Tonna – Castle History and Motorsport

If you are looking for a hotel in Tonna, start with the reason for your trip: are you more interested in local history, motocross or the connection between bus and rail? Gräfentonna is home to historical landmarks and the motocross race track; the railway station adds transport history to the local overview. The broader regional context of the district of Gotha can be considered separately.

Local history in Gräfentonna

Gräfentonna is a district of Tonna. The New Palace was built in 1684, providing a clear date to anchor the local architectural history. The new church later acquired a carved altar, which the parish describes as one of the most magnificent altars in central Germany. These represent two distinct aspects of cultural history: a palace with a documented construction date and the carved furnishings of a church. If your main interest is architectural history, you can focus on the year 1684; for the altar, the focus is on the later furnishings of the new church. Both subjects are rooted in Gräfentonna and bring together architectural history and church furnishings.

Motocross at the Fasanerie

There is a motocross race track at the Fasanerie in Gräfentonna. It can host Thuringian state championships and German motocross championships. This adds a distinctly different local attraction to the history of the palace and church. If a race is the reason for your trip, check the event dates and visitor information for your planned travel period.

Railway station and travel planning

In 2005, Gräfentonna railway station gained a modern bus–rail interchange. This adds transport history to the district’s historical and motorsport landmarks. If you are planning to travel by public transport, check the timetables for your travel date.

More places to explore in the district of Gotha

In the district of Gotha, the wider regional setting for Tonna, the landscape extends south to the Rennsteig and west to the 916.5-metre-high Großer Inselsberg. Friedenstein Palace is a prominent landmark visible from afar and features in the coat of arms of the district of Gotha. In the town of Gotha, the Ekhof Theatre was founded in 1775 by Duke Ernst II as the first German court theatre. The Marienglashöhle in Friedrichroda takes visitors through a 110-metre-long tunnel; geological windows reveal rock strata millions of years old. In its crystal grotto, gypsum crystals up to 90 centimetres long sparkle. The Bach Stammhaus in Wechmar displays models of the original places where the Bach family worked in Wechmar. On Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthday, visitors are invited to a Bach-style coffee table at the Bach Stammhaus; check the current dates.

For travellers who want to explore the district of Gotha as well as Tonna, the themes are distinct: Friedenstein Palace and the Ekhof Theatre represent history, while the Marienglashöhle represents geology; the Rennsteig and Großer Inselsberg define the district’s geographical setting. These regional connections broaden the view beyond Gräfentonna.

Discover more destinations: Mühlberg, Friemar, Crawinkel, Gierstädt, Luisenthal, Leinatal, Apfelstädt, Bienstädt

Go to the main travel overview: Gotha.