Discover Korbach: Fossils, Hanseatic history and gold mining

Korbach combines the history of a medieval Hanseatic town with a fossil site of European importance and evidence of historic gold mining. Town walls, rocks and trails offer a variety of themes: you can explore the history of the old town, examine the geological history of the Korbach Fissure or discover routes on the Eisenberg. When choosing accommodation, it helps to start by asking which of these themes you want to shape your stay. The routes also vary in length, from the 2.1 km old-town trail to the approximately 20 km GeoPfad.

Fossils, rocks and geological history

The Wolfgang Bonhage Museum Korbach covers three themes that define the town’s character: the world-famous fossils of the Korbach Fissure, the medieval Hanseatic town’s 1,000-year history and evidence of historic gold mining on the Eisenberg. Geological history, urban development and mining history thus come together under one roof.

The Korbach Fissure is a fossil site containing Late Permian vertebrates. Alongside the UNESCO World Heritage Site Messel Pit, it is considered the most significant paleontological monument in Hesse and the oldest known fossil-bearing fissure in Europe. At the GeoFoyer Kalkturm Korbach, you can explore the landscape and wildlife of 250 million years ago. The rocks found near Korbach illustrate how this ancient landscape formed. The fossil site and the GeoFoyer therefore offer two different ways to explore geological history.

Town history on trails through Korbach

The “Between the Walls” trail runs for 2.1 km between the two medieval town walls, circling the historic old town. At ten stops, you can discover fascinating facts and curiosities from the town’s history and learn about modern-day Korbach. The route starts and ends at the Wolfgang Bonhage Museum Korbach, by the town model. It links views of the walls with stories about the town they enclose.

The Gold Trail offers another route through the medieval Hanseatic town: gold coins set into the ground lead to Korbach’s attractions. The signs of historic mining can be seen in different forms. The “Gold Trail” educational path features evidence of above-ground mining; further evidence can be found underground in the visitor mine.

Gold mining and trails on the Eisenberg

The Korbach GeoPfad is an approximately 20 km circular route connecting the Korbach Fissure with the Eisenberg near Goldhausen. The Eisenberg is home to Germany’s largest gold deposit, a visitor mine and the “Gold Trail” educational path. At the Eisenberg Gold Visitor Mine, you can experience historic mining up close. The route thus links the fossil site with places where gold mining has its own story in Korbach.

For a different way to experience the Eisenberg, there are 10 km of singletrack trails at the Eisenberg near Korbach-Goldhausen. The trails were completed in summer 2023 and linked into four loops of varying difficulty, offering fun for the whole family. The different difficulty levels give you an indication of which loop suits the challenge you’re looking for.

The main trail access point is on the outskirts of Korbach, right by the Südring. There are parking spaces, rest areas and a bicycle repair station. A connecting trail leads from the car park directly to the Eisenberg and to the four singletrack trails in the Korbach trail area. When planning your outings, you can compare the town trails and the Eisenberg loops by their routes and lengths.

More nature and hiking highlights in Waldeck-Frankenberg

The wider destination of Waldeck-Frankenberg offers further nature and cultural experiences to complement Korbach’s themes. The ancient beech forests of Kellerwald-Edersee National Park have been part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage since 2011. The 66-kilometre Urwaldsteig Edersee can be hiked in eight stages or as part of a three-day ranger-led hike, with each stage covering around 22 kilometres. These options can help with planning if you’re looking for a hike over several stages rather than individual trails.

Discover more destinations: Goldhausen, Lengefeld, Hillershausen, Haina, Edertal, Burgwald, Diemelsee, Lichtenfels.

For the wider travel overview: Waldeck-Frankenberg.