Aura a.d.Saale – Monastery, Kirchberg and Saale Valley
Accommodation in Aura on the Saale
Aura a.d.Saale combines a rich monastic history with a viewpoint and regional nature and trail offerings. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip, you can first consider whether your stay will focus mainly on the town’s history or on activities in the wider travel region.
Monastic history across several periods
Aura began as a settlement of the dependants of the Benedictine Abbey of Uraugia. Aura Monastery, with its monastery church above the Traumplatz viewpoint, was founded in 1108 by Bishop Otto of Bamberg. The settlement’s origins and the monastery’s foundation are distinct points of reference in the area’s history; the year 1108 refers to the monastery’s foundation. The monastery church above the Traumplatz viewpoint is one of the oldest churches in Franconia.
The former monastery church in Aura was a three-aisled Romanesque basilica and received its present-day Baroque furnishings in 1720. “Three-aisled” describes the division of the church interior into a main nave and two side aisles. Romanesque basilica and Baroque furnishings describe different aspects of the building: the first term classifies the earlier church architecturally, while the second refers to the furnishings it received in 1720.
Above the steps on the wall are six pointed-arch arcades, some of them restored remnants of the former cloister. They add a specific architectural feature to the description of the church: alongside the basilica’s form, these remains are also part of the monastery’s history.
Kirchberg, GroĂźaura and Traumplatz
Kirchberg, with the former Benedictine monastery and the town hall, is in Kleinaura. The small outdoor swimming pool is in GroĂźaura. These location details give you two distinct points of reference for planning: the historic complex on Kirchberg and the pool in a different part of town.
The Aura Traumplatz viewpoint offers a view across the village of Aura an der Saale and the Saale Valley as far as Trimburg Castle. This connects local orientation with a view of the valley and a named landmark in the landscape. This gives you different themes to consider side by side: monastic history, finding your way around the town, and views across the Saale Valley.
Nature and trails in the wider travel region
Pick-your-own trees are another local feature: trees bearing apples, as well as apple and pear trees, are listed in and around Aura. The municipality updates the list on an ongoing basis. If you want to plan a visit to particular locations, check the current map.
In the wider region, the Franconian Saale offers a natural, undeveloped route for canoe touring. Hiking trails in the southern part of Rhön Nature Park are well signposted. Marked cycle routes away from major roads run through the Saale Valley and the wooded uplands to Bad Kissingen, Bad Bocklet, Hammelburg or the Rhön. The options offer different activities: canoe touring on the Saale, hiking in the southern part of the Rhön, and cycling on marked routes through the valley and uplands.
Wider regional orientation: Bad Kissingen
For regional context, Bad Kissingen should be considered explicitly as the wider travel area. Bad Kissingen district lies on the southern edge of the Rhön. The A 7 between Fulda and Würzburg and the A 71 between Erfurt and Schweinfurt cross the district from north to south. These details provide orientation at district level.
Public transport is also described at this level: since January 1, 2025, Bad Kissingen district has been part of the Nahverkehr Mainfranken transport association (NVM). Together with the region’s hiking and cycling routes, this provides a framework for considering your travel interests; the individual topics remain distinct from the attractions in Aura itself.
Discover more destinations: Bad Bocklet, Schondra, Ramsthal, Elfershausen, Riedenberg, Motten, MĂĽnnerstadt, Euerdorf
For the wider travel overview: Bad Kissingen.
