Via Romea: Friedrichroda - Schmalkalden

Today's stage is a pleasure if you love hilly or even mountainous and forested landscapes. Today we hike southwest through the Thuringian Forest and will reach an altitude and be able to breathe mountain air as we have not since Stade - we climb above 700 meters above sea level.
The stage town Schmalkalden is not only located in the southwest of the Thuringian Forest but also in the southwest of Thuringia. The town was once a Hessian university and half-timbered town.

Note(s)
The "Via Romea" has various names, such as "Via Romea Stadensis" or "Via Romea Germanica". This pilgrimage route runs from northern Germany southwards over the Alpine pass "Brenner" to Rome. The route traces back to Abbot Albert of Stade, who set out for Rome in 1236 to obtain permission from Pope Gregory IX for stricter church discipline.
This north-south connection also allows pilgrims coming from the east to turn southwards towards Rome, just as it enables pilgrims from the north to turn westwards towards Santiago de Compostela.

See also
More about this Italian/German project on www.viaromeadistade.eu/ (Italy) and on www.viaromea.de (Germany).