Discover Oeslau

If you’re looking for a hotel in Oeslau, local history, ecclesiastical art and transport options may be important factors in your choice. Oeslau’s local history includes the historic Domäne and the parish church of St. Johannis. Rosenau Palace in Rödental, the nearby European Museum of Modern Glass, and Rödental’s cycling and hiking trails add to the wider regional picture.

Domäne and St. Johannis in Oeslau

The historic Oeslau Domäne was first mentioned as “Ozzelen” in 1162 and became a ducal estate in 1600. A fire destroyed its predecessor, a moated castle, in 1848; the Domäne then acquired its present appearance. Its name, change in status and present form mark different stages in its architectural history.

The parish church of St. Johannis in Oeslau was built in 1517, probably on the foundations of an older castle chapel, and originally served as the court church of Duke Johann Casimir. The choir contains a net-cell vault with a painted herbarium. The church thus illustrates both a possible earlier building history and a specific detail of its interior design.

Rosenau Palace and the museum nearby

Rosenau Palace in Rödental is the birthplace of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. It was remodelled in the Neo-Gothic style between 1808 and 1817. Its living and reception rooms are distinguished by vividly coloured Neo-Gothic wall paintings and original, black-stained and polished Viennese Biedermeier furniture. The paintings and furniture offer different insights into the design of these rooms.

Nearby, the European Museum of Modern Glass traces the development of studio glass from the 1960s to the present in its permanent exhibition. It also houses a ceramics study collection with more than 500 exhibits by over 250 international ceramic artists. The museum also has a lampworking studio with five workstations. Its collections thus span the development of studio glass over time, an extensive ceramics collection and a dedicated studio space.

Bus services and trails

Rödental’s city bus routes 1481 and 1482 are useful for planning your bus journeys. Route 1481 runs via the town centre, railway station, Spittelstein, Blumenrod, Thierach, Kipfendorf, Mönchröden, Waldsachsen, Einberg and Oeslau. Route 1482 connects the railway station, Froschgrund, town centre, Oeslau, Rosenau and Einberg. The route numbers were introduced on 1 January 2024; check the current timetable before travelling. The stops differ: route 1481 includes, among others, Spittelstein, Blumenrod, Thierach and Kipfendorf, while route 1482 includes Froschgrund and Rosenau.

Numerous cycling and hiking trails run throughout Rödental. These include long-distance routes such as the Way of St. James, circular walks and routes into neighbouring communities. Nearby, cycling and hiking trails also lead to and around a reservoir. A nature trail for hikers and walkers runs in Rödental from Rosenau Palace via Lauterburg to Fornbachsgrund, offering insights into nature and local history. The trail information ranges from a network covering the whole town to a nature trail with a named route.

A regular church event

The St. Johannis parish holds “Church in the Evening” on the last Sunday of every month at 6 pm, with special musical arrangements. If you’d like to plan your trip around this event, check the specific date in advance.

For the wider travel overview: Rödental.