Mellingen: Art, the Ilm Valley and Thuringian Traditions

In the middle Ilm Valley, Mellingen brings together a riverside landscape, art history and local festival traditions. The Feininger Tower gives the town a distinctive artistic theme, while the Ilm and its meadows shape the local recreational area. When choosing accommodation, you can decide whether rail and road access, architectural history or the regional landscape should be the main focus of your stay.

Art and architectural history in Mellingen

At the southeastern edge of town stands the Feininger Tower, built in 1999 by Swiss artist and architect Marcel Kalberer. The art installation is dedicated to Lyonel Feininger and inspired by the artist’s painting style. It is also known as “Double Motif” and is based on Feininger’s 1920 painting “The Church of Mellingen.” This creates a direct connection between a structure and a specific artistic motif. The landmark is also relevant to cyclists: the Feininger Cycle Path passes by the tower.

St. George’s Parish Church adds another perspective on the town’s history. Its present form dates to 1669, when it was created from a medieval chancel-tower church; the nave was renovated between 1724 and 1730. Another trace of the past is the medieval Mellingen Castle, belonging to the Lords of Mellingen, mentioned in 1137. It is located on the B87 and is designated a protected archaeological monument. The Malzdarre is also home to the mayor’s office and the local history room. These buildings and places give Mellingen a range of historical facets, from the Middle Ages to 20th-century art.

The Ilm meadows and Mellingen’s festival traditions

The Ilm and its meadows shape Mellingen and today serve mainly as a recreational area. The riverside landscape is therefore part of the town’s character, alongside art and architectural history. Local festival traditions offer a different focus: Mellingen’s Kirmes is celebrated as a five-day festival. A week later, on Whit Sunday, the Malzdarre hosts a morning gathering with hearty music and substantial food prepared in accordance with Thuringian purity standards. The spring Kirmes also includes the so-called Kritzekrebs Market. Specific events may vary; check the current festival dates before your trip.

Getting here and choosing accommodation

Mellingen is right by exit 50 Apolda on the A4 motorway. The town also has a station on the Weimar–Gera railway line. From there, connections take 5 minutes to Weimar, 12 minutes to Jena, 29 minutes to Erfurt and 54 minutes to Gera. Mellingen can also be reached on PVG Weimarer Land bus routes 229, 253 and 255. As timetables and connections may change, check the details for your travel date.

For road travel, the adjoining B87 provides a useful reference: it leads directly from Mellingen to Apolda and, in the opposite direction, to Bad Berka and Blankenhain. Weimar is easily reached from Mellingen via state road 2161; the road connects the Weimarer Land district with the independent city of Weimar.

A distinct regional focus in the Weimarer Land

Within the broader destination of the Weimarer Land, the Thuringian Three Towers Trail offers a distinctive hiking focus. This circular trail runs through the southern Weimarer Land, across the protected landscape of the Middle Ilm Valley, and links the Paulinenturm near Bad Berka, the Hainturm in Belvedere Forest near Weimar, and the Carolinenturm near Blankenhain. This offers a different regional perspective from Mellingen’s art and local history. If you would like to include both themes in your travel plans, consider them as separate focal points when looking for accommodation.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Vollersroda, Hohenfelden, Blankenhain, Tonndorf, Niederzimmern, Berlstedt, Auerstedt, Niedertrebra.

Go to the overview of the wider region: Weimarer Land.