Neustadt a.d.Waldnaab offers a variety of options for a stay: historic buildings and museum exhibits in town, as well as routes for a short walk or a longer cycling trip. The town is part of the Goldsteig. When planning your visit, you can first decide whether you want to focus on architectural history, a compact town walk or the Bockl Cycle Path.
Town Walk, Bockl Cycle Path and Goldsteig
The Neustadt a.d. Waldnaab town walk is an easy 0.5-kilometre cultural circular trail that starts in Neustadt. The Bockl Cycle Path is on a very different scale: it follows a former railway line from Neustadt a.d. Waldnaab to Eslarn and is 52 kilometres long. This gives you the choice between a short walk in town and a considerably longer cycle route. The Goldsteig adds another point of reference in the town. The information about the circular trail and cycle path helps you distinguish the length of the outing you want, without treating the two routes as equivalent excursions.
Castles and Town History
The historic town square is defined by St. George’s Parish Church and the Old and New Castles. The Old Castle is a late Gothic building with architectural features dating back to the 15th century. Its characteristics include a three-storey gabled structure and bay windows. The New Castle has a different, unfinished building history: construction began between 1698 and 1702 under Philip Hyacinth of Lobkowicz, based on plans by Antonio della Porta, but was never completed. The two buildings thus offer different perspectives on the history of the town square.
The second floor of the New Lobkowitz Castle houses a permanent exhibition on the history of the castle and the Lobkowicz family, as well as their nearly 250-year rule in Neustadt/WN and the surrounding area. The Town and Glass Museum covers the history of glass, the lives of glassmakers and the history of the town; the Lobkowicz family and Emperor Charles IV are also among its subjects. The town museum is housed in a former school building dating from the 17th century. After four years of construction, the building was handed over for its new purpose as a town museum in 1989. In Neustadt, architectural and town history can thus be explored both through the buildings and through the museum exhibits.
Tours of the Old and New Lobkowitz Castles can be arranged, focusing on the castles’ history and their ceiling paintings. Since arrangements may change, check the details locally before your visit.
Churches, Garden and Townscape
Three dates should be distinguished for St. George’s Parish Church: it was probably built in the 12th century, first mentioned in 1340 and rebuilt in 1737. The Catholic pilgrimage church of St. Felix was built between 1738 and 1746; its interior was completed in 1765. The pilgrimage church of St. Anne is also located in the district of Mühlberg. The monastery church of St. Felix offers views over Neustadt a.d. Waldnaab and the surrounding area towards Weiden in der Oberpfalz.
The historic townscape also includes smaller and surviving historic features: a small Baroque garden was laid out behind the Old Castle, and part of the late medieval town wall is still preserved. Together with the churches and the two castles, these features broaden the view beyond individual buildings to encompass different aspects of the town’s history. Neustadt is also a gateway to the Northern Upper Palatinate Forest Nature Park, set in an attractive hilly landscape.
Zoigl and Finding Accommodation
For a regional dining experience, Neustadt a.d. Waldnaab has Zoigl taverns, a traditional type of inn in the Upper Palatinate Forest. Opening times vary; check the Zoigl calendar when planning your visit. This lets you tailor your search to the kind of trip you have in mind and choose routes of a suitable length.
Discover more destinations: Püchersreuth, Vorbach, Schirmitz, Georgenberg, Kirchenthumbach, Vohenstrauß, Pressath, Grafenwöhr.
Go to the main travel overview: Neustadt An Der Waldnaab.
