Magdala: Moated Castle, Town Church and Town Hall Portal

Magdala offers visitors several distinctive places to explore during a locally focused stay: a moated castle, the town church of St. John and a Renaissance portal at the town hall. For a broader perspective beyond the town, the overarching travel destination of Weimarer Land can be considered as a separate regional theme. The destinations and routes there described below should be distinguished from the sights in Magdala.

Sights in Magdala

The hill with the ruins of a moated castle is a worthwhile stop on a stroll through Magdala. The moated castle is also one of the destinations for shorter excursions in Magdala. A church is among these excursion destinations too; the town church of St. John is named as a sight to see on a stroll. Visitors can therefore take in both the remains of the moated castle and a named church building.

At the town hall, it is worth looking at a specific architectural detail: the Renaissance portal is the former entrance and bears the year 1571 carved into it. The date is therefore inscribed on the portal itself. Another trace of the town’s development leads to Pfarrholz: the Theater and Beautification Association, founded in 1890, built a facility just below it. Together, these details offer different perspectives on Magdala—from the remains of a moated castle and a town hall portal to the founding of an association and the facility associated with it.

The Weimarer Land as a separate regional framework

Within the broader travel destination of Weimarer Land, the routes differ in their format and stops. The Thüringer Drei Türme Weg is a circular hiking trail in the southern Weimarer Land and passes through the protected landscape of the central Ilm Valley. It connects the Paulinenturm near Bad Berka, the Hainturm in the Belvederer Forst near Weimar, and the Carolinenturm near Blankenhain. The Goethe-Erlebnisweg connects Weimar and Großkochberg, follows Goethe’s route to Charlotte von Stein, and offers twelve experience stations combining nature and culture. Stage 25 of the Lutherweg runs from Weimar to Apolda. These regional routes therefore offer different themes: a circular hiking trail, an experience trail with twelve stations, and a named stage between two towns. Check the trail conditions for the Goethe-Erlebnisweg before setting out.

There are regional options for cycling and walking, too. The cycle routes between Weimar, Apolda and Bad Sulza combine nature, cultural history and regional cuisine, and are suitable for multi-day cycling trips; check the conditions before your ride. The Ilmtal Cycle Route passes through the Thüringer Weintor in Bad Sulza. In Bad Berka, the VitalParcours offers Nordic walking routes through varied landscapes. All four VitalParcours routes were certified as quality trails by the German Nordic Walking Association in 2011.

Museums and regional culture

The museums in Weimarer Land each focus on different subjects. The Thüringer Freilichtmuseum Hohenfelden displays more than 40 historic buildings dating from the 16th to the 20th century. The GlockenStadtMuseum Apolda explores the cultural history of bells and the region’s textile industry. The Saline and Local History Museum in Bad Sulza focuses on the tradition of salt production, which dates back to 1046.

Other venues offer their own themes in art and local history. Since 1995, the Kunsthaus Apolda Avantgarde has presented exhibitions by international and regional artists. It also hosts talks, auctions, book readings and film screenings. The Coudray House in Bad Berka devotes its permanent exhibition to 200 years of development in spa and healthcare in Bad Berka. Check the venues’ current opening times and event dates before visiting.

The restored Wielandgut Oßmannstedt includes a memorial to Wieland and a multimedia museum offering insights into Wieland’s life, work and influence; the estate is open to visitors. Find out about current visiting arrangements in advance. Seminars or training sessions for up to 80 people can be booked year-round at the Thüringer Kloßmuseum, subject to booking and scheduling. At the Kloß cooking school and the potato pancake school, visitors can prepare Thuringian classics.

Discover more destinations: Tonndorf, Hohenfelden, Nohra, Berlstedt, Gaberndorf, Niedertrebra, Kapellendorf, Bad Sulza.

For the full travel overview: Weimarer Land.