When planning a trip to Wipfratal, it is worth considering the different scales of the region: the landscape and bodies of water in the area of the former municipality, routes in the closer and wider surroundings, and cultural history in the broader travel destination of Arnstadt. If you are looking for a hotel in Wipfratal, these highlights can help with your planning: nature, pilgrimage routes and culture offer different ways to shape your trip.
Landscape and Bodies of Water in the Area of the Former Municipality of Wipfratal
The mountainous foothills of the Thuringian Forest are characteristic of the former municipality of Wipfratal, with its twelve districts. The Reinsberg ridge between Schmerfeld and Reinsfeld is the highest point in the area of the former municipality. Nearby, the “Von Bach zu Goethe” hiking trail crosses the Reinsberge hills and Veronikaberg. Along the way, it offers panoramic views of the valley of the wild Gera, the ridges of the Thuringian Forest and Wipfratal.
Another regional landmark is Heyda Reservoir. In terms of territory, it belongs to both the former municipality of Wipfratal and Ilmenau, and it is a recreational area as well as a popular day-trip destination. It is also used for fishing and fish farming. Rare marsh and water birds can be found at the reservoir. Different themes thus come together here: recreation, the use of the water and nature by the water.
Pilgrimage Routes and Regional Orientation
In the wider region, the Elisabeth-Walburga-Paulina pilgrimage route runs for about 54 kilometres from Erfurt via Arnstadt to Paulinzella. It is classified as easy to moderate. One specific section of this route runs for about 16 kilometres from Arnstadt via Dornheim, Oberndorf, Hausen, Görbitzhausen and Roda to Niederwillingen. The full route and this section offer two different scales for orientation: the entire distance and a named segment with its own sequence of places.
Regional attractions beyond the pilgrimage routes are also clearly located. The Kunst- und Käsehof in Görbitzhausen and the NaturErlebnishof in Hausen are on the Arnstadt–Stadtilm cycle route. In Kettmannshausen, the Solardorf is a demonstration and communication centre for decentralised solar and hydrogen technology, as well as the home of the youth research centre. Educational projects on education for sustainable development use age-appropriate models of energy technologies for climate protection and forward-looking digital technologies.
Arnstadt: Cultural History in the Broader Travel Destination
The broader travel destination of Arnstadt complements the landscape and route connections with architecture and musical history. Johann Sebastian Bach was appointed organist at the New Church in Arnstadt in August 1703 and remained there until 1707. In Arnstadt’s market square, the Bach monument depicts him as a young man, casually leaning against a milestone. The Renaissance Town Hall also stands on the market square: it was built from 1582 to 1586, and its façade, adorned with decorative gables and ornamental details, occupies the north side of the square.
The Upper Church, also known as the Barefoot Church, was built around 1250 and served as the monastery church of the Franciscan Order. Notable features of its interior include a wooden barrel vault, an organ gallery dating from 1624 and two galleries on the south wall from the mid-17th century. The Palace Museum in the New Palace displays furniture and art treasures from the former princely collection in reconstructed Baroque rooms on the south side of the piano nobile. On the ground floor of the southern corps de logis, visitors can also walk through the miniature town “Mon plaisir” with its houses and rooms. The “Fasanerie” zoo in Arnstadt has a children’s playground.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Frankenhain, Herschdorf, Gehlberg, Wolfsberg, Gehren, Ilmtal, Friedersdorf, Behringen.
Back to the regional travel overview: Ilm-Kreis.
