Unique Places in Land Thüringen

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You should not miss that walk. It has another nature as you would see if you walk across Thuringian Forest. That area is lovely and romantic.

I mean the tour from village Mühlberg upt to the Mühlburg (Castle), up to the tower, next across the hills to the Veste Wachsenburg (Castle Wachsenburg). There you should have an cup of coffee or a good meal and enjoy the fascinating view to the three castles and wonderful landscape.

Back way you should take across meadows in the valley to the village Mühlberg. I promise, so you will get another surprisingly views, and be satisfied because of such a beautiful walk if you reach your starting point after that.

It is one of my favourite walks in my home region, esp. in Spring or autumn.

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When travelling around the Heldburg area, an interesting detour is the site of the village of Billmuthausen. The village was considered too close to the border of West Germany by the East German government. Over the years, families that were considered "untrustworthy" by the government were moved out. In 1978 it was ordered that the town be completly destroyed and the villagers moved out. All traces of the buildings were removed except the foundations. In 1994, a local group began cleaning up the site and building a memorial. The town well has been rebuilt, and pictures of the buildings mark the sites they once occupied. The nearby guard tower has been converted into a bat house, and is now home to several endangered species of bats and birds. Looking through the open door, the holding cells for prisoners are now filled with birdhouses.

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Really impressive to see the rocks during a walk across that gorge. It´s no long valley, but cool in hot summer and so lovely, because you always walk along the little beck Marderbach. Its a romantic narrow gorge with high mighty rocks.

Take the road to Tambach-Dietharz, then left into the street to water reservoir Schmalwasser and to Falkenstein (see that tip), until the parking place (with snack). From there way starts to the left, its a sign.

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The double battle of Jena and Auerstedt (also Auerstädt in older sources) was in October, 14th, 1806 on both places Jena and Auerstedt in Thuringia.

The Prussian army suffered a heavy defeat against the troops of Napoleon. The battle in Jena began on the 14 October 1806 by approx. 6 am. Approximately 53,000 soldiers of Prussia and 95,900 French soldiers stood itself vis-à-vis.

Napoleon commanded to attack first the advanced troops also in Lehesten.
After one of the commanders, a way near Lehesten is named (Prince of Hohenlohe). Along the way, that meanders itself through an idyllic landscape, you find commemorative stones with the details of battle, name of commanders and numbers of soldiers.

Because of anniversary that year is the German-French-Year (1806-2006):
A map of batlle I done in travelogue album with regional pictures.

In the little town Georgenthal (look for in other tips here), only some miles far from Tabarz, you found an interesting ruin. It is the old Kurhaus, at the Kurpark with little lake.
The house was a holiday home up to reunification. Now it is revealed to the decay. Nevertheless, one can suspect the old splendour.

When I was a kid, I often visited the german border when going to Berlin. This museum is built just on the border. There is a museum near Geisa and from there you can walk to the observation point alpha on the former western border. For me and also for my kids, it was very very interesting to visit there.

Saalfeld is a beautiful small town: half timbered houses, the river Saale, a castle, the main street with the city gates, the caves, and last not least, my daughter found there in a small shop the convexe shoes she was looking for everythere else.

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At start of that little town left you reach after one hour a nice cottage on the top of a mountain. Then you have a wonderful view above the town and far to the mountains of Thuringian Forest.