Neuenmarkt: Railway History and the White Main Cycle Route

Neuenmarkt’s railway history can be explored from different angles: in two churches, on walking tours, and along a historic railway line. The Main Cycle Route along the White Main also passes through the village. This means you can explore local history, an exhibition, and a cycling route as different themes for your stay.

Railway History in Churches and a Museum

A Catholic and a Protestant railway workers’ church are located right next to the German Steam Locomotive Museum in Neuenmarkt. Both churches were planned by the railway and built by railway workers on a voluntary basis. Their shared history is therefore not rooted in denomination, but in their origins: their planning and construction were connected with the railway. The churches thus complement a visit to the museum with a distinct perspective on local history and its religious buildings.

The German Steam Locomotive Museum also offers a tour of its exhibition. The museum asks groups booking a guided tour to register at least one week in advance. If you plan to take this tour, arrange the details with the museum.

Walking Tours and a Historic Railway Line

A walking tour of around three kilometres leads through Neuenmarkt and introduces participants to features of the village’s railway history from the perspective of a railway enthusiast. Participants should arrange their preferred date at least two weeks in advance; confirm the details with the museum. The village walking tour focuses on Neuenmarkt itself, while the museum tour takes visitors through the exhibition. The two formats therefore differ both in location and in their approach to railway history.

A railway line built between 1844 and 1848 still runs between Neuenmarkt-Wirsberg and Marktschorgast stations. Its named endpoints and construction period provide another specific point of reference for Neuenmarkt’s railway history. Together with the churches and the two tours, it offers a multifaceted view of the subject through buildings, local history, an exhibition, and the historic line.

Neuenmarkt on the Main Cycle Route

The Main Cycle Route along the White Main runs from Himmelkron through Neuenmarkt, past Wirsberg, towards Kulmbach, and on to Mainleus. The village is therefore part of a named route connecting several stops. Unlike the walking tours, which focus on Neuenmarkt’s history, the cycle route places the town on a trail along the White Main. If you plan your trip around a theme, these offer two distinct ways to explore: railway history in the village and a cycle route through several towns.

More Topics in the Wider Kulmbach Destination

The wider Kulmbach destination offers further cultural and hiking topics that add to your view of the region. The nature trail on Kulmbach’s Rehberg, for example, is around four kilometres long and has 21 learning stations. The Frankenwaldsteigla “Rehbergweg” offers a different kind of route: this 11-kilometre circular trail runs from Plassenburg to Rehberg, through Kulmbach’s old town, and back to the starting point. The routes differ clearly in length and content: the learning stations are the focus of the nature trail, while the Rehbergweg is a circular route connecting the named stops.

Plassenburg Castle’s German Tin Figure Museum houses more than 300,000 individual figures arranged in around 150 dioramas. Another historical highlight is Zwernitz Castle in Wonsees, with the Sanspareil Rock Garden directly next to it. Zwernitz Castle was first mentioned in a document in 1156 as the ancestral seat of the Walpoten family. Its tower can be climbed and offers sweeping views over the Franconian Switzerland Nature Park. The rock garden retains the Rock Theatre in the grove, the Oriental Building, and the Kitchen Building.

Discover more destinations: Stadtsteinach, Thurnau, Untersteinach, Kasendorf, Grafengehaig, Trebgast, Mainleus, Himmelkron.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Kulmbach.