Feasibility study: „European city and culture tourism – Thuringian ...

Final report, VIA REGIA „European city- and culture tourism“
- Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750)
- Charlotte von Stein (1742 – 1827)
- Ernst Abbe (1840 – 1905)
Wutha-Farnroda
Wutha with its district Farnroda gains its special character by the historic town centre with
the castle tower dated back to the 12 th century and the palace garden. Another interesting
monument is the bell tower of the Laurentiuskirche of Farnroda. The “Röbersche Park” at the
townhall ranks among the most beautiful parks of the region. The municipal area possesses
also many natural monuments, such as the Small Hörsel-Hill. Well worth seeing is as well a
memorial „In den Erlengräben“, which was erected in the year 1946.
Laucha
The village being rich in historical events is situated at a low, south-oriented cove of the
Hörseltal. Sights, worth seeing are the St. Kilians-Kirche, which was reconstructed into a hall
church after a major fire, a palace garden and memorials like the Steinkreuz, which
commemorates a murder case.
Waltershausen
Waltershausen is said to be the gate to the Thuringian Forest. As first staging post in this
scenically attractive region and, at the same time, for its cultural-historical sights, this place
is definitely worth a visit. The Castle Tenneberg (see picture documentation, image 3), the
museum of local history, the parish church with the largest baroque organ of Thuringia, as
well as the Salzmann Guth-Muths Memorial place are only a few of the highlights in the
town. The significant puppet-making craft, once an export hit of the toy industry of the GDR
contributed to the popular reputation, Waltershausen has gained over the years. A natural-
and cultural-historic heritage trail completes the attractivity of Waltershausen.
Friedrichroda
The small town Friedrichroda is considered to be an interesting side trip with a
“Marienglashöhle”, a former mine which reveals a lot of details about the formation of the
Thuringian Forest and the mining around Friedrichroda. Moreover, Thuringian´s smallest
brewery can be visited here.
Hörselgau
The long-distance cycling trail Thuringian city cluster leads through that town, where the first
seamless firehose was manufactured as a memorial tablet tells, which can be found at that
house, where Johann Jacob Burbach, a master clothes weaver, ran his business. Apart from
that, a war memorial to remember of the fallen troops in World War I and II, and a communal
grave with a memorial cross can be visited in Hörselgau.
Gotha
This day-stage ends in Gotha which is known as former residence city of the dukedom
Saxony-Gotha. Once, the city was a central market place and post station at an intersection
of the VIA REGIA. Many historical buildings invite for both, individual and guided city tours:
Worth a visit are, among others, restored town houses with Baroque portals at the main
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