Eisenach: Hiking Trails, Wartburg and Cultural History

There are different ways to discover Eisenach: hiking through a geologically ancient rocky gorge and exploring the stories associated with Wartburg Castle, Luther, Bach and automobile manufacturing. The city brings together specific nature and culture themes that you can weigh up when planning your trip and choosing where to stay.

Hiking: Two routes to Hohe Sonne

One hike leads from Eisenach’s market square through the Drachenschlucht gorge to Hohe Sonne. It is 6.5 kilometres long, takes about three hours and has 320 metres of elevation gain. The other route also starts at the market square and reaches Hohe Sonne via Drachenstein. This hike is listed as 7.5 kilometres long, takes about three hours and has 250 metres of elevation gain. This makes it easy to compare the two routes: the one through the Drachenschlucht gorge is shorter and has more elevation gain, while the route via Drachenstein is longer and has less elevation gain. Both take about the same amount of time.

The Drachenschlucht gorge on the Steinbach is a walkable rocky gorge that is 250 million years old. Access may be affected by weather, safety closures or conservation measures. Guided hikes through the gorge provide information about its history, geology, botany and wildlife; availability depends on the provider.

The Rennsteig hiking trail, which begins in Eisenach-Hörschel, is another option for hikers. This gives you a choice of different starting points for planning your day: two hikes from the market square to Hohe Sonne and the start of the Rennsteig in Hörschel.

Wartburg Castle, Luther and Bach

Wartburg Castle, almost a thousand years old, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its richly decorated buildings and rooms illustrate medieval and Late Romanesque architecture and ways of life. The castle is also associated with Martin Luther’s Bible translation and the life and work of Saint Elisabeth. Its architecture and history give a visit to Eisenach a distinctive focus.

The Luther House in Eisenach presents Martin Luther as a pupil, reformer and Bible translator. The exhibition includes unique medieval art treasures, works by Cranach and Johann Sebastian Bach’s baptismal register entry. St. George’s Church, the town’s main church, also has a connection to Bach: it is where he was baptised and was founded by Ludwig III at the end of the 12th century. The Wartburg Festival of the Burschenschaften in 1817 originated at this church.

The “automobile welt eisenach” offers a different perspective on the city’s history. In a historic factory hall, it displays historic vehicles, bodywork studies, prototypes and construction plans. The exhibits also include a historic Dixi repair workshop from 1912, covering about 60 square metres. It contains twelve original machine tools powered by transmission belts, as well as a carpentry shop and a wheelwright’s workshop. This look inside the workshop complements the history of vehicles and design with examples of craft work.

Events throughout the year

Eisenach’s Frühlingsfest Sommergewinn takes place every year three weeks before Easter; the exact dates vary with the date of Easter. The Telemann Days are held in Eisenach every two years, with the programme dates varying from one edition to the next. If either festival is important to your travel dates, check the dates for the relevant year. These recurring events add a specific reason to plan your trip around a particular time of year, alongside the hiking and cultural themes.

Choosing Eisenach as your accommodation destination

If you want your trip to combine hikes starting from the market square with Eisenach’s cultural attractions, you can choose Eisenach as your accommodation search destination. If you also want to include destinations elsewhere in the wider Wartburgkreis travel region, consider that region as a separate part of your planning. Deciding whether to focus on Eisenach or on a broader regional itinerary can help you choose the right accommodation destination.

More places to visit in the wider Wartburgkreis travel region

The wider Wartburgkreis travel region has other distinctive cultural destinations. Creuzburg, more than 830 years old, is one of Germany’s larger Romanesque castle complexes, with a curtain wall perimeter of over 340 metres and an enclosed area of 7,400 square metres. The Point Alpha memorial offers a different historical perspective as an authentic Cold War site. In the House on the Border, a permanent exhibition tells the story of the division of Germany. These destinations broaden the regional perspective but remain separate attractions in Wartburgkreis.

Discover more destinations: Dermbach, Merkers-Kieselbach, Tiefenort, Kaltenlengsfeld, Mihla, Ruhla, Behringen, Steinbach.

Back to the wider travel overview: Wartburg.