FrankenwaldSteigla Rehberg-Weg

Understand the forest - aisles on forest slopes, fords through rivers: Hike through the cultural landscape in the Franconian Forest Nature Park and read the traces of its history! How did people live from and with the forest? Understanding grows step by step: People change their environment and the environment changes the people.

The Plassenburg castle dominates Kulmbach's impressive skyline! Behind the largest Renaissance building in Germany is an enchanting natural spectacle: beech trees stretch up to 30 meters into the air and hiking through on natural paths has its own charm in every season! Bare branches in winter are reminiscent of the vaulted ceilings of Gothic cathedrals. Spring brings new, fresh greenery, summer pleasant shade and autumnal beech foliage is a spectacle of color.

Our "Rehberg Trail" also takes you to an interactive nature trail - an experience for all the senses!

A literal highlight of the hike is the Rehberg itself: From here, you have the perfect view of Plassenburg Castle, the Buchwald forest and the town of Kulmbach.

Wegbeschreibung

We start our hike at the parking lot by the pavilion on Rehberg and follow the ridgeway to the Rehberg tower and beyond.

The Rehberg and its tower:
The 507-metre high ridge covered in mixed forest opposite Plassenburg Castle merges into the approximately 6 km long Kulmbach Forest. It is crowned by a 20-metre-high tower on the Rehberg (493 m above sea level), which can be reached via an external staircase. The stone Kulmbach coat of arms is emblazoned above the entrance. It was built in 1498 at the margrave's behest alongside other towers as a watchtower. These margravial signal towers were used to sound the alarm in the event of imminent danger by means of fire, torches or smoke signals. Even if urgent messages are passed on in a different way today, we can still enjoy the fantastic view from its viewing platform, which extends as far as the Kordigast, Patersberg, Lucas-Cranach-Turm, Radspitze, Pressecker-Knock-Turm, Fichtelgebirge, Sanspareil, Magnusturm and Görauer Anger. Once we reach the top, we hike along pleasant, almost flat paths on the ridge.

When the forest path branches off to the left, we follow it to keep right at the next junction.

Our route continues along a long stretch of always beautiful paths, partly on a nature trail with interesting information boards and interactive elements through a sparse mixed forest dominated by beech and pine trees. Before we reach Tennach, we should enjoy the fantastic view of the Franconian Forest and Fichtelgebirge mountains once again.

In Tennach, we head north and cross the meadows and fields to Stephansreuth. We cross the village, cross the district road and keep left at Leithen. Here we meet the FrankenwaldSteigla Ebersbacher Weg and walk straight ahead parallel to the slope under the canopy of the Sommerrangen. After leaving the forest, it is not far to Plassenburg Castle, which we cross and walk down a path to the upper town. We pass the historic ensemble at St. Peter's Church only briefly and then follow Kohlbachstraße and Steinerne Gäßchen before entering the sparse forest. We climb the Rehberg along narrow paths and forest trails until we catch sight of the Rehberg tower again. We circle the Rehberg via the narrow path until we finally reach the pavilion again.

In 1498, Margrave Friedrich IV gave the order to build 18 large control rooms - in addition to numerous smaller "Eylen", as they were called at the time - in the area from Bamberg through the Franconian Forest to the Vogtland and the Fichtelgebirge. Alongside Schneeberg, Weißenstein, Kasendorf and Calmberg (= Sophienberg), it was the fifth important Eyle, as it was called at the time, to be built on the Rehberg. Its name is derived from "Rech"- or Räch-Berg, which means that the gallows once stood on its slope. From his tower room, the lone watchman peered into the countryside and reported friends and foes to his lordship. A large pile of dried wood mixed with pitch always had to be kept ready for this purpose. They were of great importance in times of war. But they were also of great importance in the event of fire and attacks by derelict knights. By 1810 they had served their purpose. Some fell into disrepair and were forgotten, others were converted into lookout towers.