Discover Bad Tennstedt

Explore Bad Tennstedt through three themes: the spa park with its springs, routes for different kinds of discovery, and the town’s historic character. A specific point of reference is the Bad Tennstedt Tourist Information Office in the Haus des Gastes, Kurstraße 10, 99955 Bad Tennstedt. The town’s main spring, the “Stinkende Molch” (Stinking Newt), is located in the present-day spa park.

Spa Park, Springs and Routes

The spring pools at Gläserlöcher and Bruchteich also have a distinctive natural feature: washed-out minerals create a play of colors there. The spa park also has two barefoot trails. If you are planning a hike, here is a specific starting point: the “From Park to Park – Hiking Trail in the ‘Haun’ to Ballhausen” begins at the Haus des Gastes in Bad Tennstedt spa park. Its title names Ballhausen as the destination.

The Goethehäuschen is also in the spa park. It was the town’s first bathhouse and is now a small café. If you would like to visit the café, check its current opening hours in advance. The springs, routes and Goethehäuschen offer different reasons to spend time in the park.

Guided Town Tours and Practical Planning

The children’s town tours are divided by school grade. For grades 1 to 4, the tour “In Search of the Christmas Tree and the Unicorn” is offered. For students in grade 5 and above, there is “A Journey Through Time into the Past.” Town tours require an inquiry or registration in advance, so do not plan to join one spontaneously without contacting the organizers first.

The Tourist Information Office lends two bicycles during its opening hours. If bicycle rental is part of your day’s plans, take the office’s opening hours into account. The two bicycles can only be rented during the Tourist Information Office’s opening hours.

Town History at the Wall, Gate and Church

Bad Tennstedt’s limestone town wall was built between 1443 and 1489, with four gates. It replaced an older fortification with a rampart and moat. The passageway at Osthöfer Gate has a cross-ribbed vault. Its octagonal tower, with a Welsh dome and lantern, dates from 1579. The gate and town fortifications thus have two distinct historical dates: the wall’s construction period and the later date of the octagonal tower.

Another part of the town’s history can be found in the Protestant Trinity Church, also known as Wigbertikirche. Remains of a Romanesque predecessor building are located in its north tower. Together with the town wall and Osthöfer Gate, the church offers a different perspective on Bad Tennstedt from the spring sites in the spa park: here, the focus is on architectural history and historic structures.

Local Heritage and Spring Festival

Bad Tennstedt holds its Local Heritage and Spring Festival every year on the last weekend in June in honor of the spring. If you plan to time your trip to coincide with the festival, check the dates for the relevant year in advance. The festival’s connection to the spring is explicitly part of the occasion.

More Destinations in the Wider Unstrut-Hainich Travel Region

The Unstrut-Hainich district is part of the Wartburg Hainich World Heritage Region. The wider Unstrut-Hainich travel region also includes the treetop path: stroll 24 meters above the Hainich forest canopy; from the treehouse, enjoy views across Hainich National Park. These regional destinations are distinct from the local attractions in Bad Tennstedt.

The treetop path starts 200 meters from the Thiemsburg National Park Center. The exhibition at the Thiemsburg National Park Center presents its content through films, large-format image walls, interactive experience stations and other interactive elements. A fully accessible media guide is available at the Thiemsburg National Park Center; tablets and headphones can be borrowed. The Thiemsburg National Park Center also has a large hiking car park, a food service facility, toilets and a public transport bus stop. Check that these facilities are operating before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Altengottern, Großengottern, Körner, Kutzleben, Flarchheim, Schönstedt, Heyerode, Menteroda.

Back to the wider travel overview: Unstrut-Hainich.