Stadtsteinach

For your stay in Stadtsteinach, buildings, hiking trails and geological features in the Steinach Valley offer a variety of points of interest. The church and chapel are the main landmarks on the town hill, while the hiking trail network and the Erlebnisachse route offer their own distinct highlights. The history of individual places and paths can also be incorporated into your travel plans.

Churches, town history and places of remembrance

The town parish church of St. Michael stands at the highest point of the town hill. Its 56-metre-high west tower is visible from afar and is considered a landmark of the town. Following the devastating fire of 1903, the church was completely rebuilt in 1904 and 1905. Its location and striking tower make it an unmistakable point of reference when looking toward the town hill.

At the southern end of the town hill, just outside the town wall, stands the Marienkapelle. It is considered the oldest building in Stadtsteinach and probably one of the oldest churches in all of northern Bavaria. Another stop in town is the Christophorusbrunnen on the market square, which depicts Saint Christopher with the Christ Child on his right shoulder.

The Heiß-Schnabrich Memorial Trail commemorates Alfred Andreas Heiß from Triebenreuth and Michael Schnabrich, who was born in Stadtsteinach. Both are described as figures whose lives were shaped by the Nazi era. Heiß is explicitly described as a victim of National Socialism.

The Stadtsteinach local history museum has 250 square metres of exhibition space across 13 rooms. Its themes and collections include craft tools, exhibits on agriculture and forestry, machinery, objects relating to popular piety, town, church and school history, and a natural history collection. The museum is temporarily closed while its exhibits are being inventoried. Check its current admission status before planning a visit.

Hiking, cycling and geological traces

Stadtsteinach is a state-recognized resort. Its circular hiking trail network covers around 100 kilometres and is maintained and marked by the Stadtsteinach branch of the Frankenwaldverein; it is considered well marked and well maintained. The Marterl circular hiking trail starts at the town parish church of St. Michael. This provides a specific starting point for a hike that can be combined with a visit to the church, although no distance is given for this trail.

The Erlebnisachse Steinachtal offers a different perspective: this app-guided route runs from Stadtsteinach’s medieval town centre toward Markt Presseck. In addition to the app, more than a dozen other points of interest are presented through information boards and a traditional map. The content focuses on historically documented stories and buildings that have long since fallen into ruin. This sets the route apart from the circular hiking trail network, which focuses on hiking trails around Stadtsteinach. App availability may change, so check in advance if needed.

The Geo-Pfad Steinachtal lies in the area around Stadtsteinach and runs from the car park at the Waldschänke Oberhammer via the Nordeck castle ruins to the Forstmeistersprung. At the two rock formations along the Geo-Pfad, which runs in the area around Stadtsteinach, regionally renowned Upper Devonian sections featuring diabase and flaser limestone are exposed. Another description of the Geo-Pfad, which runs in the area around Stadtsteinach, mentions Römersreuther Berg, with numerous outcrops of the “Thuringian” Devonian, and the return route via the Steinach rocks to Oberhammer.

Further afield in the region, the Mühlenweg runs for more than 18 kilometres past eleven mills that are no longer operational. It was inaugurated as a circular hiking trail in 1978. The mills were probably built in the 11th and 12th centuries; they served as grain and sawmills, hammer mills and, later, paper mills. The trail thus combines a hiking route with the history of former uses, although some of the dates remain uncertain.

Nearby, the Grünbürg sits on a 521-metre-high hilltop along the Franconian Line. A refuge castle probably stood there in the 9th or 10th century; ring ramparts, ditches and gates can still be seen below the summit. Further afield in the region, the Steinach Valley is shady and cool in summer, and shady and dry in spring and autumn. The Steinachklamm gorge, also further afield in the region, is considered a landmark of the Steinach Valley and has been among “Bavaria’s Most Beautiful Geotopes” since 2007.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Schwand, Trebgast, Untersteinach, Wonsees, Mainleus, Kulmbach, Neuenmarkt, Presseck.

Return to the overarching travel guide: Kulmbach.