In Auerstedt, the twin battle of 1806, village life and Thuringian traditions come together. The museum world brings these themes together; there are also memorial markers at the manor house, an event venue made from willow branches and direct connections to cycle routes. This makes it easy to plan your stay around a particular theme: focusing on history and culture, or taking a bike tour.
Museums and Remembrance of 1806
Auerstedt’s museum world offers two different ways to explore the local history. The local history museum in the castle features exhibits on the 1806 twin battle of Jena and Auerstedt, village life and Thuringian traditions. Across the street, the Carriage Museum displays 17 historic carriages from the collection of the Klassik Stiftung Weimar. These include the wedding carriage of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna. The museum world is currently open to visitors by prior arrangement only; please check this arrangement before your visit.
The battle of Auerstedt on 14 October 1806 is commemorated by a sandstone plaque at the manor house and three lime trees on a hill. There used to be four lime trees there. During the battle, the manor house served as the Prussian headquarters. The plaque, the remaining trees and the building’s historic function offer different starting points for exploring the event.
Architectural Forms, an Event Venue and Traditions
The Auerworld Palace has stood in Auerstedt since 1998. This sturdy, circular structure made of locally sourced willow branches is 25 metres in diameter and serves as a nature-oriented, multifunctional venue and meeting place. Full moon celebrations are held there during the summer months. If you are planning to attend, check the exact date in advance. The Maloca is a modern wooden building in the South American architectural style.
Auerstedt’s annual festivals and traditions are spread throughout the year:
- Bakehouse festival on the first Saturday in January
- Raising of the maypole on 30 April
- Kirmes fair on the weekend after 14 June
- Auerworld Festival on the last weekend in July
- Oktoberfest on the first weekend in October
- Halloween on 30 October
If you would like to plan your stay around a particular festival, check the dates with the organisers in advance.
Cycle Routes and Other Regional Trails
Auerstedt is located directly on the Saale-Unstrut-Elster Cycle Route Eight and has direct connections to the Saale Cycle Route and the Ilm Valley Cycle Route. These routes offer bike tours through picturesque countryside. If you are planning a tour, check the latest conditions with the route operators. Alongside museums and memorial sites, bike tours are another option for making your stay a distinct experience.
In the wider region, the Napoleon Hiking Trail links the sites and battlefields of the twin battle of Jena and Auerstedt. The route includes tourist walking paths, cycle routes and a route for visitors travelling by car.
Bad Sulza as the Wider Travel Destination
The wider travel destination of Bad Sulza offers its own cultural and landscape attractions. Goethe’s Garden House 2 there is an exact replica of Goethe’s garden house in Weimar; visitors are allowed to touch the interior, sit on the furniture and try things out. St Mauritius Church dates back to an 11th-century chapel dedicated to Saint Mauritius. Bad Sulza lies in the Ilm Valley, whose gentle hills are partly planted with vines.
The Technical Museum at Bad Sulza railway station displays historic consumer electronics such as gramophones and televisions, equipment used by the National People’s Army, two-wheeled vehicles from East Germany and other exhibits. The Villa Sonneck art villa presents works by Bad Sulza painters Georg Judersleben and Karl Holfeld from different periods in their careers. The history of salt extraction can also be experienced there: extensive surviving facilities can be explored along the “Brine and Salt” themed trail or on a guided hike.
For a countryside-focused activity in Bad Sulza, try Wine Hiking Trail No. 6: the route is just over 5 km long and includes three Thuringian wines as well as a digital wine tasting. In the spa gardens stands a music pavilion built in 1875, still used today for spa concerts and events. These additional options round out the wider travel destination, while the museum world, memorial sites, Auerworld Palace and cycle-route connections are the main attractions in Auerstedt.
Discover more destinations: Nohra, Blankenhain, Kleinschwabhausen, Weimar, Niederzimmern, Mellingen, Niedergrunstedt, Lehnstedt
Go to the overview of destinations: Weimarer Land.
