The best cycling routes in Naturschutzgebiet "Dörnaer Platz"

small highlight on the dead-straight stretch

The mill was first documented in 1631. In 1679, it was rebuilt and subsequently used as both a tanning mill and a grinding mill. The mill wheel remained until 1958. The building complex still exists today: in 1994, the main building was renovated and converted into residential units. The southern, historic half-timbered building now houses commercial spaces, and a millstone is displayed in front of the building.

From the Hohen Graben, visitors enjoy a beautiful view of the imposing double-towered St. James' Church. Construction of the present-day St. James' Church began around 1280. An inscription, now lost, attributes the imperial figure in the arch of the north portal to Henry VII. Another inscription names 1363 as the year of completion of the church. The motif of the unequal couple is taken up in the impressive tower group completed in 1418. After the Reformation, the church seems to have been used only sporadically. It lost almost all its furnishings in the last century. St. James' Church was extensively renovated from 1992 to 2004 with financial support from the state of Thuringia, the federal-state program "Urban Monument Protection," and the German Foundation for Monument Protection. Since April 2004, St. James' Church has housed the city library with a children's library and a sound library. Interesting for visitors: so-called "Archaeological Windows" provide insights into the church's construction history. Source: https://www.thueringen.info/kultur/muehlhausen-stadtbibliothek-jakobikirche/

The Inner Frauen Gate (Innere Frauentor) in Mühlhausen is an important relic of the medieval city fortifications and one of the city's most significant historical structures. It is located in the northwest of the old town and formerly served as one of the central entrances to the city. Merchants, travelers, and visitors entered the city through this gate, thus playing an important role both economically and militarily. The Frauen Gate owes its name to the street that led directly to St. Mary's Church, the so-called Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). Architecturally, it is a so-called double gate system, consisting of a high gate tower and a gatehouse situated in front of it. Between these two parts was a narrow, specially secured area known as the zwinger. This construction method served defensive purposes, as attackers could be trapped between the gates in an emergency and repelled more easily. The original gate was built in the Middle Ages, presumably in the 13th century. After a city fire, it was rebuilt in 1655 in the form in which it can still be seen today. Over time, the city structure changed, and parts of the fortifications were demolished or added to. For example, another Frauen Gate disappeared in 1830, the outline of which is still indicated in the street paving today. Today, the Inner Frauen Gate is the only preserved gate of Mühlhausen's inner city wall and thus a particularly valuable testimony to the city's history. It is part of one of the best-preserved medieval city fortifications in Germany and attracts many visitors. Together with the remaining sections of the wall, it provides a vivid impression of how strongly fortified and organized medieval cities once were.

In the 14th century, an outer city wall was built to protect Mühlhausen's suburbs. Of the three original gate towers, only the 15th-century tower of the outer Frauentor remains today. Anyone entering the gate from the west has an impressive view of the city. The gate features late Gothic details, such as a barrel vault with decorated keystones. In addition, remnants such as a painted niche, arched windows, brackets for the gate, and traces of the portcullis are still visible on the outside.

Since April 2004, the Mühlhausen city library has been located in the renovated and converted Jakobikirche. Here, the main library, children's library, and phonotheque have been brought together under one roof. As a cultural and educational institution, working with children, particularly promoting reading, is a focus of the library team's activities. The Jakobikirche is also a popular venue for lectures, author readings, and concerts. Since 2021, the city library has also offered a scientific and local history reference library in the Jakobikirche. The user workstations of the Mühlhausen City Archives are also located there. Source: https://www.muehlhausen.de/rathaus-erkunden/stadtverwaltung/stadtarchiv-stadtbibliothek/stadtbibliothek-jakobikirche/

The Church of St. Peter was built on the city's plague cemetery to replace a chapel that had already fallen into disrepair in 1295. Construction began around 1352. A few years later, in 1356, the existing church is mentioned. It was incorporated into the parish of St. Mary of the Teutonic Order in the Neustadt. Agreements regarding liturgical care were notarized in 1371. St. Peter only became an independent parish in modern times. The late Gothic structure with a 5/8 choir has undergone multiple changes. A flat ceiling was initially inserted to replace the vault that collapsed in the city fire of 1422. Demolition material from the abandoned Chapel of St. John at Blobach was used in 1577 for a new vestibule. Between 1893 and 1895, St. Peter was given its present form through a re-vaulting of the church interior and the extension of the nave to the west with a new facade. Source: https://www.muehlhausen.de/tourismus/sehenswuerdigkeiten/kirchen/petrikirche/

The line itself is impressive. The second track was dismantled by the Russians in 1945 as reparations.