The listed Erfurt Gate, the well-preserved city wall and a museum devoted to industrial development tell the story of different chapters in Sömmerda’s history. Further afield, archaeological traces, a milling tradition and routes through the Finne hills await. If you are interested in different aspects of the region, you will find more than one possible focus for your trip here.
City history between fortifications and gardens
According to historical chronicles, the Erfurt Gate was built in 1395 as an entrance to the town, as part of the existing fortifications. It was one of the first of five town gates in the city wall, which was expanded from 1589 onwards. Thanks to continuous restoration and renovation, the wall is well preserved. Together, the gate and wall offer a tangible glimpse into the town’s historic fortifications.
The town park offers a different perspective: it was laid out as a public garden and opened at Pentecost in 1903. There is also a Biedermeier-style garden behind the Dreyse House, with around 140 historic and English roses. Each of the two gardens adds its own distinctive note to Sömmerda’s history.
Industry and local life
The Historical and Technical Museum in Sömmerda presents the town’s 200-year industrial development. It traces the story from the founding of the Dreysesche Gewehrfabrik (Dreyse rifle factory), through Rheinmetall’s production sites, to the office machine factory in the former GDR. The museum thus explores several phases of the town’s history rather than focusing on just one industry.
Weekly markets are also part of everyday life in Sömmerda. Local producers sell regional foods there, including fruit and vegetables, sausages and other meat products, fish, baked goods and cheese; many of the products are organic. If you plan to visit a market, check the dates before your trip, as market days and times can change.
The village of Rohrborn is home to a woad mill that has been restored to its original condition. At the annual Mill Day on Whit Monday and the Woad Mill Festival in August, woad is ground there as it was in the past, and visitors can learn about the old tradition. Kölleda is home to a local history museum and a radio technology museum—two more museums in the district, each with a different focus.
Archaeological traces and routes
The Bilzingsleben Stone Age site is a former travertine quarry in Sömmerda district. Around 370,000 years ago, it was a camp site of Homo erectus bilzingslebenensis. The Time Travel Route offers a different way to explore regional history: it connects the “Leubinger Fürstenhügel” rest area on the A 71 with the Leubingen princely burial mound. Its exhibition and stops explain historical, archaeological and geographical connections.
In Rastenberg, circular trails, a geological nature trail and cycle routes start at the town hall or the forest swimming pool; they lie within the Finne landscape protection area. The 91.7-kilometre Finne Hiking Trail also offers a walking route there: a section can be followed as a circular walk in the Rastenberg area. For cyclists, the Finnebahn Cycle Path follows the former Finnebahn railway line between Kölleda and Rastenberg, running alongside stream meadows at the northern edge of the Thuringian Basin.
The Laura Cycle Path provides another connection, linking the Ilmtal Cycle Path in Weimar with the Unstrut Cycle Path near Schallenburg in Sömmerda. The 66-hectare Alperstedt Lake is connected to the long-distance and regional cycle network in central Thuringia; from there, you can take trips to places such as Erfurt, Sömmerda or Weimar. The lake also offers opportunities for camping, swimming, sailing, surfing, paddling, relaxing and dining.
Water attractions and getting there
The swimming pools in Rastenberg and Kölleda each have their own history. Rastenberg Forest Swimming Pool has been open since 1925 and features almost 5,000 square metres of water, historic changing cabins and a colonnade. Kölleda’s Streitseebad was ceremonially reopened on 14 May 2022 and renovated as a place for recreation and sports. These historical details describe the facilities, not their current opening hours.
By road, Sömmerda is connected to the regional and national transport network via the B 85 between Weimar and Bad Frankenhausen, the B 176 between Bad Langensalza and Naumburg, and the A 71 between Erfurt and Sangerhausen. The A 71 exits are called “Sömmerda-Süd” and “Sömmerda-Ost”. Regional train services run between Erfurt and Sangerhausen and between Straußfurt and Großheringen; there are also numerous bus services to neighbouring towns. Check current timetables when planning your journey.
Discover more destinations: Gebesee, Kannawurf, Kölleda, Sömmerda, Bilzingsleben, Beichlingen, Guthmannshausen, Markvippach, Rastenberg, Elxleben an der Gera, Großrudestedt, Buttstädt, Straußfurt, Kindelbrück, Weißensee, Henschleben.
To the main travel overview: Thuringia.
