Crispendorf: Wisenta, Railway and History

The Crispendorf holiday area is located in the Wisenta Valley. The holiday railway and a nearby hiking trail provide a distinctive way to navigate the landscape: the Crispendorf holiday railway runs along the Wisenta and crosses the Saale-Wisenta-Plothengrund circular hiking trail. This lets you plan your trip around the river, railway and hiking route without confusing these different destinations with one another.

The Wisenta and the Holiday Railway

The Crispendorf holiday railway is also a good starting point for a short walk. Train services may vary by season, so check the information for your intended travel dates before your visit. The crossing with the circular hiking trail offers a specific point of reference if you are considering including a hike and the railway in your plans. When planning your day, you can weigh up whether a short walk or the circular trail better suits your plans.

If you are travelling with children, it helps to organize your ideas for the day around your family’s interests: would you mainly like to experience the railway, spend time by the river or include a hiking route? The connections between the routes mentioned here provide guidance; they do not replace checking the railway’s seasonal service information.

St. Nicholas Chapel in Dörflas

A historical highlight in the vicinity of Crispendorf is St. Nicholas Chapel in Dörflas. The Wetzel industrialist family had it built in 1935; it remained in private ownership until 1945. After decades of being forgotten, the chapel was brought back to life in 1998/99 by a small group of local initiative members. It was rededicated as St. Nicholas Chapel at Pentecost 1999.

The chapel is located directly on the international Budapest–Eisenach hiking trail. Hikers stop there to rest. This place thus brings together a long history and a direct connection to hiking. For your trip planning, Dörflas is a separate day-trip destination in the vicinity of your main destination—not the same as the railway line in Crispendorf.

Culture and Landscape in the Wider Schleiz Destination

The wider Schleiz destination offers further cultural and historical attractions. Schleiz’s “Alte Münze” visitor information centre has a permanent exhibition about Johann Friedrich Böttger and the history of the Meissen porcelain factory. Dr. Konrad Duden was headmaster of the Gymnasium in the Rutheneum in Schleiz from 1869 to 1876. These attractions offer different points of interest: an exhibition on the history of porcelain in one place, and a chapter in the life of the linguist in another.

Architecture and history can also be explored separately in Schleiz. St. Mary’s Hill Church has been used as a place of worship for eight centuries; it features elaborate Baroque decoration and a princely crypt containing the coffins of the Counts and Princes of Reuss. Burgk Castle is one of the few surviving late medieval castles in Thuringia. Its special features include historic state and living rooms, as well as a well-preserved collection of historic interior furnishings.

Motorsport history is another Schleiz attraction: the Schleizer Dreieck is Germany’s oldest natural race track and lies south of the small town of Schleiz. In the old start and finish building, the “motorwelt Schleizer Dreieck” displays vehicles from different eras of the road circuit’s more than hundred-year history. The exhibition may change, so check the latest information if you are planning a visit.

For outdoor activities, the Schleiz municipal area offers numerous circular hiking trails, including family-friendly routes through landscapes of meadows and forests, with views of the Saale reservoirs. Check local conditions and any temporary closures before setting out. The Vogtland Cultural Trail is a short walking tour through Schleiz, taking in cultural and historical sights. The Oberland Cycle Route also provides a cycling route from Schleiz to the Thuringian Sea.

The Burgk Saale Tower also offers a specific point of comparison when planning your outings: it is 43 metres high, with 192 steps leading to the viewing platform; the maximum visibility is 32 kilometres. These figures help you see this viewpoint as a different experience from a town walk or a hike.

Finding the Right Accommodation for Your Trip

When looking for accommodation for your stay, first decide which themes are most important to your trip: the Wisenta and the Crispendorf holiday railway, St. Nicholas Chapel in the vicinity, or cultural and hiking destinations in the wider Schleiz area. For families, the explicitly family-friendly circular hiking trails in the Schleiz municipal area may be particularly relevant.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Gefell, Ranis, Remptendorf, Moßbach, Schleiz, Pottiga, Altengesees, Blankenstein

Back to the wider travel overview: Saale-Orla.