Thuringia

Introducing Thuringia

Few German regions can match the rolling green hills and bucolic forest trails found in Thuringia (Thüringen), once part of the GDR. This picturesque state is quite aptly called the ‘green heart’ of Germany, but Thuringia’s moniker does not account for its fascinating and exciting cities – places like the capital, Erfurt; Weimar, a cultural icon in itself; and Eisenach, remarkable for being both a centre of historic German Lutheranism, and of car manufacturing. Beyond these cities are hundreds of smaller towns that invite exploration.

But Thuringia has also felt the cold double-edge of German history. In 1930 it became the first German state to be governed by the Nazis, and it quickly stocked its police and other public services with obedient followers of the NDSAP. The former Buchenwald concentration camp is a grim reminder of the period, standing in bleak contrast to the cultural legacy left by Goethe and Schiller 150 years earlier, and the radical Bauhaus movement which was born in the city in 1919.

Today Thuringia is one of the most popular tourist destinations for hiking and cultural tourism; it also offers many opportunities to combine both. Although its roads and trails are well-trodden, and its cities were long ago sketched on the world cultural map, Thuringia brings many unexpected rewards for visitors who put aside the map for a moment and immerse themselves in the gentle momentum of slow travel.

Last updated: 17-Feb-2009