Greiz reveals its history as a residence through a variety of places and themes: At the Upper Castle, the history of the Reuß rulers and the culture of small-state residences take centre stage. The Lower Castle complements this perspective with a museum and the history of Greiz's textile industry. The park, architecture and river also shape discoveries in Greiz and the surrounding region.
Residence history and textile craftsmanship
Since 2010, the Upper Castle has housed the permanent exhibition “From the Land of the Vogts to the Principality of Reuß of the Elder Line”. It explores the history of the Vogts, lords, imperial counts and imperial princes of Reuß, as well as the associated culture of small-state residences. A multimedia historical experience, computer-animated building history and an interactive journey through time add a look at the castle's architectural history. The exhibition brings together the history of the ruling family and the building.
The art treasures of the Greiz princely house also have a long history of public access, dating back to 1922. The Lower Castle houses a museum and a textile demonstration workshop. Established in 1998, the workshop showcases the production and history of Greiz's textile industry. Children and adults can take part in the manual production process. Alongside the history of the residence, the focus is also on the craftsmanship involved in making textiles.
Summer Palace and Greiz Park
The Summer Palace was built as a summer residence for the princes of the Elder Line of Reuß and is one of the earliest Neoclassical buildings in Central Germany. Its origins as a residence and its architectural classification offer a different perspective on Greiz from the exhibition on the history of the Reuß rulers. The Summer Palace is located in Fürstlich Greizer Park, on the banks of the White Elster.
Greiz Park lies at the foot of the wooded castle hill. As a 19th-century landscape park, the entire grounds are designated a national cultural monument. For directions on foot: the Summer Palace is 550 metres from the Bruno-Bergner-Straße bus stop, 700 metres from the Puschkinplatz stop and one kilometre from Greiz railway station. Stop names and distances may change, so please check these details before your visit.
Landscapes, trails and water activities
Greiz district is in the Thuringian Vogtland. The landscape is shaped by low mountain ranges and narrow valleys with castles and palaces, as well as plateaus, rock formations carved by rivers, floodplains, rolling hills, forests and cultural landscapes. The BUGA supporting project “Paths into the New Landscape” comprises a network of high-quality cycling, horse-riding and hiking trails in the region. In Ronneburg, the 225-metre-long “Dragon's Tail” adventure bridge is part of a long-distance cycle route.
The White Elster can also be explored through a range of water activities. In Wünschendorf, you can rent a rowing boat for a fee at the gondola station in Cronschwitz. The Kanu-Scheune in Wünschendorf also offers the opportunity to build your own boat and test its buoyancy; tours in ready-made canoes are available as well. You can choose between renting a boat on the river, building your own boat or taking a canoe tour.
Kloster und Schloss Mildenfurth adds another cultural highlight: Together with the neighbouring artists' house and the sculpture garden of the artist couple Kühn, it forms an ensemble today. The combination of monastery, castle and art adds another perspective on the region's cultural sites to the history of its residences and parks.
Discover more destinations: Zadelsdorf, Zeulenroda-Triebes, Schwarzbach, Großebersdorf, Greiz, Gera, Bad Köstritz, Kraftsdorf, Harth-Pöllnitz, Langenwolschendorf, Moschwitz, Hilbersdorf, Münchenbernsdorf, Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf, Steinsdorf, Ronneburg, Weida, Endschütz, Langenwetzendorf, Auma-Weidatal, Bocka, Hohenleuben, Hain.
For the broader travel overview: Thuringia.
