Lehesten: Slate, Mining and Hiking Trails

Lehesten is closely associated with slate. In the “Schieferland” Geopark, historic sites tell the story of mining, while the slate park and hiking trails offer opportunities to get active in the landscape. Those looking to combine culture and nature on a trip will find a range of themes to choose from: the history of slate extraction, notable examples in the church and museum, and trails through the Thuringian Slate Mountains.

Slate Mining at the Original Site

The “Historic Slate Mining in Lehesten” Technical Monument preserves historic 19th-century buildings at an original slate extraction site. The industrial complex includes the unique Göpel shaft system, the only one of its kind in Europe, and the striking double-splitting shed. The monument traces the development of slate and the tradition of slate mining in Thuringia and Franconia. Expert-led tours explore the traditions and processing techniques. Upon request and under supervision, visitors may cut a slate souvenir themselves using slate shears. This is done at their own risk; work gloves and an apron are provided.

Slate in the Church, in Craftsmanship and in Remembrance

The importance of the material is also evident in Lehesten’s St. Aegidien Church: the altar, crucifix and altar in the baptistery are made of slate. The church also houses what is believed to be the largest slate tablet ever carved from a single piece. It was extracted from the “Kießlich” slate quarry in 1872 and measures 308 cm high and 253 cm wide.

Lehesten is also home to Germany’s oldest roofing school. It reopened in 1992 after being modernized and expanded; today, it once again serves as a training center for the roofing trade in Thuringia. The Slate Village Museum in Schmiedebach complements these insights with around 2,000 exhibits on the history of the town and region. Individual tours exploring local history are available there by arrangement. Parking is available at the museum. The Laura Memorial in Schmiedebach is also maintained as a place of remembrance, encounter and historical learning.

Slate Park and Trails in the Slate Mountains

The 60-hectare Lehesten Slate Park can be explored year-round on foot, by bicycle or on skis. At the Lehesten State Quarry, where slate was once extracted in an open pit, there is now a slate lake. Lehesten is a starting point for hikes in the Thuringian Slate Mountains, including the Slate Trail. The 168 km Rennsteig high-altitude hiking trail also passes through the Lehesten area. In Brennersgrün, it runs right through the village. These options offer different focuses: you can plan your trip around hiking, exploring the slate park or discovering the industrial history.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Lehesten, your preferred focus for the trip may play a role in choosing where to stay. The history of slate offers a distinct cultural focus, while the slate park and hiking trails invite outdoor exploration. This makes it possible to choose a destination to suit the interests of your travel group, without having to let any one type of excursion define your stay.

More local pages to help plan your trip: Gräfenthal, Unterhain, Uhlstädt-Kirchhasel, Piesau, Großkochberg, Saalfeld, Probstzella and Lichte.

For the broader travel overview: Saalfeld-Rudolstadt.