Plothen: Stilt House, Hausteich Pond and 1000 Ponds Circular Trail

Plothen by Hausteich Pond

The listed stilt house in Hausteich Pond is considered a landmark and a key destination for visitors to Plothen. Since its restoration, it has served as a museum, exhibition space and nature park information center. Its exhibits explore the history of pond and fish farming, as well as the diverse interests of the people who live and work in the pond area. Its construction is also unique: there is nothing else like it in Thuringia. The stilt house thus connects a specific place with cultural and historical themes and topics related to the nature park.

The nature conservation and environmental information center at Hausteich Pond near Plothen opens to visitors, hikers and nature lovers exploring the Plothen pond area each year from May. Admission and advice are free of charge. If you plan to visit the information center, check the latest opening information before you go.

From the stilt house, it is worth taking a hike along the 3 to 8-kilometer 1000 Ponds Circular Trail between Dreba and Plothen. The stated range of trail lengths can help you fit the hike into your schedule. Choose the length that suits you and check the current route before setting off; distances and routes may change.

This gives you two separate questions to consider when planning your day: When does the information center open, and what trail length would you like to plan for? Check the latest opening information and route details in advance.

More highlights in the wider Saale-Orla destination

The wider Saale-Orla destination opens up a vast waterscape. The Saale River, with the approximately 80-kilometer-long Saale Cascade, which has five dams, forms the largest contiguous reservoir area in Europe, known as the Thuringian Sea. Bleiloch Reservoir is Germany’s largest reservoir. Compared with Hausteich Pond in Plothen, this is on a different scale: the stilt house tells the story of pond and fish farming, while the Saale Cascade and Bleiloch Reservoir represent the vast reservoirs of the wider destination.

The wider Saale-Orla destination also has its own cultural highlights. Schloß Burgk Museum houses historic living and exhibition rooms with valuable interiors, as well as collections and exhibitions; concerts and festivals are also held there. Its bookplate collection comprises more than 200,000 prints and is the museum’s largest specialist collection. The Heinrichshütte foundry in Wurzbach offers a different focus: it is home to Europe’s largest and most powerful steam engine. Heinrichshütte is a hands-on museum that welcomes families with children, as well as groups of children from daycare centers and schools. At Burg Ranis Museum, visitors can learn more about the geology of the Orla Valley, the Ice Age and the history of the castle.

The wider Saale-Orla destination also offers different options for outdoor activities and excursions. In Wurzbach, more than 120 kilometers of signposted hiking trails invite you to explore the scenic low mountain landscape. Wysburg near Weisbach is an archaeological site where an old robber-knight castle was excavated, and a destination for an outing. Near Neustadt an der Orla, the Bismarck Tower stands 32.65 meters tall, with the medieval Hohe Straße ridgeway passing directly by it. Cycling routes are another regional highlight: the Orla Cycle Path runs through Neustadt an der Orla, while the Oberland Cycle Path leads from Schleiz to the Thuringian Sea.

Discover more destinations: Burkersdorf, Gahma, Stanau, Peuschen, Moßbach, Neustadt an der Orla, Saalburg-Ebersdorf, Ziegenrück.

Back to the regional travel overview: Saale-Orla.