Discover Benshausen: Landscape and Local History

Benshausen lies in the narrow valley of the Lichtenau. Shady mixed forests line mountain slopes that rise to heights of up to 750 metres. The area also has a local history that can be traced through its church buildings and themes such as agriculture, small businesses and historic trade. This gives the town several different focal points to help you plan your trip: landscape, architectural history and the past of the district.

Lichtenau Valley and wooded slopes

The narrow Lichtenau Valley gives Benshausen a distinct landscape. Shady mixed forests stretch along the mountain slopes, which rise to heights of up to 750 metres. The valley and the ridges are the defining features of the local landscape: the focus is not on a single viewpoint, but on the interplay between the narrow valley and its wooded slopes. If the landscape is a priority for your trip, this combination is a useful guide when choosing where to stay.

Church architecture and the history of the district

The church on Benshausen’s market square was built in 1423. Another important date is 1791: the present-day St Thomas’s Church dates from that year and retains the lower section of the old church tower. The two dates mark different stages in the area’s architectural history. The preserved lower section of the tower provides a tangible link between the old church tower and the present-day church.

The museums also offer distinct historical perspectives. The Lapp Museum houses an exhibition on small businesses and agriculture in earlier times. The Benshausen Local History Museum explores the district’s historical significance as the seat of a Centgericht (a regional court) and as a centre for the wine trade and freight transport. The topics range from work and agriculture to trade and local history. Benshausen therefore offers several clearly distinct perspectives for a culture-focused trip, without having to combine them into a single historical narrative.

Swimming with seasonal opening in mind

For the 2025 swimming season, the town announced that the “Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn” outdoor swimming pool in the Benshausen district would be open for swimming and relaxation. If you are planning a visit to swim, please check current seasonal opening arrangements.

More to explore in the wider destination of Zella-Mehlis

The wider destination of Zella-Mehlis has its own landscape and cultural highlights. From Lerchenberg, at an elevation of just under 560 metres, you can enjoy panoramic views across the town and surrounding forests. Those looking for a challenging hike can follow the Drei-Felsen-Pfad in Zella-Mehlis: this circular trail is 9.3 kilometres long and rated difficult. It leads to three rock formations with views across the Zella-Mehlis basin, the Thuringian Forest and as far as the Rhön. At Heinrichsbacher Stein, climbing routes with difficulty grades from 3 to 9 are available. The viewpoints, hiking route and climbing appeal to different interests, while the trail’s length and rating also provide a practical guide when choosing an activity.

Zella-Mehlis also offers opportunities to experience culture and get involved. The eXplorata interactive discovery centre covers 1,300 square metres and has more than 100 hands-on experiment stations. The Bürgerhaus is a significant half-timbered building showcasing Henneberg-Franconian half-timbered architecture; its gallery hosts changing exhibitions by internationally, nationally and regionally renowned artists. The Zella St Blaise Church is another architectural highlight: its transversely oval floor plan, hipped gable roof and tower projecting from the centre of the north wall make it one of the most significant ecclesiastical central-plan buildings in Thuringia.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Trusetal-Laudenbach, Henneberg, Kaltensundheim, Hümpfershausen, Roßdorf, Floh-Seligenthal, Wasungen, Oepfershausen.

Back to the wider travel overview: Schmalkalden-Meiningen.