Discover Himmelkron

Himmelkron brings together traces of a former Cistercian convent with gardening knowledge, church art and places to enjoy a relaxing time outdoors. The different themes offer various starting points for planning your trip—from medieval history to walks.

Monastery History and Art

The medieval herb garden at the former Cistercian convent features around 120 plants used in medieval medicine; this number may change over time. The former monastery includes the collegiate church and the Knights’ Chapel, while the cloister is late Gothic. In the church complex, painted sandstone panels depict Christ, the Apostles and the foolish virgins. The paintings date to around 1490.

The Collegiate Church Museum also features specific subjects: examples of the panels on display there include an image of Christ, a foolish virgin, and depictions of the Apostles James the Less and Jude Thaddeus. The first lime-tree avenue in Himmelkron was laid out in 1663, during the reign of Bayreuth Margrave Christian Ernst (1655–1712). The site thus brings together sacred artworks and a precisely dated history of the avenue.

Walks and Leisure Park

The Baille-Maille Avenue, the historic bridge and a play trail in Himmelkron invite you to stroll and relax. The leisure park is located at the edge of town in the direction of Trebgast. It is easily accessible by wheelchair and pushchair; the surface is paved and suitable for wheeled access, and there are also impact-absorbing surfaces. Individual play stations are accessible without barriers. How suitable a station is also depends on individual needs.

In Lanzendorf, a village in the municipality of Himmelkron, two Kneipp facilities invite you to enjoy Kneipp therapy: one at Griesplatz and the other in the car park at the entrance to the village in the direction of Himmelkron. Alongside places for walks and the leisure park, Kneipp facilities are therefore available at two named locations in Lanzendorf.

Guided Tours and Getting Your Bearings

Guided tours of the collegiate church, cloister, Knights’ Chapel and Collegiate Church Museum last about an hour and are available on request; private tours are also possible. Arrange a tour in advance so you can include it as a separate appointment in your plans.

The Himmelkron motorway church is located directly on the A9 and is open to all travellers. Confirm on-site access before your journey.

Kulmbach: Trails, Collections and Historic Sites

The hiking options described in the wider Kulmbach destination also differ considerably. The nature trail on Kulmbacher Rehberg is about 4 kilometres long and has 21 learning stations. The Frankenwaldsteigla “Rehbergweg” is an 11-kilometre circular route from Plassenburg Castle to Rehberg, through Kulmbach’s old town and back to the starting point. The nature trail focuses on its learning stations and approximate length; the Rehbergweg on its circular route and the places along the way. Trail conditions may change; check the current situation before setting out.

Cultural attractions also have their own distinctive features: at Plassenburg Castle in Kulmbach, the German Tin Figure Museum houses more than 300,000 individual figures arranged in around 150 dioramas. In Wonsees, Zwernitz Castle was first mentioned in an official document in 1156 as the ancestral seat of the Walpoten; it lies directly beside the Sanspareil Rock Garden. The Rock Theatre in the grove, the Oriental Building and the Kitchen Building have all been preserved there to this day.

Choose your search based on which of these themes you want to shape your trip.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Neudrossenfeld, Grafengehaig, Mainleus, Presseck, Marktleugast, Stadtsteinach, Kasendorf, Thurnau.

Return to the main travel overview: Kulmbach.