Bad Tennstedt: Springs, Spa Park and Town History

Discover Bad Tennstedt through its springs and architectural history. In the spa park, the main spring “Stinkender Molch” and two barefoot paths meet historic sites; the wall, church and gate tell the story of different eras. There are also guided activities covering a range of topics and age groups.

Springs and Spa Park

Bad Tennstedt’s main spring is called “Stinkender Molch” and is located in the present-day spa park. The spring basins at Gläserlöcher and Bruchteich also have a special feature: minerals washed out there create a play of colours. The town thus brings together the name of a particular spring and another natural feature shaped by minerals.

The spa park also has two barefoot paths. The Goethehäuschen is located there as well: it was the town’s first bathhouse and is now a small café. If you plan to visit the café, check its opening hours in advance.

The Heimat- und Brunnenfest is also associated with the spring. Bad Tennstedt celebrates it every year on the last weekend in June in honour of the spring. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, check the date for the relevant year in advance.

Town Wall, Church and Osthöfer Gate

The north tower of the Protestant Trinity Church, also known as Wigberti Church, contains remains of an earlier Romanesque building. Looking at the tower therefore offers a glimpse of an older construction phase that has left its mark on the present-day church building.

The limestone town wall was built between 1443 and 1489 and had four gates. It replaced an earlier fortification with an earthwork rampart and moat. This sequence makes the difference between the two fortifications clear: the limestone town wall belongs to a later construction phase, while the rampart and moat formed the earlier fortification.

The Osthöfer Gate offers another architectural detail to discover. Its passageway has a cross-ribbed vault—the ribs of the vault cross one another. The octagonal structure with a Welsch dome and lantern dates from 1579. The wall, church and gate thus offer different starting points for exploring Bad Tennstedt’s architectural history.

Guided Tours and Getting Your Bearings

The Bad Tennstedt Tourist Information Office is located in the Haus des Gastes, Kurstraße 10, 99955 Bad Tennstedt. From there, the “Von Park zu Park – Wanderweg in den ‚Haun‘ nach Ballhausen” hiking trail starts at the Haus des Gastes in the spa park. The Tourist Information Office lends out two bicycles during its opening hours. If you plan to borrow a bicycle, check the opening hours in advance.

The children’s town tour “In Search of the Christmas Tree and the Unicorn” is offered for grades 1 to 4. Students in grade 5 and above can choose the “A Journey Through Time” tour. The titles reflect different themes; each tour is intended for the specified grade levels. Town tours are available on request or by prior arrangement.

Unstrut-Hainich as a Broader Travel Theme

Bad Tennstedt lies within the broader travel destination of Unstrut-Hainich; the Unstrut-Hainich district is part of the Wartburg Hainich World Heritage Region. At the National Park Centre at Thiemsburg, visitors to the broader Unstrut-Hainich destination can explore culture and knowledge in a different way: its exhibition features films, large-format image walls, interactive experience stations and hands-on elements. The National Park Centre in the broader Unstrut-Hainich destination also offers a fully accessible media guide; tablets and headphones are available to borrow. The broader destination therefore offers more to explore than Bad Tennstedt’s springs and architectural history alone, including other exhibition themes.

Discover more destinations: Herbsleben, Flarchheim, Rodeberg, Kammerforst, Kutzleben, Heyerode, Obermehler, Körner

To the broader travel overview: Unstrut-Hainich.