Discover the Hill Country/Valleys: Pilgrimage Route and Culture

Routes through the villages in the valleys

The Valley Pilgrimage Route is just under 50 kilometres long and links eight village churches in the region of the villages in the valleys. Divided into seven stages, it passes through rolling landscapes and small villages, some of them listed as historic monuments, with half-timbered houses and cottage gardens. Along the route, churches, village architecture and gardens provide different points of interest.

One specifically named section starts at the church in Tröbnitz and leads to Untergneus; it is about five kilometres long. Comparing this section with the route as a whole, which is just under 50 kilometres long, highlights two different scales for planning. This gives you a clear distinction for planning your day: you can focus on one section or consider the entire pilgrimage route as a longer itinerary. Along the route, there are designated places to pause, including shelters and rest areas in Tröbnitz.

Tröbnitz: Local history and places to pause

Tröbnitz, the wider travel destination, is an arts and music village. The Tröbnitz Local History Museum opened in May 2005 in the former parish barn next to the church in Tröbnitz. The Tröbnitz and Surroundings Local History and Museum Association (Heimat- und Museumsverein Tröbnitz und Umgebung e.V.) uses its rooms to display exhibits relating to local history.

A simple kitchen and tools used by woodworkers, coopers, basket makers and shoemakers illustrate the past lives of ordinary people in the countryside. The museum’s well house also displays archaeological finds from the 17th and 18th centuries. Everyday life and crafts are thus presented alongside finds from earlier centuries. Tröbnitz is also home to a Bible garden and a walk-through labyrinth, both inviting visitors to pause for a while—a different experience from the exhibition at the local history museum.

Further regional perspectives

In the wider region, Christian Ludwig Brehm, known as the “Bird Pastor,” and his son Alfred Edmund Brehm, known as the “Animal Father,” lived and worked in Renthendorf. Both promoted their contemporaries’ knowledge of animals and the environment. The former hunting lodge “Zur Fröhlichen Wiederkunft” in Wolfersdorf offers an architectural contrast: the building dates from the 16th century and features both Renaissance and Neo-Gothic styles.

Another option is the “Herzog Ernst” outdoor swimming pool in Trockenborn-Wolfersdorf, which has a water surface of more than 4,000 square metres. These examples appeal to different travel interests: knowledge of nature and the environment, architectural history or a large expanse of water. They offer different starting points for planning, without letting any one type of outing define your view of the region.

Choose a holiday apartment to suit your travel plans

When looking for a holiday apartment, you can compare its location with the destinations that shape your travel plans. Tröbnitz and Untergneus are the endpoints of the section, which is about five kilometres long; for other visits, each named place provides a specific reference point for your own planning. First consider which stops matter most to you, then make your choice accordingly. This turns the general name of the region into a more practical question: which starting point best suits your trip?

Discover more destinations: Jena, Serba, Heideland, Weißbach, Golmsdorf, Zöllnitz, Rothenstein.

Go to the higher-level travel overview: Saale-Holzland.