Discover Plaue
Accommodation in Plaue
Plaue combines hiking trails with distinctive buildings and the forest swimming pool. When planning a stay, it helps to know how the trails differ: they are approximately 4.5, 6 or 7 kilometres long and lead to different stops. The town is also home to the Church of Our Lady, with its historic winged altarpiece, and the Ehrenburg Castle ruins, a local landmark. You can plan your stay around hiking, local history or seasonal swimming.
Hiking trails with different stops
The approximately 4.5-kilometre hiking trail “From Spring Source via Gebörn to Zimmertal” runs from Postplatz via the Spring Source, Gebörn and Zimmertal. It returns to Plaue along the lower Weinbergweg. The approximately 6-kilometre trail “Around the Vineyard” also starts at Postplatz. Its stops are Zimmertal, Kirschallee, Langes Abstel, a shelter and the Spalthöhle cave; the route then returns to Plaue. The two trails share a starting point but differ in their route and the stops along the way.
The approximately 7-kilometre hiking trail “On the Heights and at the Foot of the Reinsberge” starts and ends at Plaue railway station. Along the way are the swimming pool, Haases Ruh’, Schöne Aussicht, Kanzel or the Reinsberge, Reinsburg, the “Reinsberger Dorf”, Roter Graben and Wanderers Ruh’. Of the three routes, this is the longest listed; all distances are approximate.
Church of Our Lady and Ehrenburg
The Ehrenburg Castle ruins, Plaue’s landmark, rise atop the town’s 394-metre-high local mountain. The Church of Our Lady is Plaue’s oldest building and was built in the 13th century during the monastic period. Its winged altarpiece, a triptych, is one of the few altarpieces in Thuringia from the transition between the 14th and 15th centuries to have been preserved almost completely.
On the grounds of the Church of Our Lady, a church wall planted with rock garden plants forms a small nature trail. The plants are identified on slate plaques. Here, architectural history goes hand in hand with a close-up look at the planting: the church site offers more than just a single historical attraction, without requiring you to plan an additional walk.
Forest swimming pool and cycling route
Plaue Forest Swimming Pool reopened after renovation work was completed. The facility has a swimming pool, a non-swimmer pool and a paddling pool. It also features a large sunbathing lawn, two volleyball courts and table tennis tables. As it is a seasonal facility and some services may change, it is worth checking the latest opening times and conditions before travelling.
Cyclists can also follow a clearly defined route: the 75-kilometre Gera Cycle Route runs in five sections from SchmĂĽcke on the Rennsteig to Gebesee. Plaue lies on the second section, which follows the Gera past fields and meadows. This means the local hiking trails and their stops are complemented by a longer cycling route, with the section through Plaue forming part of a larger route.
More things to explore in Ilm-Kreis
The wider Ilm-Kreis destination offers further ideas for planning your trip. The two-kilometre Kleinbreitenbach Art Trail passes works of art that adorn, among other places, the Romanesque fortified church, the cemetery, the church forecourt, the village and the road at the edge of the village. In Arnstadt, the Baroque doll town “Mon plaisir” is housed in the Neues Palais. For a longer bike ride, the 123-kilometre Ilmtal Cycle Route is another regional option; 45 kilometres of it run through Ilm-Kreis.
If you are looking for a hotel in Plaue, use the attractions described here to help plan your stay: the hiking trails offer different distances and stops, while the church, Ehrenburg and forest swimming pool appeal to other interests. Compare specific hotel offers according to your own needs, and check the services and conditions before booking.
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