Weida: Discover Leatherworking and Culture

Get to know Weida through its crafts, history and culture. The tannery, St. Mary’s Church, Osterburg Castle and the Weidscher Kuchenmarkt (Weida Cake Market) each offer a different focus for your stay.

Leatherworking and Visitor Information

At the tannery, visitors can learn how many steps it takes to turn cowhide into durable sole leather. The focus is not just on the finished material, but also on how it is made. For travelers who enjoy finding out how a familiar product is created, this offers a hands-on look at a traditional craft.

The tourist information office is located in the castle guardhouse at the foot of Osterburg Castle. It provides information about restaurants, accommodation, places to visit, and hiking and cycling routes.

Church, Castle and Cake Market

St. Mary’s Church (“Sankt Marien”) is the former monastery church of the Franciscan Order. Its former purpose gives the building a clear historical significance. Osterburg Castle in Weida offers a different cultural focus. It houses a museum, a gallery, an artists’ studio, exhibition and event spaces, as well as dining facilities. Check which facilities are currently open before visiting.

The Weidscher Kuchenmarkt traditionally offers many varieties of homemade cake. Bakeries, individuals, clubs and young bakers all contribute. The variety of participants makes the market a culinary attraction that goes beyond the offerings of individual bakeries. If you are planning your trip specifically around the market, check the event dates.

In the wider Greiz destination

The wider destination of Greiz also offers its own cultural attractions. 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 associated culture of small-state residences. A multimedia historical experience, featuring a computer-animated history of the building and an interactive journey through time, adds another dimension to this historical perspective.

The Lower Castle in Greiz houses a museum and a textile demonstration workshop. Established in 1998, the workshop showcases the production and history of Greiz’s textile industry; children and adults can take part in the hands-on production process. Alongside exhibitions, Greiz also offers the chance to get involved in a craft.

Architecture and parkland offer further highlights in Greiz: the Summer Palace was built as a summer residence for the Princes of Reuss Elder Line and is one of the earliest Neoclassical buildings in Central Germany. Greiz Park lies at the foot of the wooded Schlossberg and is a 19th-century landscape park. The entire complex is designated a national cultural monument. The Summer Palace is a 550-metre walk from the Bruno-Bergner-Straße stop, 700 metres from the Puschkinplatz stop, and one kilometre from Greiz railway station. Check the route information in advance.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Gera, Hain, Zeulenroda-Triebes, Bad Köstritz, Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf, Münchenbernsdorf, Zadelsdorf, Auma-Weidatal

Return to the main travel overview: Greiz.