Orla cycling route - Thuringia

The Orla cycling route starts at the source of the Orla near Triptis, located on the Thuringian Porcelain Road, and then leads through idyllic villages with meadows and fields. In Döblitz, you pass the fortified church, one of the oldest churches in the Saale-Orla district dating back to the 13th century.

The highlight of the cycling route is the culturally and historically significant town of Neustadt (Orla). Here you pass the former monastery church of the Augustinian hermits, where Martin Luther was active several times. Further into town you reach Neustadt market, which shapes the townscape with its size and design. The most beautiful buildings at the market are the late Gothic town hall with rich stone carvings on the oriel and staircase, the well-preserved townhouses, and the so-called Luther house on the east side of the market. From the market you reach the Kirchplatz through the historic Fleischbänke, a medieval butcher's shopping street unique in Western Europe. Here in the St. John's Church you will find another gem of the town—a altar from the workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder. Visitors interested can register at the town's tourism office.

After a short break, the cycle path continues through the over 950-year-old district of Neunhofen, one of the oldest places in the upper Orla area. The local church was built in 1409.

The path continues past the Oppurg castle complex with an English landscape park. The baroque Four Seasons Castle was once said to have been equipped with 365 windows, 52 interior doors, 12 chimneys, and 4 portals.

Through the towns of Schweinitz and Kleindembach you reach the confluence of the Orla into the Saale. A visit to the Untermühle is worthwhile here.