Discover Stadtsteinach

Explore Stadtsteinach via its hilltop and hiking trails: St. Michael’s parish church stands at the top of the hill, its tower visible from far away and considered a local landmark. Trails into the surrounding countryside also start here. In Stadtsteinach, architectural and local history meet opportunities to explore the area on foot.

Churches, the hilltop and local history

St. Michael’s parish church stands at the highest point of the hill. Its 56-metre-high west tower is visible from far away and is considered a landmark of the town. After the devastating fire of 1903, the church was completely rebuilt in 1904–1905. The Marterl circular hiking trail starts at the parish church, making this striking landmark a starting point for a hike as well.

At the southern end of the hill, just outside the town wall, stands the Marienkapelle. It is considered Stadtsteinach’s oldest building and probably one of the oldest churches in all of northern Bavaria. At the market square, the Christophorus Fountain offers another glimpse of the town: it depicts Saint Christopher with the Christ Child on his right shoulder. Together, the church, chapel and fountain offer different insights into the townscape and its history.

Hiking around Stadtsteinach

Stadtsteinach is a state-recognised health resort. The network of circular hiking trails around the town covers about 100 kilometres and is maintained and signposted by the Stadtsteinach branch of the Frankenwald Association. The trails are considered well marked and maintained. If you want to plan a tour around a single starting point, consider the Marterl circular hiking trail, which begins at the parish church; for more hiking ideas, explore the network as a whole.

The Steinachtal Adventure Route also combines activity with local history: this app-based route leads from Stadtsteinach’s medieval town centre towards Markt Presseck. More than a dozen other points of interest share historically documented stories and long-ruined buildings via an app, information boards and a conventional map. If you plan to use the app, check that it is available beforehand.

Geology and history in the surrounding area

The Steinachtal Geo Trail leads to Römersreuther Berg, with numerous exposures of the “Thuringian” Devonian, and returns to Oberhammer via the Steinachfelsen rock formations. Geological insights thus complement the trails’ cultural and historical themes. Grünbürg is another historical site nearby, located on a 521-metre-high hilltop along the Franconian Line. A refuge castle probably stood there in the 9th or 10th century. Ring walls, ditches and gates are still visible below the summit.

Routes and scenery in the wider region

The Mühlenweg was inaugurated as a circular hiking trail in 1978 and is over 18 kilometres long. It passes eleven mills that are no longer operational. These were probably built in the 11th and 12th centuries and served as grain and sawmills, hammer mills and, later, paper mills. The hiking guide “Hiking Trails Around Stadtsteinach and the Wildly Romantic Steinachtal” systematically explores the scenic and cultural-historical diversity of Stadtsteinach and the Steinachtal.

The Steinachtal is shady and cool in summer, and shady and dry in spring and autumn. The Steinachklamm gorge near Presseck is an approximately 300-metre-long section of a natural monument between Neumühle and the former Waffenhammer. It is considered a landmark of the Steinachtal and has been one of “Bavaria’s Most Beautiful Geotopes” since 2007. These regional highlights complement Stadtsteinach’s trails and historic sites with views of the landscape and geology.

Museum and memorial trail

The Stadtsteinach local history museum displays, across 250 square metres and 13 rooms, craft tools, exhibits on agriculture and forestry, machinery, items relating to popular religious practice, and materials on the town’s, church’s and schools’ histories. There is also a natural history collection. The museum is temporarily closed while its exhibits are being inventoried; check its current admission status before visiting.

The Heiß-Schnabrich Memorial Trail commemorates Alfred Andreas Heiß from Triebenreuth and Michael Schnabrich, who was born in Stadtsteinach. Both are described as figures whose lives were shaped by the Nazi era. Heiß is explicitly described as a victim of National Socialism. The memorial trail thus complements architectural and local history with an examination of the history of National Socialism.

You can choose accommodation based on the topics that interest you most during your stay.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Schwand, Neudrossenfeld, Kasendorf, Marktschorgast, Thurnau, Presseck, Trebgast, Marktleugast.

To the main travel overview: Kulmbach.