The best traffic-free bike rides in Volkenrodaer Forst

Top cycle path, beautiful area

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 Inner Frauen Gate (Innere Frauentor) in Mühlhausen is an important relic of the medieval city fortifications and one of the city's most significant historical structures. It is located in the northwest of the old town and formerly served as one of the central entrances to the city. Merchants, travelers, and visitors entered the city through this gate, thus playing an important role both economically and militarily. The Frauen Gate owes its name to the street that led directly to St. Mary's Church, the so-called Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). Architecturally, it is a so-called double gate system, consisting of a high gate tower and a gatehouse situated in front of it. Between these two parts was a narrow, specially secured area known as the zwinger. This construction method served defensive purposes, as attackers could be trapped between the gates in an emergency and repelled more easily. The original gate was built in the Middle Ages, presumably in the 13th century. After a city fire, it was rebuilt in 1655 in the form in which it can still be seen today. Over time, the city structure changed, and parts of the fortifications were demolished or added to. For example, another Frauen Gate disappeared in 1830, the outline of which is still indicated in the street paving today. Today, the Inner Frauen Gate is the only preserved gate of Mühlhausen's inner city wall and thus a particularly valuable testimony to the city's history. It is part of one of the best-preserved medieval city fortifications in Germany and attracts many visitors. Together with the remaining sections of the wall, it provides a vivid impression of how strongly fortified and organized medieval cities once were.

Mühlhausen is known as "Muhlhusia turrita," the tower-adorned Mühlhausen, which once boasted 59 towers adorning its churches and city walls. Eleven medieval churches and a preserved inner city wall with numerous defensive towers allow visitors to experience the tower-adorned Mühlhausen of the modern era. They will find not only sacred spaces but also the unique secular uses of church buildings, such as the city library, museums, and theaters. The old town is the second largest area monument in Thuringia, which observant visitors can identify by its red street signs. Besides the numerous churches and museums, visitors can discover lovingly restored half-timbered houses and townhouses, remarkable architectural monuments, and former mills. Source: https://www.muehlhausen.de/tourismus/sehenswuerdigkeiten/

Here, the promenade is a lovely place to stroll, and on weekdays, there's also a wide selection of good snacks. At the end, the highlight, St. Mary's Church, awaits.

The green trees and the Gothic facade of the church provide a wonderful contrast in summer.

The very well-preserved Frauentor (Women's Gate) in the city wall is also worth seeing.

Unfortunately, there was a padlock on it when I passed through.