Dingelstädt - town at the source of the Unstrut river
Dingelstädt was mentioned as early as the 9th century, making it one of the oldest documented settlements in the Eichsfeld region. Since that time it has had a central function in its region, was a place of jurisdiction, a resting place for travelers, a market town and a postal station. Since January 1, 2019, the 5 communities of Dingelstädt, Helmsdorf, Kefferhausen, Kreuzebra and Silberhausen have merged to form the new town of Dingelstädt. The new rural community has an area of 59.4 km² and 7,041 inhabitants. A walk through the town leads past some testimonies of history: Dingelstadt's oldest building is the Great Mill from 1591 with its mighty stone portal. The town hall in the Lower Saxon Renaissance style and the neo-Gothic church of St. Gertrudis from the 19th century also attract attention with their attractive facades. Also worth a visit is the most magnificent building of today's state high school, built about 100 years ago. Dingelstadt's citizens are aware of their traditions and cultivate them lovingly: every year on Easter Monday, preschool children set out with hobby horses to ride around the pilgrimage church of Maria im Busch. This ride has its roots in the times of the Thirty Years' War. A "pilgrimage" leads up to the Kerbsche Berg, which is crowned by a former Franciscan monastery. Today, a family center is located there. The most magnificent trees, the Franciscan cemetery as well as the Stations of the Cross from the 18th century and last but not least the tufa grottos make the area one of the unforgettable places of the entire Eichsfeld for many visitors.
The town of Dingelstädt offers a special bonus with its connection to the surrounding tourist cycle paths. At the so-called "Dingelstädter Radwegekreuz", you can cycle in all directions on well-signposted cycle paths. In addition to the Kanonenbahn cycle path, three other cycle paths connect in Dingelstädt: the Unstrut cycle path, the Unstrut-Hahle cycle path, which leads all the way to Lower Saxony, and the Unstrut connecting cycle path, which connects to the Leine-Heide cycle path in Heiligenstadt.
The popular Kanonenbahnradweg takes you to the Südeichsfeld with two other interesting connections: On the one hand, you cross the border between Thuringia and Hesse while heading south and can then continue cycling on the Werratalradweg in Frieda. Alternatively, you can reach the Südeichsfeldradweg via Geismar to Heilbad Heiligenstadt.
The numerous possibilities for smaller and larger tours attract many cycling enthusiasts to the region every year.