Wartburg District: Castles, Museums and Special Experiences

Castles, Palaces and Regional History

More than 830 years old, Creuzburg Castle is one of Germany’s larger Romanesque castle complexes, with a curtain wall measuring more than 340 metres in circumference and an enclosed area of 7,400 square metres. Those interested in medieval buildings will find a different way into the past here than in the museums, which focus on everyday and regional history.

At Gerstungen Palace, the Werratal Museum presents the region’s history in 22 exhibition rooms and brings traditional crafts to life. Altenstein Palace houses a Brahms memorial site. Letters and printed works in its exhibition document the close relationship between Johannes Brahms and Duke Georg II of Saxe-Meiningen. These two attractions have different focuses: one explores the region’s history and craftsmanship, while the other highlights the relationship between a composer and a duke.

Point Alpha is an authentic site from the Cold War. A permanent exhibition at the House on the Border tells the story of the division of Germany. Another view of the past awaits at the Falken Local History Museum: it is located in the 32-metre-high defensive tower of St. Martin’s Church and documents village life between 1850 and 1950 in two exhibition rooms. The permanent exhibition on Germany’s division and the museum’s time-specific account of village life will appeal to different historical interests.

Park Trails and Art Outdoors

The park at Altenstein Palace has around 20 kilometres of park trails, including a 4.3-kilometre circular hiking route. If you are considering adding either a longer walk or a shorter, clearly defined route to your travel plans, these details can help you choose an outing.

Another way to combine exercise and art is the approximately 10-kilometre sculpture trail from the sculpture park in Behringen to Hütscheroda and back. There are 120 sculptures on different themes along the trail. Its approximate length and the number of artworks give it a different character from a circular walk in a palace park. If you choose your accommodation based on the kind of outing you prefer, the park trails and sculpture trail can offer different starting points for planning.

Experiences for Different Interests

The Merkers Adventure Mine includes a crystal grotto, described as a one-of-a-kind geological site worldwide, 800 metres underground. The Bad Salzungen Planetarium projects an artificial starry sky onto a dome 8 metres in diameter and 6.5 metres high. In Ruhla, the mini-a-thür miniature park features more than 100 detailed models of historic buildings from Thuringia. These three attractions are distinctly different: a geological site deep underground, a starry sky beneath a dome and architectural models in miniature.

The falconry centre on the Rennsteig offers flight demonstrations featuring falcons, buzzards, eagles, owls and vultures. Visitors can also have a bird of prey land on their arm. The attraction is aimed at families, clubs, tour groups and school classes. At Bad Liebenstein Zoo, you can see more than 260 animals up close; some can also be petted and fed.

Those interested in waterways can make the paddling stretch of the Werra known as the Werra-Kali-Revier, between Bad Salzungen and Vacha, a focus of their trip. Timetable and passenger information is available for bus services, hiking buses, buses with bicycle trailers and rail services in the Wartburg region. When looking for a holiday apartment, you can therefore first choose the experiences that interest you most, then use the available transport information to plan your stay. The attractions mentioned are in different locations, so it is best to choose a starting point that suits your personal interests.

Places in the Wartburg District

For more places to explore in the Wartburg District: Ruhla, Gerstungen, Wiesenthal, Fischbach, Geisa, Witzelroda, Frankenroda, Vacha, Bad Liebenstein, Andenhausen, Wutha-Farnroda, Bischofroda, Steinbach, Neidhartshausen, Moorgrund, Eisenach, Bad Salzungen, Creuzburg, Klings, Tiefenort, Wolfsburg-Unkeroda, Behringen, Buttlar, Diedorf, Dankmarshausen, Schleid, Zella, Krayenberggemeinde, Ebenshausen, Hallungen, Berka/Werra, Marksuhl, Urnshausen, Kaltenlengsfeld, Dorndorf, Stadtlengsfeld, Merkers-Kieselbach, Unterbreizbach, Dermbach, Hörselberg-Hainich, Treffurt, Berka Vor Dem Hainich, Mihla, Nazza, Ettenhausen An Der Suhl, Barchfeld-Immelborn and Kaltennordheim.

For the overview of the wider region: Thuringia.