Destinations Menu
RSS
4 Of 4
Bad Frankenhausen
Bad Frankenhausen
Bad Frankenhausen lies in the Kyffhäuser Mountains, a lovely low range, often described as a mini-Harz, which is popular with hikers and cyclists who enjoy the often gentle slopes and fine views. Bad Frankenhausen itself has the largest oil painting in the world in the Panoramamuseum, Am Schlachtberg 9. A 1975 round building, known locally as the "elephant toilet," houses this painting measuring 14½ by 123 m (46 x 394 feet), entitled Early Bourgeois Revolution in Germany. It was painted by Werner Tübke between 1976 and 1987, and depicts the Peasants’ Revolt of the early 16th century. The realistic painting features 75 major scenes and around 3,000 people. The revolt was led by Thomas Müntzer, a one-time ally of Martin Luther. However, he was condemned by Luther after demanding full social revolution, including the overthrow of nobles, and the destruction of monasteries and other religious centers. He led peasants into a one-sided battle against the armies of the nobles. The peasants were slaughtered at the battle of Schlachtberg in 1525. Müntzer was captured, tortured, and executed. Not surprisingly, Thomas Müntzer became a hero in the German Democratic Republic, while Martin Luther was initially viewed as a traitor of the people. Luther was only rehabilitated in the late 1950s.
Kyffhausen
Nearby, on the road to Kelbra are the ruins of the former imperial castle of Kyffhausen with the Kaiser Wilhelm- Nationaldenkmal (Emperor Wilhelm National Monument). According to legend, Emperor Friederich I Barbarossa, who drowned in a river while on a crusade in 1190, never really died, but was merely resting inside the hill of Kyffhausen, waiting to return to the throne when the time was right. The never-modest Hohenzollern regime of the late 19th century, decided that the restoration of the Empire by Prussia in 1871 clearly implied that the popular Barbarossa had risen in the form of the new emperor. A bombastic 81-m (259-foot) high monument was erected in 1896 featuring an enormous imperial crown and a 10-m (32-foot) high equestrian statue of KaiserWilhelm I. Just over 230 stairs lead to a viewing platform with grand views.
These sights are best reached by private transportation and are about a 45-minute drive from Erfurt and half an hour from Nordhausen.
Explore the Destination
Amenities and Resources
Overview
Hotels(3)
Restaurants(6)
Attractions(9)
Activities(3)
Visitor Information
Weather Forecast
- Reported on:
Sat, 05/18/2024 - 19:50
- Reported on:
Trending Themes:
Guides to Popular Ski Resorts
-
Ischgl is a small mountain village turned hip ski resort, with massive appeal among the party-hearty young crowds. It is... Read More
-
Andorra la Vella is its own little world, and not just because it’s a 290-square-mile independent principality (a fifth the... Read More
-
Bariloche (officially San Carlos de Bariloche) is the place to be seen. It is to Argentina what Aspen is to the... Read More
-
Aspen is America's most famous ski resort. And that's an understatement. For, as a ski complex, Aspen is unsurpassed. Its... Read More
-
Zermatt is a small but glamorous mountain resort town, with a population of approximately 5,700. It is one of Switzerland's... Read More
-
St. Moritz is a glitzy, alpine resort town in the celebrated Engadin Valley of Switzerland, with huge notoriety as the... Read More
-
Lake Tahoe is the premier lake resort of America, and the largest alpine lake in all of North America. It is an absolutely... Read More
-
St. Anton, Sankt Anton am Arlberg in German, is Austria's premier ski-bum resort! It's actually a small village cum... Read More
-
Kitzbühel, a small, Tyrolian resort town in the Kitzbüheler Alps, comes with international renown and huge snob appeal, and... Read More