The largest town in terms of area in the north of the Saale-Holzland district and the third oldest town in Thuringia is situated on an old castle complex surrounded by the Flöh and Mönchsbach rivers. The name
Schkölen comes from the Wendish language and means something like "rock bed", "stone gorge" or "enclosure". Whether it's the 18th century baroque church, the remains of the moated castle of Slavic origin, the medieval town complex, the lawn labyrinth or Germany's first straw-fired heating plant - in Schkölen, visitors can discover the signs of the past and present.
The Wethautal valley with its sights can be hiked through from Schkölen, as can the surrounding fields and forests. Naumburg with its cathedral and sights is just as close as the pottery town of Bürgel. For wine drinkers, we recommend a trip to the northernmost wine-growing region on the Unstrut near Freyburg with its imposing castle complex overlooking the Unstrut valley.
A detour to the district town of Eisenberg is also worthwhile, as is a trip to Camburg in the lovely Saale valley. The Dornburg castles can be reached by car in ten minutes. From there, it is only a stone's throw to Jena. Many places are also easy to reach by bike via the Saale cycle path.