Everyone gets a basket here!

With the construction of the railway line from 1846, hundreds of basket makers from the surrounding area came to Lichtenfels on Saturdays and brought their wickerwork to the merchants, who then exported it all over the world. Many merchants settled in the town, as the basketry trade was once lucrative and flourished here in the second half of the 19th century. Some factories and villas in the town still bear witness to this period. You can see that you have disembarked in the wickerwork town as soon as you arrive at the railway station: here you are greeted by the wickerwork object "Das Flechttor". Time and again you will come across interesting wickerwork sculptures in the town centre, including many fairytale figures. Artists creatively combine traditional craftsmanship and modern design in their works.

Bahnhofstraße and Innere Bamberger Straße lead you directly to Lichtenfels' market square.

The two-storey town hall, originally a late medieval half-timbered building, was rebuilt between 1740 and 1745 according to plans by Justus Heinrich Dientzenhofer as a baroque plaster building with many mansards under a strikingly high roof. In front of the building stands the largest woven gift basket in the world, which is planted with colourful flowers in the warm season.

Every year on the third weekend in September, the famous basket market takes place on the market square and in the city centre with a large entertainment programme. During this international wickerwork culture festival, wickerworkers from all over Europe demonstrate their skills.

It is only a few steps to the city palace with its exhibitions, which towers over the rooftops of the old town with its striking architecture and colour scheme.

Built in 1555, the castle served as a residence for the nobility or as prince-bishops' quarters, depending on the owner, and later as a granary, wine store, drying room for herbs and store for basketry. In 1970, the town of Lichtenfels acquired the property and had it extensively restored. Today, the town castle is a meeting place for culture, conferences and events. The historic banqueting hall for up to 220 people can also be hired for weddings and other private celebrations.

Since 2023, the city palace has been home to the municipal collections. Here, visitors can learn about the history of beer and brewing in the town of Lichtenfels and the history of the railway, as well as admire the "Schneyer Porzellan" porcelain from the porcelain factory in the village of Schney. The exhibition of willow costumes is very impressive. There are also regular special exhibitions, especially on the subject of wickerwork culture.

The Red Tower stands next to the city palace. It is the last of the former five defence towers of the medieval ring wall around the city. Look up in the Stadtknechtsgasse: Rapunzel lets down her braided hair from the roof of a house next to the castle ... She is one of several braided figures in the town created by willow artist Irmgard Wissing. These include other fairytale figures such as the Sterntaler girl, the Gänseliesel and Hans im Glück.

If you then walk down an alley towards the church square, you will pass the Upper Gate Tower, a landmark of the town.

The Upper Gate Tower, also known as the Kronacher Torturm, Pfeifer- und Pfeufferturm and Wartturm, has characterised the townscape for centuries. It is one of the oldest buildings in Lichtenfels, even if the exact year of construction cannot be proven. Closed for a long time for safety reasons, the tower is now open to the public again after extensive renovation work. Visitors can view a collection of Jurassic fossils with numerous fossils such as ammonites, nautilids and belemnites.

Anyone who dares to climb to the top level of the 41 metre high gate tower will be rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view over Lichtenfels and the surrounding area.

Then follow Kronacher Straße. Here you will pass the vocational school for wickerwork design, the only one of its kind in Germany. At Krappenrother Straße, the bridge takes you over the railway tracks and to the Alte Reichsstraße. Now it's a marvellous stretch on the Main cycle path along the river and fields to Michelau. On the left, Bahnhofstraße takes you across the Main to the town centre. In Bismarckstraße, the next highlight of the art of weaving awaits you: the basket museum.

Treasures of the art of basketry have been on display in the basket museum since 1934. In the former home and business premises of an important Michelau basket-making family, almost 2,000 exhibits from all over the world are presented in 26 showrooms - from filigree fine weaving to coarse work baskets, from Japanese temple vases to Indian bowls. Here you can marvel at woven curiosities such as a corset and the latest designer furniture.
Every Saturday in the season from April to October from 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm, basket weavers from the region demonstrate the various weaving techniques in the "living workshops" and familiarise visitors with the materials. Wickerwork created during the demonstrations can be purchased in the museum shop, such as laundry chests, sewing baskets, shopping baskets or carpet beaters.

You are sure to find "your" basket in the museum shop as a practical souvenir. Now you can decide according to your mood and physical condition: You can either end your hike here and walk back along Bahnhofstrasse and on to Michelau railway station to catch the train. Or you can walk the entire circular tour on the "Path of Wickerwork Culture" towards Lichtenfels. Before doing so, you can fortify yourself in one of the inns in the village. Then return on the other side of the Main. You follow the curve of the river and walk through the beautiful Main valley. A bridge over the river takes you to the district of Unterwallenstadt and into Lichtenfels. Here you reach station 17 of the adventure trail, which you should not miss: the willow labyrinth.

The willow labyrinth in the district of Unterwallenstadt is one of a total of 23 stations on the "Path of Wickerwork Culture" from the basket town of Lichtenfels to the basket-making community of Michelau.

Over 5,000 willow cuttings were planted on an area of around 50 x 50 metres for the labyrinth. This created around 600 metres of paths with two entrances and exits. The wide paths, which are easy to walk for young and old alike, take you to the hidden centre of the willow labyrinth via the wrong and right paths.

Between the railway tracks and Mühlbach stream, the route now takes you along Schneidmühlweg to Coburger Straße, which crosses under the tracks. Now it's just a few metres to the station. Oh yes, there is also the world's smallest basket. If you would like to admire this special piece of craftsmanship measuring 8 millimetres, simply walk just under 200 metres along Bahnhofstraße to the tourist information office at Bamberger Straße 3a, where the mini basket is on display.