Discover Marktschorgast

Marktschorgast combines visible local history with a variety of hiking themes. At its heart is a listed row of colourful Biedermeier façades and historic churches; beyond the town, trails with their own distinctive focus invite you to explore. You can plan your stay around your interests: taking in architectural history and individual landmarks, or focusing on a hike.

Biedermeier façades, churches and a historic fountain

The Historic Market Square features a listed row of colourful Biedermeier façades. The buildings are predominantly two-storey rendered structures with sandstone detailing and segmental-arched carriage entrances. If you enjoy noticing details on buildings, you will find several recurring architectural features here that become apparent as you look across the façades. Below the market square stands the Florian Fountain, dating from 1685.

The Late Gothic parish church of St James the Elder in Marktschorgast was first mentioned in 1109. The late medieval defensive wall, with its “Snail Tower”, has been preserved at the churchyard. Another architectural detail can be found in the Church of the Holy Trinity: the baptismal font, altar and pulpit are made of reddish Vogtland granite. The two churches therefore offer different starting points for exploring Marktschorgast’s architectural and local history.

The history of local associations is also part of the town’s story: founded in 1898, the Marktschorgast Protestant Association campaigned for the construction of its own Protestant church. A historic coat of arms stone can also be viewed in the administrative building of the town hall during opening hours. If needed, check locally whether visits are possible at your planned time.

Hiking trails with different focuses

There are routes of varying lengths and formats to choose from when planning a hike. An unmarked 9-kilometre hiking route leads from Marktschorgast to Neuenmarkt. As it is unmarked, you should plan how to navigate in advance. The 11-kilometre circular trail via Weißenstein, which returns to Marktschorgast, follows a different format. Check the trail signs locally for this loop. So the choice depends on more than just the distance: one route ends in Neuenmarkt, while the other loops back to Marktschorgast.

Another trail focuses on engineering and architectural history. The approximately 8-kilometre educational and information trail runs alongside the “Schiefe Ebene” railway incline and covers the incline’s most striking engineering structures. The three options offer different highlights: travelling to another town, a circular hike, or a thematic look at engineering structures. Their stated distances help with planning, but do not indicate a walking time or a particular difficulty level.

Green spaces in town

In Unteranger, there is a herb garden with a wide variety of unusual medicinal, aromatic and culinary plants. Behind the parish church, Stöcklein Pond has been transformed into a small park that provides a habitat for ducks and goldfish. These two places add plants and wildlife to the architectural history and hiking themes, offering a different focus from the historic façades and churches.

More to explore in the wider destination of Kulmbach

The wider destination of Kulmbach also offers independent attractions with different highlights. At Plassenburg Castle, the German Tin Figure Museum displays more than 300,000 individual figures in around 150 dioramas. The Bavarian Brewery Museum covers the history and art of brewing beer across more than 3,000 square metres; a visit ends with a small tasting from the Glass Museum Brewery.

In Wonsees, Zwernitz Castle was first mentioned in an official document in 1156 as the ancestral seat of the Walpoten family. You can climb its tower for a sweeping view over the Franconian Switzerland Nature Park. The Sanspareil Rock Garden lies right next to the castle. The Rock Theatre in the Grove, the Oriental Building and the Kitchen Building have all been preserved there. These cultural and landscape attractions expand the choice in the wider destination of Kulmbach, but remain independent places to visit alongside the sights and trails in Marktschorgast.

Choose where to stay based on the experiences that truly matter to your trip.

Discover more destinations: Mainleus, Neuenmarkt, Marktleugast, Trebgast, Presseck, Wirsberg, Thurnau, Neudrossenfeld.

Back to the wider travel guide: Kulmbach.