Discover Dreba

When looking for a hotel for a stay in Dreba, you can tailor your plans to your interests: church history, cultural activities, leisure or the pond landscape of the wider region. The following topics will help you choose your priorities and show what makes Dreba and the broader travel region distinctive.

Church and History in Dreba

The church in Dreba was built around 1500 and was dedicated to Saint Cyriacus before the Reformation. Its 32-metre-high church tower was built in 1750. Another historical milestone is Dreba’s oldest church bell: it was cast in 1494, before the church was built around 1500. The bell is thought to have come from the same Erfurt workshop as the Gloriosa bell in Erfurt Cathedral. Together, the bell casting, church construction and tower construction provide three distinct dates that trace the town’s architectural and ecclesiastical history.

Leisure and Culture

Dreba’s Kuhwiese has a skate park, football goals, and basketball and volleyball facilities. The facilities were set up in 2019 and cater to a range of leisure interests. If you would like to use a particular facility, check in advance whether it is currently available.

“Kultur im Kuhstall” (“Culture in the Cow Barn”) screens films and hosts dances. As you should not assume there is a current programme, check the schedule if you are planning a specific visit. The Dreba Cultural and Heritage Foundation also added a culinary highlight: it launched a festival centred on carp. If you would like to include the festival in your plans, ask about the latest date.

Pond Region and Hiking

The Dreba-Plothen pond region extends around Dreba, Plothen and Knau. Some of the ponds are fished out each year; the villages in the pond region celebrate the occasion with traditional fish and game weeks. The landscape is also shaped by its animal and plant life. Species found in the area include the northern crested newt, Eurasian otter, moor frog, white stork, kingfisher and northern lapwing. Plants found in the pond region include, for example, arnica, dragon’s mouth, lesser water-lily and alpine pondweed.

For hikers, Hiking Route 8 leads through the Dreba-Plothen pond region to Neustadt an der Orla. This lets you consider the pond landscape and a route towards Neustadt as separate aspects of your plans.

Neustadt an der Orla: A Distinct Cultural Destination

Neustadt an der Orla also offers its own points of interest for local history and culture. The late Gothic town hall evolved from a “stone house” that Landgrave Balthasar gave to the town in 1364 and that was initially used as a storage building. Following extensions and renovations, the building was completed in 1509/10; it remains the seat of the local administration. The Museum of Local History presents the town’s history across 13 themed exhibition rooms.

The fountain in the market square was built in 1987 to mark the town’s 700th anniversary. Its octagonal basin bears the guild emblems of craftspeople who had been based there since the Middle Ages. The Luther House on the market square was built before 1450 and underwent several phases of construction. It is largely accessible to visitors with reduced mobility; a lift provides access to various levels. Check the current conditions before planning your visit.

For Neustadt an der Orla, the Tourist Information Office offers a public guided town tour on the first Saturday of every month from May to October. If you would like to take part, check the latest details. This lets you treat Dreba’s church history, local leisure activities and Neustadt an der Orla’s distinct local history attractions as separate priorities when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Burgk, Kospoda, Plothen, Remptendorf, Bad Lobenstein, Blankenstein, Moßbach, Wurzbach.

Go to the broader travel overview: Saale-Orla.