Gräfenhain: Church and Gräfenhainer Round

The Church of the Holy Trinity in Gräfenhain

The Church of the Holy Trinity has magnificent ceiling paintings and is considered one of the most beautiful village churches in Thuringia. It offers a distinct cultural focus for a stay in Gräfenhain. The church’s special appeal lies not only in its status as a village church, but also in the design of its ceiling. If you would like to include a cultural theme in your trip alongside hiking, you will find a striking destination right in the village.

Hiking the Gräfenhainer Round

The circular hiking trail “Gräfenhainer Round” starts at the “Schöne Aussicht” hiking car park in Gräfenhain. From there, it first leads to the local sports ground and then on to the Carl-Halbig Tower. The route crosses meadows and fields, passes partly through the village, and continues to a wetland habitat. This provides a home for a wide variety of plant and animal species. From the Carl-Halbig Tower, panoramic views stretch across the Inselsberg to the Gotha and Weimar regions.

The circuit combines several different impressions: sections through open countryside, a route through parts of the village, the wetland habitat, and the expansive views from the tower. The starting point at the hiking car park and the named stops provide practical guidance for planning the route. If you are interested in nature and scenic views, you can make this hike a focus of your time in Gräfenhain.

Falkenstein nearby

For climbing, Falkenstein is another option near Gräfenhain. At 96 metres high, it is Thuringia’s highest freestanding climbing crag. Its high difficulty grades also make it well suited to mountaineers. This offers a different focus from the Gräfenhainer Round: here, the climbing crag takes centre stage, while the other route is a hike through the village and surrounding countryside. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can therefore consider whether you are mainly interested in Gräfenhain’s church and hiking trail, or whether you also want to take account of the nearby climbing destination.

Culture and hiking in Ohrdruf

Ohrdruf has its own cultural and historical themes. The permanent exhibition at the Museum Schloss Ehrenstein focuses on Johann Sebastian Bach’s childhood and youth in Ohrdruf from 1695 to 1700. Bach spent five formative years there with his older brother Johann Christoph Bach. The Ohrdruf Bach Days and the Bach-Rad-Erlebnisroute (Bach Cycle Route) both draw on this period. The Bach Days have been held every two years since their first edition in June 2010, and include concerts, lectures, and music projects. If you are planning to attend a particular edition, check the event dates for your travel dates.

Ohrdruf’s industrial history is also part of its cultural heritage: the Tobiashammer was built around 1480 as an iron, wire, and sickle hammer mill. The St. Trinitatis Church still houses the organ built by Georg Franz Ratzmann in 1814, which is still played there today. The tower of St. Michaelis Church, rebuilt in 1998/99, is now considered a highlight of Ohrdruf’s tourist attractions. The Michaelis Tower houses a small chapel and an exhibition about its history. Kewpie dolls were also originally made in Ohrdruf, from where they began their international success as good-luck charms.

For hikes in Ohrdruf, the Nature Park Gateway is a designated starting point for tours in the Thuringian Forest Nature Park. The Walter Schütz Nature Park Trail starts there; it is a 12-kilometre hiking trail with around 284 metres of elevation gain. This route adds another clearly identified hiking option; check trail conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Großfahner, Emleben, Döllstädt, Gotha, Georgenthal/Thüringer Wald, Leinatal, Apfelstädt, Hohenkirchen.

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