In the hilly, thickly forested Thuringian Forest sits Saalfeld-Rudolstadt District, in southern Thuringia bordering Bavaria. The ancient and historic towns and villages balance on craggy ridges and on steep slopes, hidden in the woodlands with a handful of great castles topping the peaks.
Saalfeld-Rudolstadt District Map
Towns & Villages in the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt District
- Allendorf
- Altenbeuthen
- Bad Blankenburg
- Bechstedt
- Cursdorf
- Deesbach
- Döschnitz
- Dröbischau
- Drognitz
- Gräfenthal
- Hohenwarte
- Kamsdorf
- Katzhütte
- Kaulsdorf
- Königsee-Rottenbach
- Lehesten
- Leutenberg
- Lichte
- Mellenbach-Glasbach
- Meura
- Meuselbach-Schwarz.
- Oberhain
- Oberweißbach
- Piesau
- Probstzella
- Reichmannsdorf
- Remda-Teichel
- Rohrbach
- Rudolstadt
- Saalfelder Höhe
- Saalfeld (Saale)
- Schmiedefeld
- Schwarzburg
- Sitzendorf
- Uhlstädt-Kirchhasel
- Unterweißbach
- Unterwellenborn
- Wittgendorf (Saalfeld)
The capital of Saalfeld is one of the most ancient towns in Germany and is still surrounded by parts of the original defensive walls and bastions. The other namesake of the district, Rudostadt, sits in the low valley of the Saale, and is overlooked by the great castle Heidecksburg — enthroned on a nearby hill. Castle Wespenstein is also clearly visible above Gräfenthal.
The town of Bad Blankenburg is a spa town in the mountains, but is more famous for being the “birthplace” of the modern Kindergarten. Friedrich Fröbel started his first “childrens garden” here in 1837 and many museums continue the story.
But there isn’t just the old to lament, there are the fresh scenes and landscapes of each new day to rise to.
