Discover Neustadt an der Orla

Neustadt an der Orla offers you striking landmarks of the town's history, recurring events and opportunities to get to know the surrounding area from different perspectives.

Town History in Buildings and the Museum

The late Gothic Town Hall has a long history of construction. It began as the “stone house,” which Landgrave Balthasar gave to the town in 1364 and which was initially used as a storehouse. The building was completed in 1509/10 after additions and alterations; it remains the seat of the administration to this day. Another historical connection is the altar from Lucas Cranach’s workshop: the town councillors commissioned it in autumn 1511, and it arrived in Neustadt an der Orla in 1513.

Luther House on the market square is a town house built before 1450 that underwent several phases of construction. It is largely accessible without barriers; a lift provides access to various levels. If this is important for your plans, check the current conditions before travelling. The Museum of Town History presents the town’s history in 13 themed exhibition rooms. You can explore different approaches to the town’s history side by side: the architectural history of a house, a historical altar and themed exhibitions.

Fountains and Town Park

The market fountain was created in 1987 to mark the town’s 700th anniversary. Its basin is octagonal; the guild emblems on it refer to craftsmen who had been based there since the Middle Ages. The town park also has historical origins: it occupies the site of the former monastery garden of the Augustinian Hermits. The floral clock in the park consists of a flower bed measuring about 40 square metres and a clock mechanism in the centre.

North of the town centre, the almost 33-metre-high Bismarck Tower stands on Kesselberg. The climb involves 167 steps; in good weather, the view from the top stretches across the entire Orla Valley. The height, number of steps and weather conditions provide practical points to consider when planning your visit. If you are more interested in a cycling route, the Orla Cycle Path passes through Neustadt an der Orla further along its route.

Guided Tours and Bornquas

From May to October, the town’s Tourist Information Office offers a public guided tour on the first Saturday of every month. If you are planning to join a tour, ask the Tourist Information Office for the latest details. The fountain festival “Bornquas” is regularly celebrated on the third weekend in June. The appointment of a fountain master is also part of the long-standing tradition. This gives you two different ways to plan your trip: a monthly tour during a set season and a recurring festival usually held in June.

Regional Context: Saale-Orla

The wider Saale-Orla travel region is home to the Saale River and the Saale Cascade, which is about 80 kilometres long and has five dams. Together, they form Europe’s largest interconnected reservoir area, known as the Thuringian Sea. Bleiloch Reservoir is Germany’s largest reservoir. These landscape features belong to the Saale-Orla region and provide a separate regional context to the historical and urban themes of Neustadt an der Orla.

Discover more destinations: Moßbach, Keila, Burgk, Gefell, Saalburg-Ebersdorf, Krölpa, Schleiz, Stanau

Back to the main travel overview: Saale-Orla.