Hilbersdorf is located in the upper Wipse Valley. Two clearly distinct local themes can help you plan your stay: hikes towards Liebschwitz or Reuster Berg, and the Evangelical branch church at Hilbersdorf 11. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide whether to focus on trails and scenery or on architectural history and features. Gera, Weida and Ronneburg are just a few minutes’ drive from Hilbersdorf; these three towns broaden the range of possible day trips, while the hiking and church themes provide a local focus.
Hikes in different directions
Hikes towards Liebschwitz are possible along the Wipse. To the north of Hilbersdorf, hikes to Reuster Berg are another option. These directions offer two concrete starting points for planning a route: you can follow the river or choose a destination to the north. Another long-distance hiking option passes through RuĂźdorf: the European long-distance path runs through the village. The map of the Fuchsbachtal Route also includes Hilbersdorf and RuĂźdorf; check the route markings and conditions on site.
The branch church: construction phases and features
The Evangelical branch church is located at Hilbersdorf 11. Its core is medieval; its interior and exterior appearance were shaped by the last renovation, in 1742. The medieval core and the renovation represent different historical periods; the 18th-century furnishings are also part of the building’s history. These include a gallery with three sides and a pulpit altar. Two history paintings from 1883 depict scenes from Luther’s life. The building’s core, its redesign and its painted decoration offer different points of interest if you are interested in church architecture and art history.
More cultural and day-trip destinations in the wider Greiz travel region
The wider Greiz travel region offers other cultural attractions, with a different focus from the hiking and church architecture in Hilbersdorf. Since 2010, the Upper Castle in Greiz 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. The museum in the Upper Castle in Greiz also offers a multimedia historical experience, with a computer-animated history of the building and an interactive journey through time.
The Lower Castle in Greiz houses a museum and a textile demonstration workshop. The workshop, established in 1998, showcases the production and history of Greiz’s textile industry; children and adults can take part in the manual production process. This offers a different approach to cultural history than an exhibition about the history of the princely residence: here, hands-on textile production is also a central focus.
The Summer Palace in Greiz and Greiz Park also have their own architectural appeal. The Summer Palace was built as the summer residence of the Princes of ReuĂź of the Elder Line and is one of the earliest Neoclassical buildings in Central Germany. Greiz Park lies at the foot of the wooded Schlossberg; as a 19th-century landscape park, the entire grounds are designated a national cultural monument. Greiz therefore offers themes ranging from princely residences to designed parkland.
The wider Greiz travel region also offers something for cyclists in Ronneburg: the “Drachenschwanz” adventure bridge is 225 metres long and forms part of a long-distance cycle route. This offers a different focus from the hikes described in Hilbersdorf and Rußdorf.
Discover more destinations: Weida, Hain, EndschĂĽtz, Ronneburg, Steinsdorf, Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf, Langenwetzendorf, Kraftsdorf.
Back to the main travel overview: Greiz.
