Mehltheuer: Discover hiking trails and history

Hiking trails, a musical instrument museum and historic buildings offer different ways to explore Mehltheuer. Deciding which of these you want to shape your stay is a helpful first step in planning your trip and looking for suitable accommodation.

Hiking trails with clear waypoints

The “Vogtland’s Fruit” discovery trail connects the green-marked hiking trail between Kürbitz and Mehltheuer with the VogtlandPanoramaWeg at the Großer Weidenteich nature reserve in Neundorf. On the Kürbitz–Mehltheuer hiking trail, the route climbs from Thossen to the Reuther Linde; from there, you can enjoy a view across the Vogtland. The route descriptions thus bring together named trail connections and a specific landscape landmark.

The 10 km Dragon Circular Trail starts at the sports field in Mehltheuer. A green dot and the dragon Justus mark the route. Its length, starting point and markers give you specific clues to distinguish this circular trail from the other routes described.

For cycling, there is a shortened version of the Dragon Cycle Route. It runs from Fröbersgrün via Klein Amerika and Grenzweg to Mehltheuer, then returns to Syrau via Schneckengrün and Kauschwitz. The sequence of places is a different planning guide from the length and markers of the Dragon Circular Trail: the hiking and cycling options can therefore be distinguished by the features specified for each.

Instruments and local history

Mehltheuer is home to the 32 m² museum “The World’s Smallest Musical Instrument Museum.” Its collection includes more than 350 historic instruments, including a hunting horn dating from 1662. Many different instruments are therefore housed in a small space alongside an item with a particularly long history. The hunting horn offers a specific point of interest if you are interested in historic musical instruments.

A guided tour also gives you the opportunity to visit the demonstration workshop. Plucked, bowed and reed instruments are made there. This adds insight into different types of instruments and how they are made to the view of the collection; visiting the workshop is part of the guided tour.

The Waldhaus Mehltheuer offers another glimpse into local history. As of 31 August 2026, the register of listed monuments includes it as a listed inn with an excursion restaurant and hall extension dating from 1898. The building is considered significant for its architectural, local and social history. It is therefore a distinct point of reference for the architectural and social history of Mehltheuer.

The history of the town also includes the Mehltheuer subcamp, which operated in the former tulle factory from 2 December 1944 to 16 April 1945. Machine parts were produced there for Vogtländische Maschinenfabrik AG (VOMAG). The prisoners were housed in a barracks connected to the factory.

St Stephen’s Chapel was built as a wooden barracks in 1958. Since then, it has served the parish of Mehltheuer and Oberpirk as a place of worship and meeting. Its design, year of construction and continuing role in the parish make it another clearly defined part of local history.

When planning your trip, you can first decide whether hiking, cycling, or culture and local history will be your main focus. This will help you choose accommodation based on the experiences that interest you most in Mehltheuer.

Discover more destinations: Neumark, Syrau, Mühlental, Jössnitz, Möschwitz, Netzschkau, Rodewisch, Elsterberg

Return to the main travel overview: Vogtland.