Geo trail Nebra

Short Description

The path leads through abandoned quarries, providing insights into the Buntsandstein sandstone.

Description

The path winds through abandoned quarries, various relics in the Buntsandstein sandstone testify to the once great importance of quarrying and stonemasonry in the Nebra area - its products can be found throughout Germany. The up to 30 m high sandstone walls impress with their diverse colors and structures.

Extended Tour Description:
From the parking lot on Wangener Straße, follow the road to the beginning of the path. The entrance is visible on the right side by hiking trail signs at the town's exit sign.
 
Passing a small garden area, through a natural quarry area, alternating between narrow footpaths and wide hiking trails, you ascend steeply. The plateau rewards you with a magnificent view of the Buntsandstein cliffs.
Follow the signs to the "Bock Viewpoint", alternatively you can stay on the quarry path.
Through an orchard, head towards Kleinwangen. A visit to the Arche Nebra is recommended there.
Then follow the signs to Großwangen. The path forks at a seating area, offering two options: uphill to the "Breite Platte" with a viewpoint of the Arche and Vitzenburg; alternatively, you can deviate from the path and visit the town of Nebra.
If you skip the visit to the town, the tour leads over the Unstrut bridge towards Wangen back to the starting point.

Route Description

A possible starting point for the tour is behind the train station, on Wangener Straße. The parking area is on the left side of the street. To access the hiking trail, follow the route for about 500 m along the road. Exercise caution as there is no sidewalk. At the town's exit sign, the entrance is visible on the right side by hiking trail signs. Cross the street and turn onto a well-maintained, wide hiking trail. From the sign "Steinbruchweg", the path becomes steeper and narrower as you climb. The path reduces to a trail behind the small garden area. Passing through a natural quarry area (watch out for fallen trees on the path due to wind damage), alternating between narrow footpaths and wide hiking trails, and wooden stairs, the path leads you steeply uphill. Upon reaching the hilltop, you'll be rewarded with a magnificent view of the colorful Buntsandstein cliffs. Here, an open quarry from recent times reveals where rock was extracted for the restoration of significant historic buildings in the 1990s using block blasting techniques. After a gradual ascent, the path turns left along the edge of the forest.

At the next fork, there are signs, including for the "Bock Viewpoint". Here, the path changes from earthy to partly rocky and leads back into the forest. In some places on the forest floor, you can already see the Buntsandstein. On the left side is the former quarry. In summer, it's barely recognizable as nature has reclaimed its space. Follow the path to the next fork and choose to either go left towards the "Bock Viewpoint" or continue on the Steinbuchweg path to the right. Opting for the "Bock" viewpoint rewards you with a 180° panoramic view over the narrow Unstrut valley below and the opposite Buntsandstein cliffs. These vertically falling walls, with a 100-meter difference to the valley floor, give the appearance of a low mountain range. However, these are centuries-old quarries, only recognizable as such upon closer inspection. Impressive are the immense amounts of stone and debris moved, which have largely been absorbed by nature.

If you continue on the path to the right, after about 10 m you'll reach an old, no longer cultivated orchard. Before the orchard, the path turns left and follows the edge of the forest again. In the distance on the right, you can see the village of Vitzenburg with its castle. After about 1.5 km and at the next fork, the hiking trail turns left into the forest. This marks the descent towards Kleinwangen. In spring, this section is often part of guided tours to showcase the first spring blossoms.

Upon reaching Kleinwangen, turn right and walk through the village on the footpath of the streets "Am Bockberg", "Auf der Nebraer Straße", "Unter den Linden". At this point, you can choose to visit the Arche Nebra. From April to October, new special exhibitions are held every year.

Continuing on the route, the Steinbruchweg passes by the sports field. At the next fork, well signposted, continue to the left. Cross an unguarded railway crossing, the Unstrut bridge, towards Großwangen. It's about 500 m to the intersection of the village and state road. Follow "Memlebener Straße" to the left on the sidewalk. At the town's exit, continue alongside the road for about 1 km until you reach the allotment gardens. Upon arrival, cross the street. The signage is clearly visible here. The Steinbruchweg now leads slightly uphill into the mixed forest, becoming a narrow path. The hiker is right by the Buntsandstein cliffs and in early spring has a wonderful view of the Unstrut valley.

Between Wangen and Nebra, on both sides of the Unstrut, lie the former quarry areas where the Buntsandstein originates, giving the city its reputation. On the north-facing slopes, different sandstone layers were extracted, processed, and transported down to the river on steep ramps. Since the end of the 18th century, the Unstrut has been navigable, allowing for the transport of large quantities. Besides the high quality of the stones, the widespread use of Nebra Buntsandstein throughout Germany is due to the good infrastructure, seen in buildings such as the Reichstag in Berlin and the Old Stock Exchange in Hamburg. The path forks at a seating area. Here, the hiker can choose to take the lower path, which leads directly through the now forested former quarry fields, sometimes with views of the steep Buntsandstein outcrops, or the path towards the plateau, the so-called "Breite Platte". The latter route rewards the climb with a magnificent viewpoint of the Arche and Vitzenburg. The Buntsandstein city of Nebra is particularly built on and from sandstone in the old town area on the rock. Upon reaching Berggasse, the hiker can turn right, leave the geological trail, and explore the town. From this position in Nebra, the Schlosshotel "Himmelsscheibe Nebra" with a castle ruin is about 50 m away, the Hedwig Courts-Maler Museum about 60 m, and the Triassic exhibition about 100 m. Many buildings in Nebra are constructed from and on Buntsandstein, which was previously extracted from the quarries in Wangen and Nebra.

Witnesses of time that the hiker has seen in their original form dating back 250 million years. Following the signposted route, the tour continues without a detour into the city, turning left and descending via a concrete stairway.

The Unstrut bridge, with its landmarks, the two lion sculptures carved from Buntsandstein, is visible from a distance and is crossed. After the restricted railway crossing, turn left towards Wangen. The loop is completed, and after about 50 m, the hiker is back at the starting point.

Safety Instructions

Marked ascents and descents on both sides of the Unstrut