Saalburg-Ebersdorf: Reservoir, Castle Park and History

The Bleiloch Reservoir and Ebersdorf Castle Park give Saalburg-Ebersdorf two distinctive landscapes: a large body of water and a landscaped park. Historical sites in Ebersdorf, Saalburg and Friesau add to the picture. When planning your trip, it is worth asking what you would like your stay to focus on: water, parkland and trees, or history and churches?

The reservoir and park as distinct focal points

The Bleiloch Reservoir is 28 kilometres long and holds 215 million cubic metres of water. Within the wider Saale-Orla destination, it is Germany’s largest reservoir. These figures give an impression of the scale of the body of water; Saaletal passenger boat trips depart from the mooring in Saalburg and travel either to the dam or via Zoppoten, Heinrichstein and Saaldorf to Harra. Check the current timetable before planning a trip.

Ebersdorf Castle Park is a 50-hectare landscape park and a monument to landscape and garden design of regional and national significance. Alongside the reservoir, it offers a different kind of landscape: the park is about landscaped grounds and its trees. Since spring 2016, visitors have been able to learn about the trees and the distinctive features of the species growing there on the tree trail. Small signs display photos and the names of the tree species, as well as QR codes; additional information can be accessed on a smartphone. Four ninth-grade students from Bad Lobenstein secondary school developed and created the trail as a project. Check the trail’s condition before your visit.

History at specific sites

The park’s history is also connected with a specific event: On 6 August 1931, the coffins of the last Prince of Reuss-Schleiz, his wife and two sons were transferred from Schleiz Mountain Church to Ebersdorf and buried in crypts in the park.

The “Johann Amos Comenius” exhibition and meeting centre is housed in the former Brethren House of the Moravian Church community. Saalburg’s St. Mary’s Church was founded between 1206 and 1223 and is considered one of the oldest churches in the surrounding area. In Friesau, St. Leonhard’s Church houses a communion chalice dating from 1509, made by Schleiz goldsmith Andreas Eckart. Two circular walking routes also pass through Friesau. Here, paths through the village meet a single, precisely dated example of historic craftsmanship.

Plan your trip and find accommodation

For the active part of your trip, the hiking taxi offers flexible transfers along the Bleiloch Reservoir and around the Thuringian Sea. The service lists daily operating hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and a partnership with four regional taxi companies. Check current operating times and booking availability before setting out.

When searching for accommodation, you can use the focus of your stay as a criterion: water and boat trips, the park and its trees, or local history. If you would like to combine several themes, decide which ones you want to shape your trip most. This lets you tailor your search to your own plans rather than using a single attraction as the measure of your entire stay.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Bad Lobenstein, Neustadt An Der Orla, Gefell, Neundorf, Ziegenrück, Peuschen, Ranis, Stanau.

For the wider travel overview: Saale-Orla.