Kyffhäuserland: Village Church, Castle Park and Filsberg

Kyffhäuserland offers a range of starting points for planning a trip: architectural history in Bendeleben, a landscaped castle park, Filsberg and Barbarossa Cave. The themes range from architecture and garden design to nature and geology. If you are looking for hotels in Kyffhäuserland, this overview can help you choose the focus of your stay.

Bendeleben: Church and Castle Park

The village church of St. Pankratius in Bendeleben was rebuilt in 1588 under the patronage of Hermann von Bendeleben. The weathered masonry at the south entrance portal dates back at least to the 12th century, in the Old Romanesque style. Two distinct periods are therefore represented here: 1588 refers to the rebuilding, while the portal points to a much earlier date.

Also in Bendeleben, the 21-hectare castle park surrounds the old castle. The grounds were designed in the English style with Baroque elements. The spring area and tree cover were used to create winding paths and sightlines. This combines a planned garden layout with the natural features of the terrain. Unlike the church, the focus here is not on a single construction date, but on the interplay between the castle grounds, park design and landscape.

Filsberg and Barbarossa Cave

Rising in the eastern part of the Hainleite, Filsberg stands 136 metres above the valley plain. A rare limestone flora also grows on Filsberg. The height describes its position relative to the valley plain, while the flora is an ecological feature—two distinct aspects of this landscape landmark.

Within the wider travel destination of the Kyffhäuserkreis, Barbarossa Cave, an anhydrite cave, lies between the districts of Rottleben and Steinthaleben. Its geological classification and location each describe a different aspect of the cave. It was discovered in 1865 when copper shale mining resumed: five miners found the cave. It was named after the legend of Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, who is said to return. Geology, mining history and the origins of its name come together here.

More destinations in the Kyffhäuserkreis

The wider travel destination of the Kyffhäuserkreis offers more options for planning your trip. The Sondershausen Adventure Mine offers guided tours at a depth of 670 metres year-round. These include an approximately two-hour truck tour through the underground labyrinth. If you are planning a specific tour, check the latest tour information in advance.

Routes in the Kyffhäuserkreis also vary in length and route. The Kyffhäuserweg is a 37-kilometre circular trail that starts and ends in Bad Frankenhausen. Its three stages lead from Bad Frankenhausen to Barbarossa Cave, from there to the Kyffhäuser Monument, and then back to Bad Frankenhausen. The trail has been awarded the Quality Trail Wanderbares Deutschland designation, is well signposted and is regularly checked for defects.

The Forest Adventure Trail runs for four kilometres between the Rothenburg ruins and the Kyffhäuser Monument and features ten activity stations. Compared with the 37-kilometre Kyffhäuserweg, it is a much shorter route; the trails also differ in their endpoints and course.

Other attractions offer different highlights: Wiehe Model Railway is a year-round exhibition with 12,000 square metres of exhibition space. Since 1923, the Sondershausen Castle Museum has been housed in the former residence of the Counts and Princes of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and presents a varied exhibition across three floors.

The Funkenburg Archaeological Open-Air Museum in Westgreußen features Germany’s only reconstruction of a Germanic settlement on a prominent hill spur above the Helbetal valley. Its educational programme includes activities such as pottery, baking, wool processing, fishing-net making and archery. These regional attractions complement Kyffhäuserland’s local highlights with further options for history, exhibitions and hands-on activities.

Discover more destinations: Steinthaleben, Bad Frankenhausen, Sondershausen, Helbedündorf, Westgreußen, Roßleben, Wiehe, Heldrungen.

Back to the overall travel guide: Kyffhäuserkreis.