Discover Rhönblick

Bettenhausen lies at an elevation of 350 metres above sea level in the Herpftal Valley, south of the local mountain Geba. The Herpf stream flows through the village, while the Church of the Holy Cross and both modern and historic bridges shape its appearance. A stay in Rhönblick therefore offers a tangible connection to the landscape as well as a focus on cultural history.

The Church of the Holy Cross and its architectural history

The present church building was probably constructed between 1617 and 1619 over an earlier Romanesque structure. This dating links two building phases: the older predecessor and the present church. Anyone interested in historic architecture will find a clearly identifiable connection to Bettenhausen’s architectural history here.

The furnishings include a Baroque pulpit altar and a Döring organ from the same period. The Baroque organ was made by Ernst Döring; its organ case is decorated with figurative and floral ornamentation. The altar and instrument share the same era, while the case’s design adds its own distinctive touch to the furnishings.

The Herpftal Valley, stream and bridges

Its location south of Geba and its elevation of 350 metres place Bettenhausen in the Herpftal Valley. The Herpf flows through the village, and modern and historic bridges are part of its scenery. The natural landscape and built environment come together here: the stream connects the village to its surroundings, while the bridges add different forms of local design. This offers a different approach to planning a trip than the church’s architectural history, but is just as specifically connected to Bettenhausen.

More to explore in the wider Schmalkalden-Meiningen destination

The wider Schmalkalden-Meiningen destination offers a cultural range spanning nougat production and the history of industry and crafts. At the Viba Nougat-Welt in Schmalkalden, visitors can watch nougat being made in a glass-walled workshop. Hands-on confectionery courses add to the offering: participants pour chocolate, decorate nougat and create pralines. Dates and booking conditions may change, so check the details when planning a course. The Viba Nougat-Welt is a few minutes’ walk from Schmalkalden bus and train station. It is worth checking the latest connections when planning your journey.

The “Neue Hütte” blast furnace museum in Schmalkalden offers another distinct focus on cultural history. The blast furnace complex dates from 1835; until 1924, local iron ores were smelted there with charcoal to produce pig iron. Exhibitions explore the region’s nearly 1,300-year history of iron and steel goods production, including the famous “Schmalkalder Artikel.” A 45-minute guided tour focuses on the history and operation of the blast furnace. The Metalworking Museum showcases original workshops, where visitors can see how nails, pliers and corkscrews have been made for centuries.

The landscape attractions across the wider Schmalkalden-Meiningen destination also vary considerably. The Breitunger Seen nature reserve has a 3.5-kilometre walking trail with seating areas. Trusetal Waterfall plunges 60 metres over a granite formation in three cascades; visitors can also climb 228 steps alongside it. For an underground perspective, there is Goetz Cave in Meiningen, considered Europe’s largest accessible fissure and crevice cave. Its fissures and crevices reach heights of up to 50 metres, and the cave extends 500 metres deep. The region’s natural attractions thus range from a designated walking route to a waterfall and steps, and an accessible cave.

Discover more destinations: Springstille, Kleinschmalkalden, Friedelshausen, Trusetal, Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal, Altersbach, Birx, Bermbach

Back to the wider travel overview: Schmalkalden-Meiningen.