Discover Hildburghausen

A history as a ducal residence, a historic castle garden and a cycling route that starts and ends in the town give Hildburghausen a diverse character. From 1680 to 1826, it was the residential town of the small principality of Saxe-Hildburghausen. When planning your stay, you can choose from insights into local history, garden culture and regional themes.

History brought to life in buildings and collections

Since 1993, the Hildburghausen Town Museum has been housed in the listed “Alte Post” building, which was restored from 1989 to 1993. Its permanent exhibition traces the town’s history: from its first documented mention in 1234, through crafts in the small farming town and court life, to industrialisation in the 19th century and everyday life in the 20th century. A special section of the collection features first editions published by the Bibliographisches Institut of Joseph and Hermann Meyer, including a 52-volume first edition of Meyer’s Encyclopaedia.

The town theatre also has a long history. It was built in 1721 as a ballroom and fencing hall and converted into a ducal court theatre around 1755. The town theatre is one of Germany’s oldest freestanding theatres with continuous performances. The Christ Church tells a different part of the town’s story: after the town fire of 1779, it was built on the site of the destroyed late Gothic town church of St. Lorenz and consecrated on 24 November 1785. Its design combines late Baroque elements with a distinctly Neoclassical character.

The town hall was built in 1395 on the site of a stone house that had burned down, and served as both a council house and a market hall. It is probably the oldest surviving building in the town. Restoration work on the Bismarck Tower on the 496-metre-high Stadtberg began in 1997; the tower was ceremonially reopened on 3 October 1998. Together with the themes of the permanent exhibition, these sites offer different ways to explore history through architecture, theatre and the development of everyday life.

Castle garden and cycling route

The surviving castle garden was laid out as a Baroque garden around 1700 and transformed into a landscape park around 1780. A canal built around 1700 surrounds the grounds, which cover just under six hectares. These dates bring the evolution of garden design into focus: the Baroque garden was followed by a landscape park. The castle garden is a destination in its own right, alongside the town’s buildings and museum.

A cycling route is also directly connected with Hildburghausen: the “Around the District Town of Hildburghausen” route starts and ends in the town. It can therefore be considered a trip in its own right, without requiring a particular distance or riding time. When planning accommodation, it may be helpful to decide first whether you want to focus mainly on the town’s history, the castle garden or also include other places in the district.

The wider area: Hildburghausen District

Hildburghausen District includes an extensive, continuous forest area in Thuringian Forest Nature Park and is also shaped by the Vessertal Biosphere Reserve, among other features. It is an important part of the Thuringian Forest recreation region. These regional landscapes add nature and hiking experiences to Hildburghausen’s urban focus, while keeping the town’s distinctive features separate from those of the district as a whole.

Cultural destinations in the district include Hennebergisches Museum Kloster Veßra and the German Castle Museum at Veste Heldburg. The six-hectare Kloster Veßra open-air museum explores four themes: the history of the monastery; half-timbered architecture and everyday life in the Henneberg region; agricultural technology; and sustainability. At the German Castle Museum, the permanent exhibition takes visitors on a tour of the entire Veste Heldburg. It explores the history and culture of castles in Europe from the Middle Ages to the present day, including how castle architecture changed from one period to the next.

Nature observation and regional history can also be combined. From the roof of the observation platform in the Rodachaue grazing landscape, visitors can enjoy panoramic views across the meadows. Konik horses and Heck cattle help maintain a natural landscape there. Opened in November 2009, the Zweiländermuseum Rodachtal takes visitors on a journey through the 20th century in the Rodachtal border region. Another glimpse into the past awaits at the Natural History Museum: a vaulted room displays a suit of armour and a two-handed sword, alongside large-format Secco wall paintings depicting the story of Hercules, dating from around 1600.

For hikers and cyclists, the Werra Valley offers further opportunities across the district: it is ideal for hiking and cycling, and river trips are also possible downstream from Themar. In the district, the Werra Valley Cycle Route runs through the Werra floodplains and is especially popular for rides downstream. The Mühlenwanderweg (Mill Trail) in the municipality of Straufhain is about seven kilometres long. It passes through an area where nine grain and saw mills once operated; information boards at the former mill sites describe the facilities. For winter sports enthusiasts, the municipality of Masserberg, including Heubach, Schnett and Fehrenbach, has more than 70 kilometres of cross-country ski trails, as well as numerous ski touring routes. Trail distances and grooming conditions may vary by season.

Discover more destinations

Bischofrod, Auengrund, Langenbach, Schnett, Themar, Masserberg, Reurieth, Lichtenau

Back to the main travel overview: Hildburghausen-Suhl.