Near Steinthaleben lies the Romanesque Rothenburg castle ruin. From there, the view stretches across the Golden Meadow to the edge of the Harz Mountains.
Forest Trail and Kyffhäuser Trail
The 4-kilometre forest discovery trail runs between the Rothenburg castle ruins and the Kyffhäuser Monument. Its ten stations are all about experiencing, enjoying and understanding nature; at the forest xylophone, you can play a melody. The trail’s length, stations and xylophone offer different points of reference to help you factor it into your plans. It is accessible at all times; as conditions can change, check them before your visit.
The Kyffhäuser Trail leads from the Barbarossa Cave first to Steinthaleben. The cave is an anhydrite cave between the districts of Rottleben and Steinthaleben. The trail passes the Rothenburg castle ruins, which are not accessible. If you are planning to visit the ruins, check in advance whether access conditions have changed. The distinction matters when choosing a route: you can assess the forest discovery trail by its length and stations, and the Kyffhäuser Trail by its route from the cave to Steinthaleben and past the ruins.
Castle Complex and Monument
The site includes the ruins of the Reichsburg Kyffhausen castle complex, dating from the 12th century, and the Kyffhäuser Monument, which was built in the 19th century. The shared site brings together two distinct historical periods: medieval castle remains and a monument from the 19th century. If you are interested in architectural history, you can consider the two features as separate historical layers.
More Impressions in the Wider Kyffhäuser Region
In the wider Kyffhäuser travel destination, the village church of St. Pankratius stands in Bendeleben. It was rebuilt in 1588 under the patronage of Hermann von Bendeleben. The weathered masonry at the south entrance portal dates back at least to the 12th century, in an Old Romanesque style. The contrast between the church’s reconstruction in 1588 and the older portal brings the different periods of its architectural history to life.
In the Kyffhäuser region, Filsberg, which rises in the eastern Hainleite range, towers 136 metres above the valley plain; rare limestone flora grows on its slopes. In Bendeleben, a 21-hectare palace park surrounds the old palace. It was laid out in the English style with Baroque elements. The spring area and tree cover were used to create winding paths and sightlines. This means the Kyffhäuser region brings together different landscape features: the limestone flora on Filsberg and the landscaped park in Bendeleben. In the wider Kyffhäuser region, visitors can explore the Kyffhäuser on an extensive network of hiking trails or take part in natural history tours led by trained nature guides. The options differ in focus: exploring the trails on the one hand, and guided natural history on the other—accompanied by trained nature guides.
Discover more destinations: Gorsleben, Roßleben, Bendeleben, Bad Frankenhausen, Westgreußen, Helbedündorf, Wiehe, Nausitz.
Back to the wider travel overview: Kyffhäuserkreis.
