A great love

The path to the castle leads along a small stream and through Rödental town park. Later, heading out of town, the route leads through idyllic fields and woodland along the River Itz.

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was born in Rosenau Castle in 1819. Between 1806 and 1817, his father, Duke Ernst I, had the castle, which dated back to the 15th century, remodelled in the neo-Gothic style according to plans by Friedrich Schinkel. This gave the castle an elegant, romantic and cosy yet practical interior design. After Prince Albert married Queen Victoria in 1840, they both enjoyed spending time at Rosenau Castle and in Coburg as often as state business permitted. Queen Victoria wrote: "If I were not what I am, this would be my real home." London's most famous concert hall is named after Prince Albert. Her son Alfred was awarded the castle and lived here until his death in 1900. His wife Maria Alexandrovna, daughter of Tsar Alexander II, continued to live in the castle until she too died in 1920.

After various uses, the Free State of Bavaria bought the palace in 1972 and restored it. Since 1990, the rooms in the basement have been home to a museum that revives the romantic remodelling once carried out by Schinkel. It is furnished with the original Biedermeier furniture.

The hiking trail follows the course of the Itz towards Oeslau. There are two popular places to stop for refreshments along the way: the Spatzl & Spezl beer garden at Rosenauer Weg 4 and, a little further on, the Grosch brewery inn at Oeslauer Str. 115. After crossing the railway tracks, hikers reach the centre of Oeslau with St. Johanniskirche church and the Oeslau domain.

A chapel stood on the site of today's St John's Church in Oeslau as early as the 14th century. It was replaced by a late Gothic church at the beginning of the 16th century. Like the chapel before it, the church formed an ensemble with the moated castle of Oeslau. At the beginning of the 17th century, the owner of the Oeslau estate once again remodelled the church, this time in the late Renaissance style. The figures and design of the chancel bear witness to this.

The moated castle was destroyed by fire in the 19th century. Queen Victoria of England had the church building completely renovated in 1863. Since then, the interior has been painted in white and gold. The duke's family had strong ties to the small church and used it as a place of worship when they were in Rosenau. Queen Victoria's granddaughters, Marie and Victoria Melitta, were confirmed here in 1891.

The hikers are located on the Oeslau estate, which was first mentioned in 1162. Today, the domain is a centre for art, culture and encounters. Exhibitions, summer theatre and a youth centre enrich the region.

The route continues southwards along the Röden and westwards over the Itz. The Itz Valley Bridge can be seen from afar. It has a length of 868 metres, a width of 14.3 metres and a height of 30 metres.

Up and down the hills, the route now leads through a marvellous mixed forest that stretches as far as the Brandenstein plain. This is followed by the Coburg-Brandensteinsebene airfield, which is now over 100 years old. Long used for civil aviation, it is now a training airfield for the German Armed Forces.

The route now runs parallel to the wine route to the Veste Coburg.

The Veste Coburg houses the important art collection of the Coburg dukes. Works by the Cranachs and Holbeins, Matthias Grünewald and painters of the Dürer school can be seen here. There is also a collection of sculptures and artistic handicrafts such as historical carriages, sleighs and ceremonial carriages, weapons, coins, medals and much more. You can also visit original historical rooms and rooms such as Luther's parlour.

A castle was first mentioned here in a document in 1225. At times, a monastery was housed here, but most of the time the Veste was the residence of the Dukes of Coburg. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Veste was in serious need of renovation. Work was carried out between 1909 and 1923 under the supervision of architect Bodo Ebhardt. The last owner, Duke Carl Eduard, and his wife had already decreed that the house should be used for museum purposes. In 1919, the building was transferred to the Coburg State Foundation.

For a refreshing break, we recommend a stop at the Burgschänke, directly on the Veste Coburg.

The path now leads past the Natural History Museum through the Hofgarten to Ehrenburg Castle. The court garden was laid out at the end of the 17th century when Coburg became a royal seat. Prince Albert's father, Duke Ernst I, extended the landscaped park in 1816/17 and had a mausoleum built for his parents. The sandstone building is guarded by two stone sphinxes. A fountain from 1803 is dedicated to Duke Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who died in 1900.

In the 16th century, Duke Johann Ernst of Coburg moved his court from the Veste Coburg down to the town. Here, between 1543 and 1547, he had a Franciscan monastery that had been dissolved by the Reformation remodelled into a three-winged building in the Renaissance style. From 1690, the Ehrenburg was converted into a Baroque residence of the Dukes of Coburg with a magnificent hall and court church. After 1810, the building was given its neo-Gothic style - designed by the young Berlin architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel.

The magnificent living and public rooms are designed in the Empire style and bear witness to a time when Queen Victoria of Great Britain visited her German relatives here at the end of the 19th century.

A tour of the palace takes in 25 rooms, including the Family Hall, Giant's Hall, Throne Room, the two picture galleries, the Duke's flat and the Duchess's living quarters as well as the Court Church.

The route to the railway station leads through the historic old town. The Coburg market, which has existed here since the 15th century, is at the centre of it.

The Spitaltor is one of Coburg's three remaining town gates. As early as the 13th century, the important trade route between Nuremberg and Erfurt passed through here. St George's Hospital was once located nearby. After crossing the Itz on the Mohrenbrücke bridge (built in 1876), it is not far to Coburg railway station.