The sculptor Hans Rucker was born in Marktleugast in 1931; the altar, ambo and baptismal font in the Bethlehem Church in Mannsflur are his work. Other highlights include the pilgrimage church of Marienweiher and hiking and cycling trails in the Frankenwald Nature Park. The town’s attractions thus range from church art and religious history to experiences in nature.
Churches, Art and Pilgrimage
The parish and pilgrimage church of Marienweiher is a medium-sized Rococo church with a richly decorated, colourful interior. It is also a place of prayer, pilgrimage and devotion to the Virgin Mary. Its architecture and religious significance go hand in hand: those interested in Rococo will encounter a church interior shaped just as much by its role as a pilgrimage church.
Works by Hans Rucker are a distinctive feature of the Bethlehem Church in Mannsflur. The altar, ambo and baptismal font were created by the stone sculptor from Marktleugast. The ambo is where scripture is read; the baptismal font is associated with baptism. The church also features the “Noah’s Ark” mosaic: made of coloured ceramic stones, it was designed by Konrad Ehmann and dates to 1969. The church thus brings together sculpture and mosaic as distinct art forms.
Rucker’s life story extends beyond his birthplace. He trained as a wood sculptor in Berchtesgaden and studied at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts from 1950 to 1957. These details provide biographical context for his work in the Bethlehem Church, without conflating the places where he trained and studied outside Marktleugast with his birthplace.
The present-day St. Bartholomew’s Church in Marktleugast also tells a story of building history: it was built and completed between 1762 and 1782. At the top of the altar is an equestrian statue of St. Martin, which comes from a small old chapel. The church thus combines specific dates with a work of art whose origins lie in an earlier chapel.
Nature Trails and the Zechteich Pond
Marktleugast lies in the Frankenwald Nature Park and has an extensive network of hiking and cycling trails through varied landscapes. Hiking and cycling are therefore part of the local leisure offering. Depending on your interests, you can explore the landscape on foot or by bike; not all trails are the same.
In Marienweiher, the “Zechteich” nature trail offers a different way to explore the area: along the way, you can learn about the habitat and the animals that live there. Fishing is also an option at the Zechteich pond. Fishing permits for the pond are available from the Marktleugast administrative community. Check the permit requirements before your trip.
More to Explore in the Wider Kulmbach Destination
If you also explore the wider destination of Kulmbach, you’ll find more nature and cultural attractions there. The nature trail on Kulmbach’s Rehberg hill, for example, is about four kilometres long and has 21 learning stations. The Frankenwaldsteigla “Rehbergweg” is an eleven-kilometre circular route from Plassenburg Castle to Rehberg, through Kulmbach’s old town and back to the starting point. The two descriptions differ both in length and focus: the Rehberg trail centres on its learning stations, while the Rehbergweg is a circular route.
Kulmbach’s museums also offer their own distinctive experiences. The German Tin Figure Museum at Plassenburg Castle has more than 300,000 individual figures arranged in around 150 dioramas. The Bavarian Brewery Museum devotes more than 3,000 square metres of exhibition space to the history and art of brewing beer. A visit ends with a sample from the glass-walled museum brewery. These attractions complement Marktleugast’s church art and nature trails with distinct cultural experiences in the wider destination of Kulmbach.
Discover more destinations: Kasendorf, Marktschorgast, Neudrossenfeld, Thurnau, Himmelkron, Stadtsteinach, Wonsees, Trebgast.
Back to the overview of the wider destination: Kulmbach.
