Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [233]
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Sights
WARTBURG
When it comes to medieval castles and their importance in German history, the Wartburg ( 2500; www.wartburg-eisenach.de; tour adult/concession €8/5, museum & Luther study only €4/2.50; tours 8.30am-5pm Mar-Oct, 9am-3.30pm Nov-Feb) is the mother lode. According to legend, the first buildings were put up in 1067 by the hilariously named local ruler Ludwig the Jumper (see the boxed text, Click here) in an effort to protect his territory. In 1206, Europe’s best minstrels met for the medieval version of Pop Idol, a song contest later immortalised in Richard Wagner’s opera Tannhäuser. Shortly thereafter, Elisabeth, the most famous Wartburg woman, arrived. A Hungarian princess, she was married off to the local landgrave at age four and later chose to abandon court life for charitable work, earning canonisation quickly after her death in 1235. Another famous resident was Martin Luther, who went into hiding here in 1521 under the assumed name of Junker Jörg after being excommunicated and placed under papal ban. During this 10-month stay, he translated the New Testament from Greek into German, contributing enormously to the development of the written German language.
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RENNSTEIG RAMBLE
Germany’s oldest (first mentioned in public records in 1330) and most popular long-distance trail, the 169km Rennsteig winds southeast from Hörschel (near Eisenach) along forested mountain ridges to Blankenstein on the Saale River. The trail is marked by signposts reading ‘R’, and is best hiked in May/June and September/October. You should be moderately fit, but otherwise no special skills or equipment are needed – just good shoes and a set of strong thighs to carry you for six or seven days. Day hikes offer a taste of the trail, and hiker-geared lodging options abound in the villages and towns down below. The Rennsteig bike trail also begins in Hörschel and travels over asphalt, soft forest soil and gravel, mostly paralleling the hiking trail.
The tourist office in Eisenach has cycling and hiking brochures and maps. You can also pick up information and professional maps from the Rennsteigwanderhaus ( 036928-911 94; Rennsteig-strasse 9, Hörschel; 8.30-5pm).
A time-honoured tradition for Rennsteig ramblers is to pick up a pebble from the Werra River at the beginning of your hike, carry it with you and throw it back into the Saale River upon completing the trail.
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You’ll get to see Luther’s modest wood-panelled study at the end of the guided tour, which is the only way to see the interior of the castle. Many of the rooms contain extravagant 19th-century impressions of medieval life rather than the original fittings. The enormous banquet hall, whose great acoustics make it a popular concert space, is just one highlight. There’s also a museum, where you can admire paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder and important Christian artefacts from all over Germany.
Budget at least two hours total: one for the guided tour, the rest for the museum and the grounds (views!). From April to October, the 1.30pm tour is in English, other-wise ask the guide for a pamphlet (available in a dozen or so languages).
To get to the Wartburg from the Markt, walk one block west to Wydenbrugkstrasse, then head southwest along Schlossberg through the forest via Eselstation (this takes about 40 minutes, and parts are rather steep). A more scenic route is via the Haintal (50 minutes).
From April to October, bus 10 runs hourly from 9am to 5pm from the Hauptbahnhof (with stops at Karlsplatz and Mariental) to the Eselstation, from where it’s a steep 10-minute walk up to the castle. In winter, buses are available on demand; call 228 822 for a pick-up.
BACHHAUS
Johann Sebastian Bach, who was born in Eisenach in 1685, takes the spotlight in the revamped and enlarged Bachhaus ( 793 40; www.bachhaus.de; Frauenplan 21; adult/concession/family €6.50/3.50/12; 10am-6pm), one of the best biographical museums we’ve ever seen. Exhibits are set up in the type of wattle-and-daub town house where