Waldsassen: Baroque, Glassmaking and Trails

In Waldsassen, Baroque religious architecture and glassmaking go hand in hand with opportunities for walks, hikes and mountain biking. Seasonal concerts and two pilgrimages also shape the cultural calendar. These varied attractions can help you choose a hotel: the key question is whether you want to focus on culture, outdoor trails or both.

Baroque Religious Architecture and Glassmaking

The Basilica of Waldsassen was built between 1685 and 1704 and is a Baroque building. It has an organ with 104 stops and 7,784 pipes. The basilica hosts two major pilgrimages: the Heilig-Leiber-Fest on the first Sunday in August and the pilgrimage to the Desecrated Savior on the Sunday after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14.

Music is also part of the basilica’s annual calendar: for more than 50 years, a concert series featuring sacred music has been held there every year from March to October. If you would like to plan your stay around a concert, check the latest dates in advance.

The Lamberts Glassworks offers another perspective on Waldsassen’s history. It is one of only two manufacturers of mouth-blown sheet glass in the world. Its historic furnace hall was built in 1906/07 and is a protected industrial monument. This places sacred architectural history and historic glassmaking side by side as distinct cultural themes.

The Holy Trinity Church of Kappl is also near Waldsassen: Georg Dientzenhofer built it between 1685 and 1689 on the 628-meter-high Glasberg near Münchenreuth; it is three kilometers from Waldsassen. The Rosary Stations Trail, which is also hiking trail No. 5, leads from Waldsassen to the pilgrimage church of Kappl. Along the trail are 15 Baroque station pillars with Rosary motifs.

Trails Through Town and Nature

The Wondreb Water Discovery Trail is just under five kilometers long and has 13 stations, some with interactive features. It is marked with the numbers 4 and, from station 11 onward, 4a. One bridge has two steps, so the trail is not fully accessible.

The town walk offers a shorter route: it has 11 stations and is about 1.5 kilometers long. Along the way, a window-shopping tour introduces the history of individual buildings and streets in the town center. In terms of length, this walk is considerably shorter than the Wondreb Water Discovery Trail, which is just under five kilometers long; the two routes offer different experiences.

In the garden of the Cistercian Abbey of Waldsassen, you’ll find a medicinal herb garden featuring herbs associated with Hildegard of Bingen, Kneipp and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The garden also has a Bee Discovery Trail with a bee sauna. Families can join a guided tour there on the third Sunday of each month. Check the latest date before your visit.

There are also several mountain biking options: Waldsassen has five downhill trails, a flow trail and an MTB dirt park with a pump track and dirt lines. The NORA Trail is rated S2 (blue) and is suitable for beginners. Check its current operating status before riding.

In the wider destination of Tirschenreuth

In the wider destination of Tirschenreuth, the MuseumsQuartier offers a distinctive attraction. It combines the Upper Palatinate Fisheries Museum with six other specialized exhibitions in a former monastery. Visitors can explore almost 1,000 years of fishing and fish-farming history and see native fish in four large aquariums. Special exhibitions, talks, readings and concerts are held regularly; individual dates may change.

At the center of Fischhofpark in Tirschenreuth are the historic Fischhof Bridge and the Fischhof, which houses the district court. The district of Tirschenreuth is also known for Zoigl, the traditional beer of the Upper Palatinate Forest, and for carp from the pond landscapes of the “Land of 1,000 Ponds.”

Discover more destinations: Erbendorf, Mähring, Kemnath, Pullenreuth, Neusorg, Friedenfels, Tirschenreuth, Reuth bei Erbendorf

Go to the main travel overview: Tirschenreuth.