The municipality of Frankenhain is a state-recognised resort in the Thuringian Forest. Frankenhain lies in a protected valley basin about 500 to 550 m above sea level. The forest is close to the village. The climate is pleasantly mild, the oxygen-rich air has a beneficial effect, and the village is supplied with clear water from the headwaters of the 735-metre-high Eisenberg mountain.Frankenhain is an old Thuringian forest village. The Franks settled here in the 6th century. The village was first mentioned in a document in 1301. Until the 19th century, the inhabitants earned their living mainly as miners, lumberjacks, carpenters, resin scrapers, pitch boilers, pine soot burners and millstone cutters.With the construction of the Ohrdruf - Gräfenroda railway line and because of the beautiful landscape, such as the idyllic Lütschegrund, the village was discovered by the first summer holidaymakers in 1892. The holiday business became a lasting landmark of Frankenhain's economy.Today, winter sports, especially biathlon, receive special attention. Well-known top athletes such as Olympic and world champion Katrin Apel and Erik Lesser belong to SV Eintracht Frankenhain. But holidaymakers can also use the roller skiing track or prove themselves in archery.In order to supply the railway stations in Arnstadt, Neudietendorf and Erfurt with lime-free water, the Lütschetalsperre was built by the Deutsche Reichsbahn between 1935 and 1938. This reduced the formation of scale in the steam locomotives. With its camping site, the Lütschetalsperre is now an attractive recreation area. The local history museum offers a glimpse back into the old Frankenhain. Worth seeing in the village is the "St. Leonardi" church (1719-1723) and the model railway exhibition.
