The former monastery church and the view from Traumplatz as far as Trimburg give Aura a.d.Saale two distinct facets: the town’s history takes you back to the days of the monastery, while the view opens out across the village and the Saale Valley. When planning your trip, it is easy to distinguish the local cultural sites and viewpoints from activities in the wider region.
Districts and monastery history
Aura originated as a settlement of dependants of the Benedictine Abbey of Uraugia. Kleinaura and GroĂźaura are important names for finding your way around: Kirchberg, with the former Benedictine monastery and the town hall, is in Kleinaura; the small open-air swimming pool is in GroĂźaura.
Aura Monastery, with its monastery church above Traumplatz Aura, was founded in 1108 by Bishop Otto of Bamberg. The church is one of the oldest in Franconia. The former monastery church was a three-aisled Romanesque basilica; in 1720 it was given its present Baroque furnishings. The two dates mark different historical stages: 1108 marks the founding of the monastery, while 1720 marks the church’s Baroque furnishings.
Above the steps, on the wall, are six pointed-arch arcades, some of them restored remains of the former cloister. Their pointed-arch shape describes their form; their association with the former cloister points to the earlier monastery complex.
Traumplatz and tasting trees
Traumplatz Aura offers views across the village of Aura an der Saale and the Saale Valley as far as Trimburg. The view takes in three clearly named features: the village, the valley and Trimburg. While the monastery’s history draws attention to architectural styles and historical periods, Traumplatz offers a landscape perspective.
Tasting trees, including apple trees and apple and pear trees, are listed in and around Aura. The municipality regularly updates the list. If you are looking for specific locations, check the current map so you can include the listings in your plans without relying on the map remaining unchanged.
Regional activities in the Bad Kissingen travel area
In the wider region, the Franconian Saale offers a nature-oriented route for canoeing and boating. In the broader Bad Kissingen travel area, hiking trails in the southern part of the Rhön Nature Park are well signposted. Marked cycle routes away from major roads run through the Saale Valley and wooded uplands to Bad Kissingen, Bad Bocklet, Hammelburg or the Rhön.
The regional options vary by activity and landscape: the boating route is water-based, the cycle routes run through the valley and wooded uplands, and the hiking trails described are in the southern part of the Rhön Nature Park. This lets you weigh up water-based, cycling and hiking options when planning your trip, without conflating these different activities with the local attractions in Aura.
For a wider geographical perspective, Bad Kissingen district lies on the southern edge of the Rhön. The A7 between Fulda and Würzburg and the A71 between Erfurt and Schweinfurt cross the district from north to south. Since 1 January 2025, the district has been part of the Nahverkehr Mainfranken public transport network (NVM). For a specific journey to Aura, check the connections that suit your travel dates.
Discover more destinations: MĂĽnnerstadt, Motten, Hammelburg, Euerdorf, Geroda, Riedenberg, Oberthulba, Schondra
Go to the main travel overview: Bad Kissingen.
