Heubach – Observatory, Sports Center and Planet Trail

Observatory, Sports and Planet Trail in Heubach

The observatory at the Heubach school and recreation camp opened on May 14, 2009. If you are considering a visit, check in advance what visiting options are available. The Heubach sports center includes a two-court tennis hall with a Grand Prix court and an adjacent squash hall. These are two different indoor sports. If you plan to use one of the halls, it is advisable to check in advance what use options are available.

The Planet Trail leads from Heubach to Masserberg. The 3.8 km experience hike can begin at the small observatory in Heubach. This gives you both a possible starting point and a named destination for the tour. Unlike the indoor sports, this activity can be described by its length and route. The observatory, sports center and Planet Trail are therefore different points of interest that you can prioritize according to your interests.

Masserberg: Church, Rennsteigwarte and Hiking Trails

The Protestant Mountain Church of Masserberg is located in the wider travel destination of Masserberg. The present church was consecrated on October 9, 1883, after the church that had previously stood there was destroyed by fire in 1880. Since the third Sunday of Advent in 1980, the “Masserberger Christkönig” has been housed in the church. The Greiz sculptor Elly-Viola Nahmmacher carved the artwork from a linden trunk. It is 3 m high and 2.65 m wide. The history of the church building and the later installation of the artwork are two distinct historical points of interest.

Another historical landmark in Masserberg is the Rennsteigwarte on Eselsberg. It was built in 1974. Two wooden predecessor towers had previously been destroyed: one in 1951 by a storm, the other in 1974 by a lightning strike. Eselsberg is 842 m high; the Rennsteigwarte offers panoramic views across the Thuringian Forest and its foothills. Here, an account of the tower’s history and views across the landscape combine to form a distinctive Masserberg theme.

Masserberg lies directly on the Rennsteig and is surrounded by forest meadows as well as beech and spruce forests. Numerous well-marked hiking trails and the Rennsteig offer opportunities to hike through the Thuringian Forest Nature Park. On the ridge, you can hike comfortably in different directions with only slight changes in elevation; you can also take a horse-drawn carriage ride. The purpose-built barefoot path runs over natural forest floor, sharp wood chips, wooden tree slices and soft moss. Masserberg therefore offers a range of ways to enjoy the outdoors: marked hiking trails, a path with varied surfaces, and a horse-drawn carriage ride.

Discover more travel destinations: Biberschlag, Eisfeld, Schleusingerneundorf, Masserberg, Schleusegrund, Nahetal-Waldau, Auengrund, Goldlauter.

Go to the wider travel overview: Hildburghausen-Suhl.