The best city hikes and walks around Hainich

The inner, oldest city wall of Mühlhausen was almost 2.8 kilometers long (of which 2.2 kilometers are preserved to this day) and enclosed an area of around 50 hectares. This area had the shape of a slightly rounded and not entirely regular rectangle, whose maximum east-west extent is almost twice as long (1000 meters) as its maximum north-south extent (500 meters). Its original structure included the four main gates, namely the Görmartor in the northeast, the Erfurter Tor in the southeast, the Felchtaer Tor in the southwest, and the Frauentor, named after the Marienkirche (=Frauenkirche), in the northwest, as well as probably four posterns: the Eselspforte and the Burgpforte on the north side, and the - unnamed - postern at the exit of Brunnenkreßstraße and another, only inferred, postern to Spielbergstraße on the south side. It is unclear whether the original main access to the castle via Breitenstraße was already closed with the construction of the wall between the castle and the city before 1251 or only after the demolition of the castle from 1256 onwards. As material for the inner (and later also outer) city wall, including the gates and towers, the travertine found in Mühlhausen and quarried here was used, a geologically young freshwater limestone. The inner city wall was constructed as a double-shell masonry. Its thickness up to the height of the rampart varies between approximately 1.5 meters and - reached only exceptionally - a maximum of 2 meters. Source: https://www.muehlhausen.de/tourismus/erkunden/sehenswuerdigkeiten/besondere-baudenkmaeler/stadtmauer/

The church is the parish church of the Mühlhausen old town and was gifted to the Teutonic Order in 1227. The current building was constructed between 1270 and 1300 as an early Gothic hall church, influenced by French cathedral architecture. It possesses significant art-historical elements such as a rose window, medieval stained glass, a late Gothic carved altar, and tomb slabs of important personalities. After the Reformation, religious expressions changed, and much of the original furnishings were lost. The west towers still date from the predecessor building and house historical bells. The church also developed into an important center for Protestant church music, with a peak in the work of Johann Sebastian Bach in the early 18th century.

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 Historic Town Hall in Mühlhausen was built around 1270/80, when the city developed strongly through the expansion of the old and new towns and a city council took over the administration. Symbolically, the town hall was erected between the two parts of the city. The basement with the passage remains from the original building. After a fire, the building was renovated around 1330 and later expanded, resulting in a diverse complex. Particularly significant are the richly decorated rooms with wall and ceiling paintings from several centuries, as well as the historical archive. In the 20th century, further furnishings were added, commemorating the city's history. For centuries, the town hall remained the political center and still serves today as an important venue for events and representation.

The outer Frauentor in Mühlhausen is a preserved part of the medieval city fortifications and is located today on Johannisstraße. It belonged to the outer ring of the city walls and was part of a complex gate system that, together with the inner Frauentor, secured access to the city. This staggered construction served defensive purposes, as attackers had to overcome several gates in succession. The outer Frauentor was presumably built during the expansion of the city fortifications in the 14th century, as Mühlhausen continued to grow and required additional protection. In addition to its military function, it was also an important entrance for merchants and travelers. An important road led through the gate in the direction of the Marienkirche, which also explains the name "Frauentor".

The house is a gem with a richly decorated facade on Mühlhäuser Untermarkt. After a comprehensive renovation, it shines again in its new splendor. about the history: The "Tilesius House" at Untermarkt 16 was built in 1729 in the Rococo style. The resident Adolph Gottlieb Tilesius was the last mayor (1794-1802) of the Free Imperial City of Mühlhausen. He was buried in 1802 in the New Cemetery on Eisenacher Straße. Beneath the house are even older vaulted cellars from the predecessor building. During the GDR era, the Department of Public Education of the District Council was located here. Source: https://www.muehlhausen.de/tourismus/sehenswuerdigkeiten/buerger-und-fachwerkhaeuser/

The former monastery church of St. Crucis on Kornmarkt is a simple mendicant order church from the 13th century, built without a transept and with a simple construction. Later, in the 15th century, a tower was added, although this did not comply with the rules of the Franciscans. After its secularization in 1802, the building served various secular purposes, such as storage and living space, until it was restored in the 1970s and used as a museum. Today it is also used for events, especially of a musical nature. The church also has important historical significance: during the German Peasants' War, it was a central location for the insurgents in Mühlhausen. Today it houses an extensive permanent exhibition on this event, as well as supplementary special exhibitions.

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/