Zella is a district of the rural municipality of Dingelstädt in the Eichsfeld district and is part of the historic Obereichsfeld region. The village lies northwest of Mühlhausen an der Unstrut on the edge of the southern slope of the Dün. First mentioned in a document at the beginning of the 13th century, the history of the village is closely linked to the eventful history of the Breitenbich estate located one kilometer to the east.

Breitenbich Monastery was first mentioned in a document in 1249. In 1253, the site was abandoned again and the convent moved first to Mühlhausen and later to Anrode. In 1253, the property went to the Order of St. Lazarus, who founded a branch there. The area belonged to the Order until the end of the 15th century, then to the Gotha Commandery, which belonged to the Order of St. John. In the 16th century, the land was turned into an agricultural estate, and ownership changed frequently over the following centuries. Today, the estate is home to vacation apartments.

Worth seeing is the Mühlhäuser Landgraben, a rampart of the district town and former free imperial city of Mühlhausen, which runs directly past Zella. Built in the middle of the 14th century, it served to protect the royal estate from robber baron raids. The entire length of the 26 km long Mühlhäuser Landgraben can be hiked along a footpath.

Other worthwhile excursion destinations in the area are the Hainich National Park, the Vogtei sacrificial bog, a prehistoric cult site in Niederdorla and the railroad viaduct in Lengenfeld unterm Stein, part of the disused Eichsfeld cannon railroad. Both are now accessible by bicycle trolley.

Active nature lovers can discover Zella and the area of the municipality of Anrode on the Unstrut cycle path, which leads directly through the village.