Hildburghausen District: Forest, Culture and Werra

Forest, open countryside and the Werra

The Thuringian Forest forms an important part of the recreation area that includes the district. The Rodachaue pasture landscape offers a different kind of scenery: From the roof of the observation shelter, panoramic views stretch across the meadows of the Rodachaue. Konik horses and Heck cattle contribute to the development of a natural landscape there. The forest and floodplain landscapes thus offer different nature experiences to consider when choosing your excursions.

The Werra Valley also offers a range of ways to experience the landscape actively. In the district, the Werra Valley Cycle Route runs through the Werra floodplains and is particularly popular for cycling downstream. The Werra Valley is also suitable for hiking and cycle touring; downstream from Themar, you can also explore the river by water. If you enjoy being out on the water, you can make this section a focus of your trip planning.

Discover museums and history

The Hennebergisches Museum Kloster Veßra is a six-hectare open-air museum. Its themes range from the history of the monastery, half-timbered architecture and everyday life in the Henneberg region to agricultural technology and sustainability. This brings historic buildings and ways of life together with questions about agriculture. The museum is especially suited to visitors who want to explore different aspects of regional history in a single visit.

At Heldburg Fortress, the German Castle Museum tells the story of the history and culture of castles in Europe, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The permanent exhibition is designed as a tour through the entire fortress. You can discover how castle construction changed from one era to the next and get to know Heldburg Fortress. The visit thus links the subject of castles with the history of the building that houses the exhibition.

The Rodachtal Two-Country Museum opened in November 2009. It explores the 20th century in a border region, the Rodachtal. In Hildburghausen, the surviving palace garden offers a different historical perspective: Laid out as a Baroque garden around 1700, it was transformed into a landscaped park around 1780. The Natural History Museum in the residence palace of the Counts of Henneberg focuses in part on the history of the count’s family and the castle. Notable details include a vaulted room with a suit of armour and two-handed swords, as well as large-scale secco murals depicting the story of Hercules, dating from around 1600.

Hiking and winter sports

The Mühlenwanderweg in the municipality of Straufhain is a specific hiking destination. The route is about 7 km long and passes through an area where nine grain and sawmills once operated. Information boards at the former mill sites tell visitors about the facilities. The route combines exercise with the history of mills in the area; you can take its approximate length into account when planning your day.

For visitors who enjoy winter sports, the municipality of Masserberg, including the districts of Heubach, Schnett and Fehrenbach, has over 70 km of cross-country ski trails as well as numerous ski touring routes. Alongside the hiking and cycling options, these provide further routes for active days on holiday. The range of themes—from museum visits to outdoor excursions—can help you decide what to focus on during your trip. Choose where to stay based on the experiences that interest you most, without reducing the district to a single type of holiday.

For further guidance, you can find the places Henfstädt, Fehrenbach, Gießübel, Goldlauter, Masserberg, Sankt Kilian, Schleusingen, Schnett, Suhl, Themar, Schleusingerneundorf, Hildburghausen, Veilsdorf, Sachsenbrunn, Heubach, Straufhain, Biberschlag, Reurieth, Heldburger Unterland, Auengrund, Römhild, Oberstadt, Bischofrod, Ummerstadt, Erlau, Eisfeld, Langenbach, Schleusegrund, Ehrenberg and Lichtenau.

For the wider travel overview: Thuringia.