German Cities Worth Visiting – Eisenach in Thuringia
Beat a Path off the Tourist Track to Northern Germany
Jul 8, 2009
Eisenach, birthplace of J.S. Bach, and home to a famous castle all its own, lies amid the wooded slopes of Germany’s Thuringian state.
The walking trails in the area offer miles of hilly terrain for the stout of heart and foot to explore. Dense forest, small cataracts, wild deer and songbirds haunt this region. If history did not aver that the Grimm Brothers set their stories in the Black Forest, one would imagine the tales happening here. Hansel and Gretel could not find a more picturesque forest in which to lose themselves, nor trolls a better bridge to haunt than the one on the Königstein trail. Yet nature is not the only treasure in this region.
Bach’s Birthplace
If tourists come in search of more urban pleasures, a visit to J.S. Bach’s house should take precedence. During the month of April, the town hosts an annual multiday Bach festival in honor of its famous composer. Whether visiting in April or another time of year, the museum in the Bach house holds a wealth of fascinating info and interactive displays for visitors.
Be sure to sample pastries at the nearby coffee house on the square!
A few blocks away gift shops line the Strasse leading to the Old Town Square. Here stands the church in which Bach once played and Martin Luther sang as a choir boy.
Wartburg Castle
Another “must see” spectacle is Wartburg Castle. It rears its head on the outskirts of Eisenach. This grand fortress of the centuries offers one of the finest examples of different eras of architecture inside its walls and is named a world heritage site by UNESCO.
If the medieval styled minstrel’s gallery in Neuschwanstein captivates viewers, it owes its genius to the original singers’ hall in Wartburg. Here the famous minstrels’ contest made its way into legend after a competition in the early 1200s. Each wing of the castle holds legends in its mortar, from the tale of Hungarian Princess Elizabeth who came as bride, to the monk Martin Luther who hid in the fortress to escape persecution.
Martin Luther Sites
For those following Luther’s footsteps, Eisenach hosts a Luther museum in a house where the Reformer may have stayed once as a boy. While the museum does not contain much of importance, it does offer an inside peek at a burgher’s house in the fifteenth century.
Luther also has a statue towering over the grey cobbles on the plaza inside the city gate, showing a depiction of his work on the New Testament translation while at Wartburg.
Accommodation in Eisenach
Tourists can find less drafty lodging than Luther in any of the town’s numerous B&Bs or hotels. For budget conscious travelers, the Pension in the Park offers clean, spacious, (if oddly furnished) quarters to guests in the home of Herr and Frau Beck. The two-story house offers beautiful views of surrounding woods. Walking trails are a few steps down the hill and Frau Beck’s delicious breakfasts give a bright start to the day. However the hosts speak limited English. While visiting Thuringia, in fact, make best friends with a pocket dictionary or phrasebook if the German language does not roll easily off the tongue.
Whether hiking, visiting museums, shopping, or climbing castles in Eisenach, take time to sample the local food, talk to the Thuringians, and explore this beautiful region of northern Germany.
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