Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

108

Above Houses and shops around

Krämerbrϋcke, Erfurt Below Schloss

Wachsenburg above Holzhausen

9 Drei Gleichen

Thuringia; 99869

Three castles, collectively known

as Drei Gleichen, crown the hills

en route to Gotha. The 17th-

century Wachsenburg is the best pre-

served after its restoration as

a hotel and restaurant; it is worth a

visit for the view from its perch

above Holzhausen village. Continue

for 3 miles (5 km) on the road to

reach Thuringia’s oldest castle, the

Mühlberg (Mar–Oct: open daily),

a ruin located above its sleepy

village. A fur ther 1 mile (2 km) drive

north ward toward Wandersleben

leads to the ruined Burg Gleichen,

which still retains its impressive

defensive walls.

ª From Mühlberg, continue to

Gotha via Wechmar and

Schwabhausen. Turn right on to the

B247 and follow signs to Gotha and

brown signs to Schloss Friedenstein.

BACK ROADS GERMANY

WHERE TO STAY

ILMENAU

Berg-und Jagdhotel Gabelbach

moderate

Located midway along the

Goethewanderweg path, this

comfortable if rather dated spa

hotel in the woodland south of

Ilmenau is well placed for walkers.

Waldstrasse 23, 98693; 03677 86 00;

http://www.gabelbach.com

ARNSTADT

Park moderate

This understated design hotel was

renovated from a brick brewery in

2008 and has an attached microbre-

wery/restaurant. Located south of

the old town, it provides free bikes

for guests to explore the region.

Brauhausstrasse 1–3, 99310; 03628 60

75 00; http://www.arnstadt-stadtbrauerei.de

ERFURT

Zumnorde am Anger moderate

Extra-large beds come as standard in

the classic, modern rooms of this smart

and efficient hotel in the city center.

Anger 50–51,99084; 0361 568 00;

http://www.hotel-zumnorde.de

7 Ilmenau

Thuringia; 98693

“I was always happy to spend time

here,” wrote JW Goethe, 18th-century

playwright and philosopher, about

this university town. Ilmenau

returned the com pli ment by dedicat-

ing the Goethe Stadtmuseum (open

daily) to the father of the German

Enlightenment. The museum is

located in the Baroque Amtshaus on

the Markt, where a bronze of Goethe

rests on a bench.

ª Take the Bücheloher Strasse,

following signs to Martinroda, Neusiss

and Dosdorf to Arnstadt. Go straight

over the round about into Plauesche

Strasse toward the tower and

park on Ried.

Where to Stay: inexpensive, under €70; moderate, €70–€150; expensive, over €150

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The Frankfurt-born son of a wealthy

family, Goethe (1748–1832) found

fame at the age of 26 as the author

of The Sorrows of Young Werther. This

tale of obsessive love not only

became the best seller of the early

Romantic move ment, but also led to

Goethe’s appointment as ducal

adviser in Weimar in 1775. Yet, to

label Goethe as just a writer is inade-

quate. Between court duties, he

con ducted scientific exper iments,

studied geology, designed palaces

and gardens, col lected antiquities,

and penned his masterpiece, Faust.

Author Thomas Mann dubbed him

“the greatest German of all.”

8 Arnstadt

Thuringia; 99310

A medieval watchtower at Arnstadt’s

entrance hints at the charm of this old

town at the forest’s edge. Full of half-

tim bered houses and tangled lanes, it

is a great place to explore. The Markt

has a Renaissance town hall and the

Bachkirche. Arnstadt was the home of

the composer Johann Sebastian Bach,

who, at the age of 18, scandalized the

con gre ga tion of the Bachkirche with

his contra puntal style on the organ. In

the Schlossmuseum (closed Mon) on

Erfurter Strasse are 18th-cen tury doll

tableaus and porcelain dis plays.

ª Return to the roundabout and turn

left on to Lindenallee, following signs

to Zentrum. Turn left at the round about

on to Wachsenburgallee, then right

and then left on to Ohrdrufer Strasse

toward Gotha to reach Holzhausen.