Saale-Orla Between Reservoirs, Museums and Nature

Saale-Orla is defined by its distinctive reservoir landscape, museums covering a wide range of subjects, and paths through nature. This gives you different starting points for planning your trip: you can focus on the water and landscape, visit places steeped in history, or make selected routes the centrepiece of your stay.

Reservoirs, Landscapes and Biodiversity

The Saale, with the Saale Cascade—around 80 kilometres long and dammed five times—forms the largest contiguous reservoir area in Europe, known as the Thuringian Sea. The Bleiloch Reservoir is Germany’s largest reservoir. Both facts make the waterscape a distinctive feature of your stay, though the individual places do not all have the same story to tell.

Another natural highlight is the Dreba-Plothen Pond District nature reserve, which covers 1,094 hectares and is also called the “Land of a Thousand Ponds”. More than 250 bird species, 14 amphibian species, 23 dragonfly species and six bat species have been observed there. These figures give you a concrete sense of the diversity recorded in this protected area. The Ziegenrück Slate Fold is another designated natural monument.

Museums and Regional History

Museum Schloß Burgk combines historic living and exhibition rooms with valuable interiors, collections and exhibitions. One special feature is its ex libris collection: comprising more than 200,000 prints, it is the museum’s largest specialist collection. Concerts and festivals are also held at the same venue. If an event is important to your trip, check the specific dates in advance.

In Wurzbach, the Heinrichshütte foundry is home to Europe’s largest and most powerful steam engine. Heinrichshütte is an interactive, hands-on museum that welcomes families with children as well as children from daycare centres and schools. It offers a different way to explore the history of technology than an exhibition focused primarily on collections and display rooms.

At Museum642, visitors of all ages can explore the history of Pößneck and discover every level of the museum on an individual multimedia tour. In Ranis, Museum Burg Ranis offers insights into the geology of the Orla Valley, the Ice Age and the history of the castle. The two museums therefore have different focuses: the town’s history in one, geology, the Ice Age and the castle’s past in the other.

Individual places are also worth a closer look: Wysburg near Weisbach is an archaeological excavation site of an old robber-knight castle and a destination for an outing. The hydroelectric power museum in Ziegenrück is described as the only museum of its kind in Germany. The Schleizer Dreieck is considered Germany’s oldest natural road-racing circuit.

Hiking and Cycling Routes

In Wurzbach, more than 120 kilometres of signposted hiking trails invite you to explore the upland landscape. The Bismarck Tower near Neustadt an der Orla is another landmark you can include on a route: the 32.65-metre-high tower lies directly on the medieval Hohe Straße, which passes by it.

The longer routes also differ clearly in their course. The 168-kilometre Rennsteig begins or ends in Blankenstein. The Orla Cycle Path passes through Neustadt an der Orla, while the Oberland Cycle Path runs from Schleiz to the Thuringian Sea. Each route therefore offers different places or destinations to head towards. Before setting out on a cycling tour, check current trail conditions and signage.

Crossing the Hohenwarte Reservoir

At the Hohenwarte Reservoir, the Mühlenfähre ferry connects the landing stages at Linkenmühle and Altenroth. As it operates seasonally, check the timetable and crossing conditions before your trip. This lets you plan to use the connection as part of your day without assuming specific departure times or dates.

Discover more destinations: Bad Lobenstein, Gefell, Stanau, Schleiz, Ziegenrück, Remptendorf, Tanna, Lausnitz Bei Neustadt An Der Orla, Gahma, Crispendorf, Altengesees, Neundorf, Wurzbach, Pottiga, Saaldorf, Triptis, Burkersdorf, Oppurg, Pößneck, Blankenstein, Burgk, Peuschen, Ranis, Knau, Langenorla, Plothen, Bucha, Keila, Kospoda, Dreba, Dittersdorf, Neustadt An Der Orla, Krölpa, Saalburg-Ebersdorf and Moßbach.

For the broader travel overview: Thuringia.