The Werra Valley with the Werra extends in the south between Rhön and Thuringian Forest and then leads along the edge of the north Hessian mountains until it meets the Fulda.
background
The river that gives the valley its name rises in the Thuringian Forest and flows together with the Fulda in Hann. Münden. From here on, the two rivers form the Weser.
getting there
Long-distance train stops are near the route Lichtenfels, Bebra, Eisenach, Goettingen and kassel.
With regional trains you can go to Sonneberg (RE from Nuremberg), Ice field (South Thuringia Railway from Eisenach), Grimmenthal (RE Erfurt – Würzburg), Wildeck-Obersuhl, Gerstungen and Herleshausen (Cantus Railway Bebra – Eisenach), Eschwege and Bad Sooden-Allendorf (Cantus Railway Göttingen – Bebra) or Hann . Münden (Cantus-Bahn Kassel – Göttingen and RE Kassel – Halle).
The start of the route is not far from the A 73 motorway (Nuremberg-Bamberg-Erfurt), junction Eisfeld-Süd or -Nord; you can easily end it via the A 7 (Hanover – Kassel), Hann. Münden-Hedemünden or Hann. Münden / Staufenberg-Lutterberg. In the middle of its course, the Werra is intersected by the A 4 (Erfurt – Frankfurt), junction Wommen or Herleshausen.
Cyclists can do that Rennsteig cycle path as a "feeder" to the source of the Werra, the Weser cycle path or Fulda cycle path take to their mouth. On the way the Werra crosses a.o. the Rhön cycle path, the Central route (D4), the Herkules-Wartburg cycle path, the Hessian long-distance cycle routes R5 and R7 as well as the Iron Curtain Europe Cycle Route (EuroVelo 13 or the “Green Belt” cycle path).
Means of transport
Bicycle: The full length of the area runs through the area Werratal cycle path.
Hike: Hikers can use the Werra-Burgen-Steig follow the river.
Road: Federal roads run largely parallel to the course of the Werra.
Train and bus: The Süd-Thüringen-Bahn runs from Eisfeld to Bad Salzungen through the Werra Valley (and on to Eisenach). The bus route 170 of the Wartburgkreis transport company runs from Eisenach parallel to the Werra to Eschwege. You can take the Cantus-Bahn from Eschwege via Eichenberg to Hann. Drive Münden.
Water hiking: From Themar Downriver the Werra is navigable by kayak or canoe. The rental companies offer, for example, one to two day individual canoe tours in the Werra area between Sallmannshausen and Witzenhausen. The price includes instruction on the boat, life jacket, waterproof boat sack for valuables and transport back to the starting point. For tours lasting several days, you can book with an overnight stay.
- Canoe rentals who offer organized tours:
course
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The most important places and sights in the direction of the river:
From the source to Meiningen (60km)
- 1 Werra source. Source of the Werra with inn.
- 1 Ice field
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Smaller place with beautiful half-timbered houses and the Eisfeld Castle. That is attraction Holiday village Auenland. - 2 Hildburghausen. Hildburghausen has a tranquil market square with town houses from the 16th to 18th centuries and a late Gothic town hall that was once a moated castle.
- 3 Themar. City wall with well-preserved defense towers from the 15th century and very beautiful half-timbered houses in the town center.
- 4 Meiningen. Theater town, Romanesque to Gothic town church, Elisabethenburg Castle, Landsberg Castle, numerous other historical buildings.
From Meiningen to Gerstungen (70km)
- 5 Wasungen. smaller place with half-timbered houses and Maienluft castle ruins.
- 6 Bad Liebenstein. Worth seeing place with several castles in the immediate vicinity.
- 7 bad Salzungen. Nice place with a lot of sights.
- 8 Vacha. Wendelstein Castle with a tower from the 12th century is particularly interesting.
- 9 Herrings. the Potash mining museum is of particular interest.
- 10 Barley. Worth seeing is the Werra Valley Museum and the pretty half-timbered buildings.
From Gerstungen to Eschwege (35km)
- 11 Creuzburg. The worth seeing castle and the Werra bridge are the main attractions.
- 12 Hit time. with a very beautiful old town and Normannstein Castle.
- 2 Hero stone. (approx. 6 km west of Treffurt) - mountain with lookout points or tower in the area of the former inner-German border. The mountain slopes steeply towards the Werra with stone walls.
- 13 Wanfried.
Small town with beautiful half-timbered houses in the Werra Valley. - 14 Eschwege. In addition to the beautiful half-timbered facades of the old town, a visit to the tin figure cabinet or the Werratalsee is also worthwhile for summer bathing.
