Plassenburg is Kulmbach’s landmark and stands 116 metres above the town; it also offers a viewing platform. In Kulmbach, the history of the castle and town, church art and hiking trails with varied routes all come together. When planning your stay, you can first decide whether to focus on cultural attractions or a particular hiking route.
Plassenburg and the History of the Town
The former Hohenzollern fortress houses four museums with collections and information about the history of the castle, the town of Kulmbach and the region. Their subject matter therefore extends beyond the fortress itself: the museums explore several aspects of history. A hiking trail also leads here: the cultural and historical Castle Trail ends at Plassenburg, linking a named route with a historic site.
Church Art and Museum Themes
St. Peter’s Church offers a different focus. It is a Late Gothic hall church built in 1439. Its striking altar structure depicts the Deposition of Christ; instead of numerals, the words “Wachet-Betet” (“Watch and Pray”) appear on the tower clock. The architectural style, altarpiece and clock design offer different details to observe in this sacred building. In contrast with Plassenburg’s four museums, the focus here is on a single church building and its furnishings.
The Mönchshof adds three more museums to the picture: the Bavarian Brewery Museum, the Bavarian Bakery Museum and the German Spice Museum. Their names point to different subject areas relating to brewing beer, baking and spices. There are 120 car parking spaces on the Mönchshof grounds. As parking arrangements may change, check the current situation before travelling.
Hiking Trails: Direction and Circular Routes
The routes through the Kulmbach urban area differ in direction and overall course. The 520-kilometre Franconian Way crosses the urban area from north to south. The Main River Trail follows the river from its source in the Fichtel Mountains to its mouth into the Rhine near Mainz, passing through the urban area from east to west. This gives you a clear distinction when choosing a route: the two trails cross Kulmbach in different directions and follow different longer-distance routes.
The Rehturm on Rehberg is a historic landmark. Built in 1498 as a watch and signal tower, it is part of a nature trail. Its former function as a tower and its connection to the educational trail come together here, setting the site apart from routes that cross the urban area.
The Frankenwaldsteigla “Rehbergweg” is a circular route in the Kulmbach destination area. It runs for 11 kilometres from Plassenburg to Rehberg, through Kulmbach’s old town and back to the starting point. Unlike the routes that cross the urban area, its description gives a specific circular route with a stated distance and return to the starting point. Check current trail conditions before setting out.
Discover more destinations: Wonsees, Mainleus, Marktschorgast, Stadtsteinach, Thurnau, Presseck, Grafengehaig, Neudrossenfeld.
For the main travel overview: Kulmbach.
