Themar: Town Wall, Town Church and Hiking
Accommodation in Themar
Themar combines a distinctive historic townscape with opportunities for hiking: large sections of the former town wall have been preserved, seven defensive towers shape the townscape, and the late Gothic town church of St. Bartholomew was completed in 1502. This gives you a choice of different focuses when planning your trip, from local history to walking trails.
Aerial view of the city wall of Themar
Photo: Reinhold Möller (Ermell) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Themar’s history and its surroundings
The town church’s furnishings include a 1510 Marian altar attributed to Bamberg woodcarver Hans Nußbaum. Alongside the church’s completion in 1502, the altarpiece offers a distinctive insight into sacred art in the town. The surviving sections of the wall and defensive towers add to this picture of the historic fortifications that continue to shape the townscape today.
The Ottilien Chapel, also known as the “Stone Church,” is located near Themar. Built in the 13th century, it is dedicated to Saint Ottilie. So, in addition to the late Gothic town church, you will find another historic landmark dating from an earlier period.
Hiking as another focus
The Werra-Burgen-Steig is associated with Themar, which serves as a stage town for hikers on the trail. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Themar, deciding what you want to focus on during your holiday can help you choose: will your trip mainly be about the town’s historical attractions, or would you also like to include a hiking stage? The town wall, church and chapel offer a cultural focus, while the Werra-Burgen-Steig adds the option of hiking.
The wider area: Hildburghausen district
Hildburghausen district is an important part of the Thuringian Forest recreational region and offers a distinctive natural setting. It includes a continuous woodland area in the Thuringian Forest Nature Park; the Vessertal Biosphere Reserve also shapes the district. In the Rodachaue heath landscape, the roof of the observation platform offers panoramic views across the meadows. Konik horses and Heck cattle contribute to the development of a landscape close to nature. The forest and biosphere reserve therefore offer a different experience from the meadows of the Rodachaue.
The district’s museums also cover a range of themes. Hennebergisches Museum Kloster Veßra is a six-hectare open-air museum with four themed areas: monastic history, half-timbered architecture, everyday life in the Henneberg region, and agricultural technology and sustainability. The German Castle Museum at Veste Heldburg presents the history and culture of castles in Europe from the Middle Ages to the present day.
The permanent exhibition at the German Castle Museum is arranged as a tour through the entire Veste Heldburg. Visitors learn how castle construction changed from one era to the next, as well as about the Veste itself. By contrast, Kloster Veßra brings together several aspects of monastic, half-timbered and everyday history, as well as agriculture. This gives you a choice of museum themes for exploring history in different ways as you plan your trip around the region.
For hiking enthusiasts, the district offers other distinct routes. The Mühlenwanderweg (Mill Hiking Trail) in the municipality of Straufhain is about seven kilometres long and passes through an area where nine grain and sawmills once operated. Information boards at the former mill sites provide details about the facilities. In the district, the Werra Valley Cycle Route runs through the Werra floodplains and is especially popular for cycling downstream. The Werra Valley is also suitable for hiking and cycling; downstream from Themar, water-based hiking is also possible.
Discover more destinations
Sankt Kilian, Schleusingerneundorf, Schleusingen, Gießübel, Römhild, Heldburger Unterland, Schnett, Langenbach
Back to the main travel overview: Hildburghausen-Suhl.
