Probstzella between Bauhaus and the Green Belt

In Probstzella, Bauhaus history meets traces of the former inner-German border. The landscape also has a special connection to border history: the area around Probstzella is part of the Green Belt. During the decades of border closure, particularly valuable biotopes developed along the former border strip and have been well preserved. The town thus combines cultural and historical discoveries with trails through a landscape shaped by its past.

Bauhaus Architecture and Local History

Built in 1927, the Haus des Volkes in Probstzella is the largest Bauhaus complex in Thuringia. It was constructed between 1925 and 1927 as a hotel and community center; Bauhaus student Alfred Arndt was the architect. The building’s original use is therefore part of its history, alongside the period in which it was built. Today, it houses a theater and a concert hall. This gives you a distinct cultural focus for planning your trip, separate from the themes covered by the museums and the trails through the landscape.

Border History in Two Museums

The GDR Border Station Museum is housed in the old railway station building, dating from 1885. The local history museum explores other aspects of the town’s past: it recreates the former Probstzella post office and a grocery store, and provides background on the history of slate mining in the Probstzella area. You can also follow in the footsteps of the former inner-German border there.

The local history museum’s exhibition also features some unusual dimensions: it includes about 120 meters of railway track and around 2,000 trees, as well as numerous faithful reproductions of houses in Probstzella. A guided tour of the exhibition is available on request; there are no regular opening hours. If you would like to include this museum visit in your plans, request a guided tour in advance. Together with the Border Station Museum, it offers a varied perspective on buildings, local life, slate mining and the former border.

Border Hikes and the Slate Trail

If you would like to explore more of the border’s history outdoors, you can arrange guided border hikes around Probstzella with trained nature guides on request. The Slate Trail offers another way to estimate how much time to set aside for an excursion: it includes a short circular route around Probstzella, which takes about two to four hours. The longer circular route is about 60 kilometers long and connects Probstzella with Lehesten, Ludwigsstadt and Gräfenthal. This lets you choose between a shorter circular route with an estimated walking time and an extensive route connecting several towns.

In the wider area around Probstzella, you can also travel along the Loquitz cycle path on foot or by bicycle. The options therefore differ not only in length, but also in how you get around. The excursions give you different points of reference when choosing where to stay, without making any one type of trip the sole reason to visit the area.

Discover more destinations: Schwarzburg, Meura, Barigau, Reichmannsdorf, Rudolstadt, Leutnitz, Bad Blankenburg, Gräfenthal.

Go to the regional travel overview: Saalfeld-Rudolstadt.