More than 830 years old, Creuzburg Castle is one of Germany’s larger Romanesque castle complexes. Its curtain wall measures over 340 metres in circumference and encloses an area of 7,400 square metres. These dimensions give an impression of the scale of the complex and make it a striking introduction to the history of the Wartburg District.
History in castles, museums and memorials
The museums also cover a range of different subjects. The Werratal Museum in Gerstungen Castle presents the region’s history in 22 exhibition rooms and brings traditional crafts to life. The local history museum in Falken is housed in a 32-metre-high fortified tower of St Martin’s Church. Its two exhibition rooms document village life between 1850 and 1950—a clearly defined period that focuses attention on everyday life in the area.
Altenstein Castle in Bad Liebenstein is home to a Brahms memorial. Letters and printed works in the exhibition document the close relationship between Johannes Brahms and Duke Georg II of Saxe-Meiningen. The historical perspective here extends beyond the castle’s architecture to the personal and cultural connections brought to light by the displayed documents.
Near Geisa, the Point Alpha Memorial is an authentic Cold War site. A permanent exhibition in the House on the Border presents the history of the division of Germany. Together, these places offer different ways to explore the past: from regional crafts and village life in earlier times to the political upheavals of the 20th century.
Park trails, sculptures and unique perspectives
The grounds of Altenstein Castle have around 20 kilometres of park trails, including a 4.3-kilometre circular hiking trail. These two figures describe different scales: an extensive network of trails across the park and a specifically designated loop. When choosing a route for your own plans, you can use these distances as a guide.
Another way to get out on foot is the approximately 10-kilometre sculpture trail from the sculpture park in Behringen to HĂĽtscheroda and back. There are 120 sculptures on a range of themes along the route; the number may change. Unlike the loop in Altenstein Park, this trail connects two named endpoints, with artworks along the way.
Unusual perspectives also await underground and beneath an artificial starry sky. The Merkers Adventure Mine includes the Crystal Grotto, 800 metres below ground, a geotope described as unique in the world. The Bad Salzungen Planetarium projects an artificial starry sky onto a dome eight metres in diameter and 6.5 metres high. In Ruhla, the mini-a-thĂĽr miniature park features more than 100 detailed models of historic buildings from Thuringia. Geology, astronomy and architectural models come together here, without requiring visitors to explore the region in the same way.
Animal encounters and activities on the water
More than 260 animals can be seen up close at Bad Liebenstein Animal Park; some can also be petted and fed. The falconry at Rennsteig puts on flying displays featuring falcons, buzzards, eagles, owls and vultures. Visitors can also have a bird of prey land on their own arm. The offer is aimed at families, clubs, tour groups and school classes.
On the Werra, the Werra-Kali section is a paddling route between Bad Salzungen and Vacha. For planning a trip by public transport, timetable and passenger information is available for buses, hiking buses, buses with bicycle trailers and train services. Check the latest timetable information before setting out on a specific journey.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Barchfeld-Immelborn, Kaltennordheim, Klings, Tiefenort, Frankenroda, Vacha, Bad Liebenstein, Andenhausen, Wutha-Farnroda, Bischofroda, Steinbach, Neidhartshausen, Moorgrund, Eisenach, Bad Salzungen, Ruhla, Gerstungen, Wiesenthal, Fischbach, Geisa, Witzelroda, Creuzburg, Wolfsburg-Unkeroda, Behringen, Marksuhl, Urnshausen, Kaltenlengsfeld, Dorndorf, Stadtlengsfeld, Merkers-Kieselbach, Unterbreizbach, Dermbach, Ettenhausen An Der Suhl, Nazza, Berka Vor Dem Hainich, Diedorf, Hörselberg-Hainich, Treffurt, Mihla, Buttlar, Dankmarshausen, Schleid, Zella, Krayenberggemeinde, Ebenshausen, Hallungen and Berka/Werra.
For the broader travel overview: Thuringia.
