Marktgraitz: Rivers, Trails and Local History

Rivers and Trails

The Steinach rises north of Marktgraitz in the foothills of the Thuringian Mountains. At the confluence of the Steinach and Rodach in Marktgraitz is a sawmill with a waterwheel. You can therefore explore the Steinach both at its source north of town and where it meets the Rodach. The river names also feature in the name of the Rodach-Steinach-Main Three Rivers Trail.

The Three Rivers Trail is about 24.8 kilometres long and can be travelled on foot or by bicycle. A hiking trail in Marktgraitz passes the market square, goes down to the main road and climbs up Graatzer Berg on the opposite side. The descriptions highlight different details: the Three Rivers Trail has an approximate length and suggested ways to travel it, while the hiking trail is described by its route through town. These details give you concrete points of reference for fitting tours into your holiday plans.

Graatzer Berglein offers a wonderful panoramic view. There is also a prehistoric section fortification on Graatzer Berg. The viewpoint and the prehistoric structure are different attractions, each offering a perspective on the landscape and the past.

The Church and Historic Buildings in Marktgraitz

The church in Marktgraitz had a Romanesque tower and portal, as well as a Gothic choir; the nave was raised in 1723. After the church fire of 1958, only the portal wall and choir of the old church were incorporated into the new building. The newly built church was consecrated in 1959 by Archbishop Dr Josef Schneider. This sequence brings together several architectural styles and a clearly dated turning point in the town’s history.

Historic local landmarks can also be found around the market square: the courthouse lime tree and two schoolhouses stand there, as does a house with a corner column. The Treubel House on Lettenreuther Straße is a half-timbered house with a corner column. The gatehouse is on Schulstraße, and a statue of St John stands on Johannesstraße. Schneeberg Chapel lies in the direction of Lettenreuth. The Old Mill is located at the Steinach bridge. Together with the sawmill at the confluence, these offer several mill-related sights, each in a different location in town.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Marktgraitz, your travel plans can help guide you: exploring local history and following the trail through town offer a different focus from planning the approximately 24.8-kilometre Three Rivers Trail on foot or by bicycle.

More to Explore in the Wider Lichtenfels Destination

Basket-weaving culture is one of the highlights of the wider Lichtenfels destination. The 14-kilometre Pfad der Flechtkultur (Path of Basket-Weaving Culture) circular trail connects Lichtenfels and Michelau along nature trails through the Main floodplains. Its 23 information boards cover the history and traditions of basket making, the basket industry and basket trading in the Upper Main region. Basket-weaving artworks near Oberwallenstadt include a willow labyrinth for children, a willow shell in the river swimming area and a woven tipi at Ortswiesensee Oberwallenstadt.

The Lichtenfels Basket Market is held every year on the third weekend in September. The Bamberg Gate and Kronach Gate remain in Lichtenfels’s old town, where parts of the old town wall are also still visible. These regional highlights have a distinct connection to Lichtenfels and add further themes to your travel plans alongside Marktgraitz’s local history and riverside scenery.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Hochstadt am Main, Hochstadt-Marktzeuln, Lichtenfels, Bad Staffelstein, Weismain, Ebensfeld, Altenkunstadt, Redwitz an der Rodach.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Lichtenfels.