Where the little river Orla flows into the Saale ...... in the charming landscape of the middle Saale valley lies the small village of Freienorla. There is evidence of a watermill on the Orla ford dating back to 1176, the village church was built in the Gothic style at the beginning of the 13th century and the village of "Vrienorla" was first mentioned in a document in 1378. From the middle of the 15th century, two of the 15 mills in the Orla region were located here. A porcelain factory was later built on the site of the upper mill. The lower mill, formerly a trading mill between Jena and Pößneck, is now a technical museum with its original and fully functional mill equipment. The listed railroad station, Freieinorla stop, is a reminder of the Orlamünde-Pößneck railroad line, which opened in 1889 and is considered the shortest connection between two railroad stations in Europe, and today Freienorla is home to historic buildings and interesting nearby sights, including the medieval town of Orlamünde, and many hiking and cycling trails invite visitors to explore the vast, tranquil forests in the surrounding area.