With Thuringia’s largest half-timbered church and a marked hiking trail of about 15 kilometres, Großbreitenbach offers two different starting points for a trip. The state-recognised resort is located on an upland plateau between the Lange Berg, the Schwarza Valley and the Rennsteig long-distance hiking trail.
Landscape and orientation
Approximate distances provide additional orientation: Großbreitenbach lies around 50 kilometres south of Erfurt and about 15 kilometres southeast of Ilmenau. The Lange Berg can be pinpointed more precisely within the Ilm district. It is a 808-metre-high, seven-kilometre-long and about two-kilometre-wide mountain ridge in the northern Thuringian Forest, forming the watershed between the Ilm to the west and the Saale to the east. In the Ilm district, the Rennsteig region, with elevations of more than 900 metres, is one of the high-altitude areas of the Thuringian Forest; the Rennsteig long-distance hiking trail is a defining feature of the region.
St. Trinitatis Church: Construction and history
With 600 seats, St. Trinitatis Church in Großbreitenbach is Thuringia’s largest half-timbered church. It is completely clad in slate; a distinctive hexagonal roof turret rises from the steep roof of the broad nave.
The church was built from 1679 onward to replace the dilapidated St. John’s Church, to designs by Andreas Rudolphi, the Saxon-Gotha master builder. It was consecrated in 1690. St. John’s Church had been built in 1570 and collapsed in 1771, leaving only its church tower standing. The dates mark two distinct construction phases: first the construction of St. John’s Church, then the start of its replacement.
The wooden baptismal stand dating from 1677 was transferred from the old St. John’s Church. It is a tangible link between the predecessor building and St. Trinitatis Church. The Thuringian Forest Creative Museum in Großbreitenbach also includes the 1st German Dumpling Press Museum.
Hiking in Großbreitenbach
The marked Wurzelkurt hiking trail is about 15 kilometres long; various routes with easy to moderate difficulty are possible. Its length and difficulty offer two perspectives for planning a hike: you can consider what distance and difficulty level suit your hiking day.
More ways to explore the Ilm district
In the Ilm district, the Ilm-Rennsteig cycle path follows a former railway line from Ilmenau to Großbreitenbach or Neustadt am Rennsteig. It connects the Ilm Valley Cycle Path with the Rennsteig Cycle Path, is almost entirely paved and is signposted as a bicycle street. This is a different way to get around the region from a local hike: the cycle path focuses on connections, surface and signage, while the Wurzelkurt hiking trail is defined by its length and difficulty.
Another trail in the Ilm district is the 21-kilometre Pilzsteig. It leads from Gehren via the Lange Berg to the European Mushroom Park in Gillersdorf, then continues through the Reicheltal Valley to Neustadt am Rennsteig. Specialities of the Ilm district include Thuringian dumplings, Thuringian Rostbrätel and Thuringian grilled sausage.
Discover more destinations: Böhlen, Geraberg, Behringen, Gräfenroda, Friedersdorf, Elleben, Ichtershausen, Frankenhain.
Return to the regional travel overview: Ilm district.