From Eschwege to the mouth (50km)
- 15 Bad Sooden-Allendorf. Half-timbered houses.
- 3 "Teufelskanzel" lookout point. at Lindewerra.
- 16 Decreasing. The Ermschwerd Castle is well worth seeing.
- 17 Hann. Münden. Here the Werra flows into the Weser. The old town has a closed half-timbered townscape with buildings from six centuries.
Goals near the Werra
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- 1 Heldburg Castle. The Veste Heldburg was a high medieval hill fort that was rebuilt as a palace in the Renaissance style in the 16th century. The German Castle Museum is located in the French building of the fortress.
- 2 Callenberg Castle, Callenberg 1. Hunting lodge and summer palace, most recently the main residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in Coburg for many years - is an important monument due to its history and its neo-Gothic architectural style. The castle has housed the ducal art collection of Saxony-Coburg and Gotha since 1998 and the German Rifle Museum since 2004.
- 3 Veste Coburg. a medieval castle complex converted into a fortress. A highlight of the area!
- 4 Veßra monastery open air museum. The Premonstratensian monastery of the same name is the landmark of the place. Today the Hennebergisches Museum Kloster Veßra, an open-air museum for regional history and folklore, is housed here.
- 5 Bibra Castle. Built in the 12th century. Parts of the outer wall and corner towers tell of the former castle. Since 1994, it has housed a small seminar center in one of the remaining, expanded houses.
- 6 Osterburg castle ruins. In the first half of the 13th century emerged as a defensive administrative center. The castle was located in the center of the Themar office at an important intersection between Werratalstraße and another old street, which, coming from the Gleichberg area, ran northwards directly past the Osterburg. However, in the last decades of the 15th century it became increasingly less important, so that it was left open around 1500. Several hiking trails (1km) lead up to the hill with the ruins. Nice view of the area.
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- 7 Marisfeld Castle. Beautiful former moated castle. Has been a children's home since 1997.
- 8 Kuehndorf Castle. The Johanniterburg was built in 1315 by the Order of St. John on the remains of a previous castle as a fort made of wide residential towers and expanded to the last residence by the Counts of Henneberg. Since 1991 the castle has been renovated from private funds and can be visited. Today the Johanniterburg is mainly used for family celebrations such as weddings, birthdays and family get-togethers or holidays. There are also guided tours and the so-called castle revitalization with actors in historical costumes and with old equipment.
- 9 Wilhelmsburg Castle. in the city Schmalkalden was a secondary residence of the Landgraves of Hesse. It is one of the most important Renaissance complexes in central Germany, which has hardly undergone any structural changes to this day and has been preserved in almost its original state.
- 10 Breitungen Castle. Worth seeing castle complex with restaurant and hotel.
- 11 Nesselröden Castle. Renaissance castle built between 1592 and 1594. It is considered the most important Renaissance complex in the lower Werra. In the 19th century the castle passed to the Landgraves of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld. In 1930 it was restored under Landgrave Chlodwig von Hessen-Philippsthal-Barchfeld and the stair tower was provided with a half-timbered upper floor. After the Second World War, apartments were set up in the castle for a few years. It has been privately owned since 1980.
- 12 Wartburg. It was built around 1067 and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. The Wartburg is connected to the history of Germany like hardly any other castle in Germany. From 1211 to 1227 Elisabeth of Thuringia, who was later canonized, lived in the castle. In 1521/22 the reformer Martin Luther hid here and translated the New Testament of the Bible into German during this time. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe stayed here several times.
- 13 Brandenburg ruins. imposing castle ruins near Gerstungen.
- 14 Bischofroda Castle. The imposing half-timbered house is now the seat of the municipal administration.
- 15 Rothestein Castle. neo-Gothic palace complex well worth seeing.
- 16 Hanstein castle ruins. is considered to be one of the largest castle ruins in Central Germany. It is a popular hiking destination. Every year on the first weekend in August there is a medieval festival that is very popular.
- 17 Berlepsch Castle. The castle is well worth seeing and has tourist offers such as gastronomy, guided tours and regular events. The gastronomic offer takes up the theme of "Middle Ages".
Go on
From the mouth of the Werra in Hann. Münden there are two possible routes to continue the journey in a similar way. On the one hand, you can continue along the Weser (Weser cycle path, German fairy tale route) downstream or the Fulda (Fulda cycle path) travel upriver.
literature
- Manfred Lückert: The Werra, Landscape and life on the river between the Thuringian Forest and Hann. Münden, Rockstuhl Publishing House, Bad Langensalza, 2006, ISBN 3-938997-26-5
