If you had asked me five years ago where I am today, I’d have given you a totally different answer. Right now I’m in Hörselberg-Hainich, but half a decade ago I’d be in either Hörselberg or Behringen.
Confusing, right? It doesn’t have to be — since in 2007 the two villages came to known as Hörselberg-Hainich. The second half of its name is because this Thuringian town lies right along the southern part of the Hainich National Park.
You know what that means. Yup, lots and lots of hiking and biking trails. And since the Nesse and Hörsel Rivers flow right through town you’ve got a choice of which one you want to follow.
No, hit them all. The Sculpture Trail is only 6km long; and you could get a guide to take you out into the Hainich if you want.
It’s good to have choices.
And you’ve got a choice to decide which castle you’d like to see first. There’s the pretty Schloss Neuscharfenberg, Schloss Tüngeda (1582), and the Renaissance Schloss Behringen that’s now a library and Local History Museum.
Another choice is which church to see. Over in the village of Wolfsbehringen (one of 17, BTW) is St. Laurentius from 1475, the Lutherkirche was built in 1846 over an older church, and then there’s the Church of Saints Peter & Paul.
And I wouldn’t dare to leave out the Lutheran Church in Kälberfeld, which is a medieval Romanesque original.
What other choices do you got in Hörselberg-Hainich? Let’s see… How about which festival to attend?
The Maytime Festival is grand with its parade and dancing, then you’ve got Das Fest der tausend Lichter (festival of a thousand lights) and the Laubmannfest that are both in June. The Frau-Holle-Fest takes place during the Christmas Season, in case you need to know.
Um, this isn’t a choice — go to them all. ;-)
With all these choices, I’m bound to have missed something? Ah, yes, I left out telling you about the Bronze Age Archaeological site nearby; and the medieval Atonement Cross in the village of Craula. Lots of half-timbered houses in this village, I must say.
I think I’ve managed to get in all of Hörselberg-Hainich’s goodies. There are certainly enough of them, don’t you agree?
