Stützerbach: Goethe, Glass History and the AtemWeg

Goethe’s stays, the history of technical glass and the AtemWeg give Stützerbach a range of distinct attractions. The town is also located in a zone of the Thuringian Forest UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. These themes give you a practical starting point for planning your trip: are you most interested in local history, the history of technology or the AtemWeg?

Goethe’s connection to Stützerbach

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe visited Stützerbach thirteen times from 1776 onward and stayed at the Gundelach House, now a museum. The Goethehaus Stützerbach Museum preserves this historical connection at a specific location. The ground floor of the museum houses an exhibition on the history of technical glass in Stützerbach. Goethe’s history and the history of glass meet here, though they are not the same subject: one leads to the poet’s stays, the other to the town’s technological development.

Glass history and technological development

The manufacture and processing of glass have significantly shaped Stützerbach. The town also has another story of technological development: the first X-ray tube was developed and tested for the first time in Stützerbach. Glassmaking and the X-ray tube therefore represent distinct technological subjects with a direct connection to Stützerbach. If you are interested in the history of technology, you can explore these aspects as a focus of your trip alongside the town’s connection to Goethe.

The AtemWeg and the biosphere reserve

Along the AtemWeg, eleven stations introduce exercises to strengthen lung and heart function, as well as breathing techniques, breathing relaxation and breathing meditation. The activities range from physical exercises to calmer breathing practices. This gives your stay a different focus from the historical connections of Goethe House and the history of glass. Stützerbach’s location in a zone of the Thuringian Forest UNESCO Biosphere Reserve adds the context of a protected area to this description of the town.

More to explore in the Ilmenau travel destination

The wider Ilmenau travel destination offers further themes. The Kickelhahn, Ilmenau’s local mountain, is 861 metres high; its 21-metre observation tower is one of the city’s landmarks. Three different trails at the Lindenberg Trail Park invite you to go mountain biking. If you plan to ride there, check the latest information locally in advance. The 20-kilometre Goethewanderweg, which connects places where Goethe worked from Ilmenau to Stützerbach, links the towns through their shared connection to Goethe. Its length makes it a distinct point to consider when planning your trip.

Plan your stay around your interests

This way, your search for accommodation in Stützerbach can reflect the interests that actually bring you to the town. If you would also like to include Ilmenau, the Kickelhahn and the Lindenberg Trail Park, for example, offer different points of interest. The Goethewanderweg connects the two towns through their shared connections to Goethe over a 20-kilometre route, and can be included as a separate route in your plans.

Discover more destinations: Wolfsberg, Wipfratal, Frankenhain, Gehren, Elgersburg, Behringen, Elleben, Geraberg.

Go to the wider travel overview: Ilm-Kreis.