Burgk combines castle history with walking routes and views of the Upper Saale. At its heart is Burgk Castle, one of the few surviving late-medieval castles in Thuringia. The castle also offers cultural activities, a Silbermann organ and hiking trails. When planning your visit, you can choose between culture at the castle, a viewpoint and a walk on foot.
Burgk Castle: History and Cultural Activities
Burgk Castle is situated on the banks of the Upper Saale. It houses collections and exhibitions, as well as concerts and festivals. Its various offerings provide different ways to experience the castle: you can take an interest in its historical significance, focus on the exhibitions, or include a concert or festival date in your travel plans. If you have a concert in mind for your stay, check the specific date in advance.
Silbermann Organ and Ex Libris Collection
The castle chapel houses a Silbermann organ, which was consecrated in 1743. It is still played in its original Chorton pitch at concerts today. If you would especially like to experience this musical feature, you can plan your visit around a concert and check the date before travelling.
Another facet of the castle’s collections is its ex libris collection. It comprises ex libris from five centuries, created by more than 5,000 artists from over 60 countries. Its broad time span and the large number of artists represented make it a distinct focus alongside the organ and events. In Burgk, music and a collection with an international reach offer different cultural interests to choose from.
Saaleturm and Circular Hiking Trails
The Saaleturm is 43 metres high; its viewpoint is reached after 192 steps. From there, you can look out over the Saale region and Burgk Castle. The viewpoint provides a distinct experience alongside the castle’s cultural offerings: it turns your attention to the landscape and to the building that has shaped Burgk’s history.
The Kulturweg der Vögte is a 4.21-kilometre circular hiking trail around Burgk Castle. The Saaleturm can be visited at the beginning or end of the route. This means you can plan to take in the tower views at the start or finish of your walk. Another option is the Burgksteig – Wasserläufer, which is also a circular hiking trail.
The visitor car park in Burgk is around 500 metres from the castle and is the starting point for the Kulturweg der Vögte. If you plan to take this trail, check the parking rules and current route details before setting off. This will help you factor in the starting point and a possible visit to the Saaleturm when planning your day, without inferring a walking time from the distance given.
Schleiz: More Cultural and Hiking Destinations
If you also include Schleiz in your travel plans, you will find other attractions there. St Mary’s Church on the Hill (Bergkirche St. Marien) in Schleiz has rich Baroque decoration and a princely crypt containing the coffins of the Counts and Princes Reuss. It has been used as a place of worship for eight centuries. The “Alte Münze” town information centre has a permanent exhibition about Johann Friedrich Böttger and the history of the Meissen porcelain factory. The Schleiz area also offers further hiking opportunities: it has numerous circular trails, including family-friendly routes through meadows and forests with views of the Saale Cascade Reservoirs. These destinations in Schleiz complement Burgk’s own cultural attractions and trails without replacing them.
Discover more destinations: Neundorf, Saaldorf, Krölpa, Neustadt An Der Orla, Gahma, Bucha, Bad Lobenstein, Ziegenrück.
View the wider travel overview: Saale-Orla.
