Dreba combines church history with a sports-themed area on the Dreba Kuhwiese and the Dreba-Plothen Pond District. To get your bearings, it is worth distinguishing the attractions in the village from the landscape around Dreba, Plothen and Knau. A named hiking route leads through this pond district to Neustadt an der Orla, where further historical attractions await.

Church History in Three Dates

Around 1500, a church was built in Dreba, dedicated to Saint Cyriacus before the Reformation. Dreba’s oldest church bell was cast in 1494; it probably came from the same Erfurt workshop as the Gloriosa bell in Erfurt Cathedral. The 32-metre-high church tower was built in 1750. These three dates show the different periods involved: the bell predates the church, built around 1500, and the tower came later. The connection to the workshop that made the Gloriosa remains a probable attribution and provides a specific historical link to Erfurt.

Sports and Culture in Dreba

Another highlight is the Dreba Kuhwiese. In 2019, a skate park, football goals, and a basketball and volleyball facility were installed there. These attractions represent a different aspect of the village from its church and tower. Dreba’s cultural offerings also extend beyond its architecture: “Kultur im Kuhstall” features film screenings and dancing. Historical architecture, film and dance, and sports thus offer different themes to choose from for a trip.

Pond District, Wildlife and Hiking

The Dreba-Plothen Pond District around Dreba, Plothen and Knau adds a scenic and culinary dimension. Around 600 ponds still remain in the region. Some are drained and fished each year, an occasion celebrated in the villages of the pond district with the traditional Fish and Game Weeks. Ponds and fishing are therefore not only aspects of nature, but are also linked to regional festival traditions. Species found in the wider pond district include the northern crested newt, Eurasian otter, moor frog, white stork, kingfisher, arnica and lesser water lily.

Hiking Route 8 leads through the Dreba-Plothen Pond District to Neustadt an der Orla. Unlike the sports facilities on the Kuhwiese, it is described as a route through the regional landscape, shifting the focus from the individual village to the pond district.

Neustadt an der Orla: Distinctive Historical Highlights

The market fountain in Neustadt an der Orla was built in 1987 to mark the city’s 700th anniversary. The octagonal fountain basin bears guild emblems of the craftspeople who had been based there since the Middle Ages. The Late Gothic town hall has a different architectural history: the “stone house” was given to the city by Landgrave Balthasar in 1364 and initially served as a storehouse. Extensions and alterations brought the building to completion in 1509/10; it remains the seat of the administration today. The fountain thus commemorates the city anniversary, while the town hall represents the development of an older building over several construction phases. The Museum of City History presents the city’s history in 13 thematically designed exhibition rooms.

If you are planning a trip around local events, the “Bornquas” fountain festival is also worth considering: it is regularly celebrated in Neustadt an der Orla on the third weekend in June. The tradition includes appointing a fountain master. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, check the current event dates in advance.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Pottiga, Blankenstein, Oppurg, Keila, Dittersdorf, Altengesees, Burkersdorf, Wurzbach.

Go to the main travel overview: Saale-Orla.