Christmas market route in Eisenach - Thuringian Forest

DUE TO COVID19, NO CHRISTMAS MARKET WILL TAKE PLACE IN EISENACH IN 2020!

Short route from the classic Christmas market on the marketplace to the historic Christmas market at Wartburg Castle and back.

The Christmas market route starts in Eisenach city centre at the market square. There is the classic Christmas market with various stalls, mulled wine booths and a range of culinary specialties. The town hall, the City Palace, and the Georgen Church frame the market and create a beautiful backdrop.

After the first warm drink and first treats, we start the route from the market to the Preacher's Church. Here begins the Luther Experience Trail, which leads over the Eisenach Schlossberg past the donkey station up to Wartburg Castle. The steep but very interesting ascent informs on 15 large panels about the reformer and offers insight into important historical events during Luther’s lifetime. At the end of the experience trail is the donkey station, which is closed during the cold season, so you have to climb the last meters to Wartburg Castle on your own.

Before crossing the drawbridge to enter the castle courtyard, you should take a small detour to the right to the Wartburg embankment. From there you have a great view of the east facade of Wartburg Castle, which is also one of the most popular photo motifs of Eisenach.

The Wartburg Castle itself was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 because of its outstanding cultural and historical significance. Entrance to Wartburg Castle during the Advent weekends costs 5 euros access fee. For this, the large festival hall of Wartburg and the famous Luther room are open for visits. This is not to be missed. Afterwards, you can enjoy the romantic atmosphere in the old walls by torchlight.

After your visit to Wartburg, the descent begins past the Elisabeth Plan, an unofficial pilgrimage site (miracle of roses), through the Helltal valley. If you start the return journey in the dark, you should take a flashlight or similar. The way down is not illuminated. Once at the bottom, you pass the Reuter-Wagner Museum, which houses the largest Wagner collection outside Bayreuth. From the museum, it is approximately a 15-minute walk back to the starting point at the market. On the way back you also pass the Bach House and the Luther House. Both houses offer modern and highly worth-seeing exhibitions. The Christmas market route ends at the starting point, the market.

Note:

The historic Christmas market at Wartburg Castle is open only on the Advent weekends from 10 am to 7 pm.

The Christmas market on the market square is open daily until December 22, 2019 – Monday to Saturday from 10:30 am and on Sundays from 11:30 am.