Auma-Weidatal: Discover history along the Weida

Auma-Weidatal brings together several clearly distinct historical themes: the old parish house on the banks of the Weida, a covered wooden bridge with a long history of reconstruction, and the architectural history of Auma after the town fire of 1790. In Göhren-Döhlen, the Weidatal Festival adds a recurring event to the mix. This gives you several reasons to plan a trip, centered on river and architectural history as well as a specific festival weekend.

Göhren-Döhlen: Buildings on the Weida and a festival date

The old parish house in Göhren-Döhlen dates from 1712 and stands on the banks of the Weida. The covered wooden bridge also crosses the Weida; it was already standing in 1799. After floods, the bridge had to be rebuilt several times. The two historic landmarks therefore differ: a year of construction is given for the parish house, while the bridge’s history encompasses its early existence and repeated reconstruction. Their riverside location gives the buildings a shared thematic connection, even though their histories are not the same.

The Weidatal Festival in Göhren-Döhlen takes place each year on the last weekend in June in the festival hall by the banks of the Weida and is a recurring local tradition. If the festival determines your travel dates, check the specific event days before setting off. This lets you start planning around the reason for your trip.

Auma: Reconstruction and architectural history

The Old Town Hall and the adjoining Bürgerhäuser (town houses) at Markt 2 and 12, on the long sides of the market square, were rebuilt after the great town fire of 1790. Auma’s Church of Our Lady was also rebuilt after the fire and consecrated in 1794. Its organ was built in 1818 by the organ builder F. W. Trampeli from Adorf in the Vogtland region. These dates show several distinct stages: reconstruction followed the fire, the church was consecrated four years later, and the organ was built 24 years after the consecration. This sequence offers a chronological way to explore Auma’s local history rather than reducing all the buildings to the event of the fire.

The contrast between Göhren-Döhlen and Auma is clear: in Göhren-Döhlen, the riverside, bridge, and June weekend shape the range of themes; in Auma, dates from 1790 to 1818 trace the story of reconstruction and church furnishings. If you are looking for accommodation in Auma-Weidatal, this distinction can help you decide which aspect of local history matters most for your trip.

More cultural themes in the wider Greiz destination

The wider Greiz destination also offers distinct cultural and historical themes. Since 2010, the Upper Castle in Greiz has housed the permanent exhibition “From the Land of the Vogts to the Principality of Reuss, Elder Line.” It explores the history of the Vogts, lords, Imperial Counts, and Imperial Princes of Reuss, as well as the small-state court culture associated with them. The museum in the Upper Castle offers a multimedia history experience, including a computer-animated account of the building’s history and an interactive journey through time.

Another cultural and historical focal point in the wider Greiz destination is the Lower Castle, with its museum and textile demonstration workshop. Established in 1998, the workshop presents the production and history of the Greiz textile industry; children and adults can take part in the hands-on production process. This Greiz attraction combines historical context with the opportunity to participate in making textiles.

The Summer Palace in Greiz was built as a summer residence for the Princes of Reuss, Elder Line, and is among the earliest Neoclassical buildings in central Germany. Greiz Park lies at the foot of the wooded castle hill; as a 19th-century landscape park, the overall grounds are designated a national cultural monument. Together, these examples highlight a different focus from Auma’s town-fire history: in Greiz, courtly residence, Neoclassicism, and park history sit alongside Auma-Weidatal’s local themes of rivers, bridges, and reconstruction.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Harth-Pöllnitz, Großebersdorf, Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf, Bad Köstritz, Langenwolschendorf, Schwarzbach, Gera, Hohenleuben.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Greiz.