Gernewitz is located on the Stadtroda-Jena highway, two kilometers from the town of Stadtroda and eight kilometers from the city of Jena. It is located on the right bank of the Roda and the Grünzigbach, which flows into the Roda here.

The Slavic name of the former village at the first mention in 1252 was Gornuwic and according to Rosenkranz it means the location in a valley hollow. The noble family of Gornewitz named themselves after the village. The village was among the possessions of Roda Monastery since ancient times. The Bürgel monastery was also in possession here.

Since 1994 Gernewitz is a district of Stadtroda and is especially known for the straw and yard festival. Every two years, a wide variety of figures are built from straw and prizes are awarded for the best ones. The revival of this rural tradition is now known beyond the region and attracts many visitors from near and far to the village. During the rest of the year, the straw studio in the Gernewitz farm store offers an insight into the world of straw figures and their production. The Gernewitz Advent is also a well-known traditional festival, which the Thuringian Crystal Farm helps to organize. In the adventure store of the Hünniger family, Christmas and high-quality crystal jewelry from their own production can be purchased throughout the year. Also worth seeing is the Denkmalhof Gernewitz on a listed four-sided farm. The support association has set itself the task of preserving old building materials and using them in new buildings in the countryside. Training courses and show events on ecological building and building preservation round off the range of services offered by the Denkmalhof.

The tranquil village on the Grünzigbach and the Roda is located directly on the bike path Thuringian city chain and is a good starting point for excursions into the varied surroundings.