Discover Gräfenthal through its landscapes and history: the Slate Trail connects the town with other places, Wespenstein Castle defines the townscape, and various routes each offer a different focus. There are also views of the town and valley, memorial sites and museums. You can tailor your stay to a hiking route, scenic viewpoints or historical themes.
Hiking trails with different focuses
Marked as a circular hiking trail, the Slate Trail is about 60 km long and connects Probstzella, Lehesten, Ludwigsstadt and Gräfenthal. Parts of it run along the Green Belt, the former inner German border. Its approximate length and connection between several places give the route a regional scope. A hike on the Slate Trail or the circular route can begin in Gräfenthal at the railway viaduct, which spans the town centre.
Around Gräfenthal, hiking routes along the Green Belt and the Slate Trail follow the Kolonnenweg, the former patrol road used by East German border troops. The GeoPfad Gräfenthal offers a different focus: its circular route provides views of the Zopte Valley and the town with Wespenstein Castle. This gives hikers a choice between connecting several places and taking in views of the valley and town.
The “Memorial Sites of Democracy in Gräfenthal” circular route is signposted at its stops. Audio guides linked via QR codes are available there. The route combines the walk with an audio introduction to the memorial sites.
Border history and the castle
The Gräfenthal Border and Local History Museum has a permanent exhibition about the forced resettlements from the restricted zone established in 1952. The museum also provides information about the decades-long division of Germany and the town and castle’s almost 700-year history. Visitors can therefore learn about both the history of the division and the long development of the town and its castle.
Wespenstein Castle was once the seat of the hereditary marshals of the Holy Roman Empire from the Pappenheim family and has shaped the townscape for centuries. In September 2003, the local history association “Die Pappenheimer” opened a museum in the castle for Heritage Day. Another way to explore local history is the audio feature “Gräfenthal Train Accident”: it covers the tragic train accident that took place in Gräfenthal on 23 October 1946.
Further perspectives on the town and region
Gräfenthal’s outdoor swimming pool has extensive sunbathing areas for relaxing and enjoying the sunshine. The Thuringian Porcelain Route, which passes through the Gräfenthal area, offers another regional connection. Your stay can therefore range from hiking trails and town views to relaxing at the outdoor pool and discovering the area’s porcelain tradition.
In the wider Saalfeld-Rudolstadt destination, the Hohenwarte Reservoir Trail is a quality hiking trail certified by the German Hiking Association, with well-marked routes. The Saale Cycle Route connects nature and culture in the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district with well-developed cycling infrastructure. These options complement a visit to Gräfenthal with further opportunities for hiking and cycling in the wider destination.
Discover more destinations: Katzhütte, Cursdorf, Großkochberg, Leutnitz, Drognitz, Unterweißbach, Meuselbach-Schwarzmühle, Sitzendorf.
Go to the overview of the wider destination: Saalfeld-Rudolstadt.
