park Burgkunstadt. The town describes it as one of the largest skate parks in Bavaria. This comparison comes from the town’s own description; it makes the park a destination in its own right alongside walks through the old town.
There is also a special perspective on the town beneath the market square: at an event scheduled for 2026 as part of the “Borkuschter Unterwelt” (“Borkuschter Underworld”), Rudi Fetzer and Karl Heinz Goldfuß led visitors through six selected cellars. Sturdy footwear and a flashlight were required for the cellar tours described; participation was at your own risk. These notes are part of the tour conditions and should be taken into account when planning.
Lichtenfels as a wider travel destination
Within the wider Lichtenfels travel destination, the Basketry Culture Trail offers a distinct thematic focus. The 14-kilometre circular trail connects Lichtenfels and Michelau along nature-rich paths through the Main floodplains. Its 23 information boards cover the history and tradition of basket making, the basket industry and basket trading in the Upper Main region. Near Oberwallenstadt, there is also a willow labyrinth for children, a willow shell in the river swimming area, a woven tipi at the Oberwallenstadt Ortswiesensee, as well as other woven art installations. This makes it possible to explore basket weaving there both through its history and through visible examples of woven art.
Lichtenfels itself also offers other points of interest: its old town has retained its typically Franconian character; the Bamberg Gate and Kronach Gate have been preserved, and parts of the old town wall are still visible. The Lichtenfels Town Palace houses municipal collections on the history of beer and brewing, the railway and basket trading. The exhibits may change; check which collections are currently on display before visiting. The annual Lichtenfels Basket Market, held on the third weekend in September, is another useful point of reference when planning your dates in Lichtenfels.
If you are mainly interested in experiencing the Basketry Culture Trail, the collections or the basket market, Lichtenfels is the right base for these interests. Start choosing your holiday apartment by considering which of the places and themes described here you would like to shape your trip.
Discover more destinations: Redwitz an der Rodach, Michelau in Upper Franconia, Ebensfeld, Lichtenfels, Marktzeuln, Altenkunstadt, Hochstadt am Main, Weismain.
Back to the wider travel overview: Lichtenfels.
