Ilmenau combines nature trails with distinctive traces of its mining history. When looking for a hotel in Ilmenau, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: outdoor activities or cultural history. The Kickelhahn, the Goethe hiking trail and the miners’ chapel offer specific themes around which to plan your visit.
Kickelhahn and outdoor trails
At 861 metres, the Kickelhahn is Ilmenau’s local mountain; its 21-metre-high observation tower is one of the town’s landmarks. The mountain and tower mark a focal point in the landscape. Another option is the 20-kilometre Goethe hiking trail, which connects places associated with Goethe’s work, from Ilmenau to Stützerbach. Its length and clearly named endpoints make it a well-defined hiking route. Together, these offer a choice between a prominent landmark and a trail with its own distinct route, catering to different interests in nature.
Cycling and winter trails
The Lindenberg trail park has three different trails for mountain biking. If you plan to use this option, check the latest local information before setting out, as facilities may change. In winter, there are numerous ski and winter hiking trails: they run from Ilmenau to the Rennsteig and from Auerhahn to the Kickelhahn. Snow and trail conditions vary, and route availability is not guaranteed. So check current conditions before your trip. The Ilmtal Cycle Route can also be included in your Ilmenau plans as a cycling option. The choices therefore range from mountain bike trails to seasonal winter routes and a cycling route.
The MĂĽnzkeller and mining history
The Münzkeller is located right next to the Alte Münze and offers insights into the 16th century. At Sturmheide, the miners’ chapel stands in the middle of the former Ilmenau copper and silver mining district, below the spoil heap of the former “Gottes Gabe” mine shaft. The chapel houses an exhibition on Ilmenau’s copper shale mining. This offers different historical themes for a cultural focus: an insight into the 16th century at the Münzkeller, and copper shale mining at a site in the former mining district.
More perspectives in the Ilm District
The wider travel destination of the Ilm District offers further trails in the surrounding area. The Kleinbreitenbach Art Trail is two kilometres long. Works of art adorn the Romanesque fortified church, the cemetery, the church forecourt, the village and the path at the edge of the village. Compared with Ilmenau’s 20-kilometre Goethe hiking trail, this is a considerably shorter route, with artworks tied to specific places and the trail itself. The two routes differ both in length and in theme.
The Ilm District also offers more options for cycling. The 123-kilometre Ilmtal Cycle Route is certified with four stars, and 45 kilometres of it run through the Ilm District. The Ilm-Rennsteig Cycle Route follows a former railway line from Ilmenau to GroĂźbreitenbach or Neustadt am Rennsteig. It connects the Ilmtal Cycle Route with the Rennsteig Cycle Route, is almost entirely paved and is signposted as a cycle street. The regional comparison therefore includes a route with a stated total length and certification, as well as a connection along a former railway line that is almost entirely paved.
Discover more destinations: Großbreitenbach, Wolfsberg, Geschwenda, Stadtilm, Arnstadt, Frankenhain, Möhrenbach, Elleben
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