Beichlingen: Castle, Church History and Hilly Landscape

Beichlingen combines a wooded hilly landscape with a castle whose puzzle games and hiking and cycling routes add distinctive touches. Historical sights such as St. Aegidius village church add to the appeal. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on the landscape, a puzzle game or the town’s history. Beichlingen Castle is located on the northeastern edge of the Thuringian Basin, amid a varied, wooded hilly landscape.

Beichlingen Castle: Puzzle Games and Routes

The puzzle games at Beichlingen Castle last around 90 minutes to 2.5 hours, depending on the game. This range gives you an idea of how much time to allow; check specific options with the operator in advance. This will help you fit a suitable game into your plans without assuming that all options take the same amount of time.

The available game routes also differ. Depending on the puzzle game, a route may take you through the Enchanted Forest of Talking Trees, an unoccupied wing of the castle and an abandoned school. Check the current program and specific options with the operator before your visit. Beichlingen Castle also offers various hiking and cycling routes. Details may vary; if you plan to follow a particular route, check the information before setting out.

St. Aegidius and Other Sights

The Protestant St. Aegidius village church is one of Beichlingen’s sights. Its predecessor burned down completely during the church dedication festival in 1930. According to a stone in the sacristy, it dated from 1710; its foundations are even older. The church’s history therefore reaches back further than the construction of its predecessor.

Other sights in Beichlingen include the hereditary burial site of the Counts of Werthern-Beichlingen and Weiße Berg (White Mountain). Together with St. Aegidius, these sites offer different points of historical and local interest. The town’s church and local history thus complement the activities surrounding the castle and landscape.

Cultural Highlights in Kölleda

Kölleda is a cultural highlight within the wider travel destination. The town has a long tradition of growing and processing herbs and is known as the “Peppermint Town.” The Kölleda Local History Museum is housed in the former printers’ house, where a historic collection of stove tiles is on display. The historic museum garden is laid out in the style of around 1800; medicinal and culinary herbs, historic vegetable varieties and old roses grow there. An orchard meadow adjoins the garden and is used for various events. If you would like to combine your visit with an event, check the relevant dates in advance.

The Kölleda Radio Works Museum documents the history of VEB Funkwerk Kölleda, from its beginnings as the Neutro-Werk in 1945 to its restructuring. Other exhibition topics include the development of computing and data processing technology, from the calculating machine to the modern computer, as well as the history of radio and the progression from crystal radio receivers to hi-fi systems. Cameras, typewriters, telephones and radios from several decades are also on display. The Local History Museum focuses on herb-growing traditions and gardens, while the Radio Works Museum covers industrial and technological history.

St. Wiperti Church, the market square and the town hall also shape Kölleda’s townscape. A weekly market is held there regularly on Thursdays by the town hall; check the latest information if you plan to visit.

Discover more destinations: Kannawurf, Buttstädt, Guthmannshausen, Markvippach, Elxleben an der Gera, Großrudestedt, Straußfurt, Weißensee.

Back to the broader travel overview: Sömmerda.