Erfurt is a compact, well-preserved medieval city in central Germany, and for hundreds of years it was home to one of the most important Jewish communities in the Holy Roman Empire. The Old Synagogue, with parts dating back to about 1100, is one of the oldest surviving synagogue buildings in Europe, and a ritual bath, or mikveh, uncovered in 2007 beside the Gera river was found in remarkably good condition. UNESCO listed the Jewish-medieval heritage of Erfurt in 2023, recognising the buildings as testimony to a community that thrived and then suffered.
The story is painful. In 1349, during the Black Death, the Jewish community was attacked and many were killed, and the survivors' property was seized. A hoard of medieval silver and gold, hidden by a Jewish owner at the time of the pogrom, was found in 1998 during building work and is displayed in the Old Synagogue. The city's other heritage is also rich: the Krämerbrücke, a stone bridge from the fourteenth century lined with timber-framed shops and houses, the cathedral and the church of St Severus on their hill above the main square, and the university where Martin Luther studied.
Riding in the old town is a matter of cobbles, tram lines and narrow streets, and much of the centre is closed to traffic, so park at the edge and walk. The surrounding country of Thuringia is lovely, with rolling farmland, forested hills and the Hainich, a large beech woodland that is another UNESCO site. The roads in the region are generally good, with moderate traffic and pleasant bends, and a ride to the Thuringian Forest to the south is a good day out. Late spring and early autumn are the best seasons.
Erfurt has fuel at every approach road, and the old town is full of cafés and restaurants serving Thuringian specialities, including the grilled sausage called Rostbratwurst, dumplings with roast meat, and a good local beer. The synagogue museum has fixed opening hours, so check before visiting, and allow an hour or two. Wander the lanes along the Gera at the end of the day, when the half-timbered houses glow in the evening light.