There’s a whole lot of history in Eisenach

Insider Tips

Just imagine for a second it’s a Thursday afternoon, you’re sitting at your desk or on the sofa. Generally speaking, life is good, but there’s something troubling you. One of life's great questions. You need some guidance, a helping hand. Well, fear not because in a few minutes' time you will never have to ask yourself “What is there to do in Eisenach?” ever again…

For a relatively small town in central Germany, Eisenach has been the home to some pretty important people and some pretty important events. So, with this in mind, we decided to give our recommendation list a little bit of a historical flavour.

 

Wartburg Castle

Really there could be only one starting point. This medieval castle is etched into German history for a multitude of reasons, but perhaps most prominently because it’s the place where Martin Luther translated the New Testament of the Bible into German, laying the foundations for the modern German language as it is recognised today. Nowadays, the castle is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the most visited tourist attraction in the state of Thuringia after the city of Weimar. There are guided tours, exhibitions and events all occurring on a regular basis. Aside from all the above, it’s worth a visit for the views and scenery alone. Luckily for you, we’ve put together this neat little offer that includes your entrance to the castle as part of your stay at Pentahotel Eisenach.

 

The Bach House

If having a major impact on the modern German language and religion isn’t impressive enough for you, what about being the birthplace of the greatest composer of all time? The musical maestro Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach in 1685. Unsurprisingly given his legacy, there are multiple museums dedicated to Bach, but Bachhaus in Eisenach was the very first in the world. Today it is home to over 300 exhibition items (all texts are in both German and English) but perhaps the best thing about the museum is that every hour there is a 20-minute concert of Bach’s music played on historic baroque instruments, meaning you can experience firsthand how it would have sounded live back then. This is included in your entrance ticket price which we think is a nice touch.

 

Jazzclub Eisenach

Sticking with the musical theme but something substantially more contemporary, next up on our list is the Jazzclub Eisenach. Formed in 1959, it was the first jazz club in the DDR, meaning it is the oldest jazz club in East Germany and one of the oldest in the whole of Germany. Still going strong today, most of its events are on the weekend and take place in the awesome “Jazz Cellar” at the Alte Mälzerei. It is of course mostly jazz-focused, but they do also have evenings that extend into other genres such as blues and folk.

 

Drachenschlucht

Depending on your perspective this one could be almost 200 years old, or 250 million…  Drachenschluct, or Dragon’s Gorge for our English readers, is a natural gorge (this is where the 250 million comes from) located in the Thuringian Forest with narrow man-made walkways (this is where the 200 comes from). A popular excursion with hiking enthusiasts, at its narrowest point it is just 68 centimetres wide. Don’t let that put you off at all though, this is a beautiful walk and brings with it a sense of genuine adventure.

By now you’re probably wondering where to stay in Eisenach. Believe it or not, we have the perfect suggestion for you... Pentahotel Eisenach is a great modern counterpoint to all your historical exploring. You’ll get a comfortable night’s sleep in a big bed in a hotel with a relaxed atmosphere, and then a delicious breakfast the next morning as well. What more could you need? Book your stay now.