Cultural Route of the Vogts - Stage 7 (Around Hof)
- 3:02 h
- 197.13 km
- 2,368 m
- 2,368 m
- 447 m
- 822 m
- 375 m
- Start: Lorenz Church Hof
- Destination: Lorenz Church Hof
The Bavarian Vogtland is comparatively rich in sacred mural paintings. Two art historically important churches can be found west of Hof in Bad Steben and Schauenstein, where this stage begins.
Excursions are also worthwhile in the Berger Winkel on the Bavarian-Thuringian border with the Lichtenberg castle ruins, Rudolphstein castle and the Jakob church Berg.
Kirchgattendorf and Schlossgattendorf are two locations that were not insignificant for the history of the Vogts in the Regnitzland. The lords of Sparneck ruled here, relatives of the Sparnbergers, recognizable by the spar in their coat of arms.
Via Rehau, Pilgramsreuth and Fö rbau the route leads to their ancestral seat Sparneck. In 1202 they built a castle here and later founded a Carmelite monastery. Although neither building has been preserved, the St. Vitus church testifies to this period. In the northeastern choir wall there is a stone sacrament house from the early days of the monastery.
The stage finds its fitting conclusion with hikes on the Großer Waldstein and to the castle ruins Epprechtstein and Thierstein, from where you can enjoy views over the Regnitzland and the Fichtel Mountains.
A visit to the Waldsassen Monastery is recommended. Via Oberkotzau we return to Hof.
Good to know
Pavements
- Street (85%)Asphalt (15%)
Best to visit
- suitableDepends on weather
Directions
The stage starts near the Lorenz Church at the parking lot opposite the Hof Bath. Leave Hof northwestwards via the B 173 (signposted to the motorway to Berlin). Via Köditz and Berg you reach Lichtenberg and Bad Steben. Then head southwards to Schauenstein.
Here the St. Jobst Church Rehau is your intermediate destination. 3 km south of Rehau is Pilgramsreuth. Then take the B 289 towards Schwarzenbach a.d.S.
2.5 km southwest of this you will find the church village Fö rbau.
Via the B 289 you reach Sparneck with the St. Vitus Church and the Carmelite monastery.
On the way back take the B 289 again to get to Oberkotzau. In the town turn left before the Saale bridge and park at the town hall to see the parish office and St. Jacob's Church ensemble. Then follow Hofer Straße northwards to the on-ramp to the B 15 expressway into the Hof city center.
Tour information
Cultural Interesting
Loop Road
Directions & Parking facilities
- Getting thereHof is conveniently located at the motorways A9 (Nuremberg–Leipzig–Berlin) and A72 (Hof–Chemnitz). From Nuremberg take the Hof-West exit, from the north the Hof-Nord exit (B 173), from Chemnitz/Plauen the Töpen exit (B 2), and from Regensburg/Prague the Hof-Ost exit (B 173).ParkingUse the public parking lot Oberer Anger in Hof.Public transportation
You can reach Hof by Deutsche Bahn from Nuremberg (RE) or from Dresden with the Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn. There are also connections to Eger via Selb and to Gera via Zeulenroda. Information is available at www.bahn.de.
Additional information
Literature
Author
Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen mbH
Bautzner Straße 45/4701099 DresdenOrganization
Vogtland - Sinfonie der Natur
License (master data)
Vogtland - Sinfonie der Natur
Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author
- The parish church of Pilgramsreuth is one of the most beautiful village churches in the region. A monument commemorates the first evidence of field cultivation of potatoes in the Vogtland.
Download GPX file