Discover Greiz: royal residence history and landscapes
Accommodation in Greiz
Greiz tells the story of the Vogts and the princes of Reuss, while also offering ways to spend time outdoors: Greiz Park lies on the wooded Schlossberg, and the White Elster River shapes other experiences in the region. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Greiz for your stay, you can make culture and nature different focal points – from exhibitions in the palaces to activities on the water and walks through the landscape.
The history of a royal residence in two palaces
The permanent exhibition “From the Land of the Vogts to the Principality of Reuss of the Elder Line” at the Upper Palace explores the history of the Vogts, lords, imperial counts and imperial princes of Reuss, as well as the small-state culture of royal residences associated with them. It has been open since 2010. A multimedia historical experience complements these themes, featuring a computer-animated account of the palace’s construction history and an interactive journey through time. This presents historical developments alongside the palace’s construction history, rather than reducing the history of the royal residence to individual rulers’ names.
The Lower Palace houses a museum and a textile demonstration workshop. The workshop has been open since 1998 and presents the production and history of the textile industry in Greiz. Children and adults can take part in the manual production process – a different way to explore the city’s history from the journey through time at the Upper Palace. The museum at the Lower Palace also presents the continuation of its exhibition in authentic rooms. The art treasures of the princely house of Greiz have been open to the public since 1922.
Park, architecture and trails
The Summer Palace was built as a summer residence for the princes of Reuss of the Elder Line and is one of the earliest Neoclassical buildings in central Germany. It is located in Fürstlich Greizer Park, on the banks of the White Elster River. The park itself is a 19th-century landscaped park; the entire complex is designated a national cultural monument and lies at the foot of the wooded Schlossberg. For a stay focused on architecture and parkland, Greiz offers several distinct cultural themes.
The route to the Summer Palace can also be planned precisely: it is a 550-metre walk from the Bruno-Bergner-Straße bus stop, 700 metres from the Puschkinplatz stop, and one kilometre from Greiz railway station. If you choose your holiday apartment based on a particular focus for your trip, details like these can help you plan a visit within the town. However, they do not indicate the locations of individual accommodations.
Exploring the Thuringian Vogtland
Greiz district is in the Thuringian Vogtland. Its landscapes range from uplands and narrow valleys with castles and palaces to plateaus and rock formations cut through by rivers, as well as floodplains, rolling hills, forests and cultivated landscapes. This variety offers different themes for planning a trip: culture and architecture alongside nature and landscape experiences. A network of high-quality cycling, horse-riding and hiking trails is part of the BUGA supporting project “Paths into the New Landscape”.
In Wünschendorf, you can rent a rowing boat for a fee at the gondola station in Cronschwitz and explore the White Elster River. The Kanu-Scheune in Wünschendorf also offers the chance to build your own boat and test whether it floats; tours in ready-made canoes are available too. Each of these activities on the water has its own character: one focuses on exploring by rowing boat, another on boatbuilding or a canoe tour.
In Ronneburg, the 225-metre-long “Drachenschwanz” adventure bridge is part of a long-distance cycle route. If you are interested in other cultural destinations, the Reichenfels Museum opened in 1950. Mildenfurth Monastery and Castle now form an ensemble with the neighbouring artists’ house and the sculpture garden of the artist couple Kühn. These destinations add further museum and art themes to Greiz’s royal residence history, without needing to be combined into a single visiting route.
Other places in the region
For further orientation within this area: Zadelsdorf, Zeulenroda-Triebes, Schwarzbach, Großebersdorf, Greiz, Gera, Bad Köstritz, Kraftsdorf, Harth-Pöllnitz, Langenwolschendorf, Moschwitz, Hilbersdorf, Münchenbernsdorf, Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf, Steinsdorf, Ronneburg, Endschütz, Weida, Langenwetzendorf, Auma-Weidatal, Bocka, Hohenleuben and Hain.
For the broader travel overview: Thuringia.
