The municipality of Crawinkel is situated on the northern slope of the Thuringian Forest, at the edge of the forest. As early as 1360, the present-day municipality of Crawinkel was mentioned as a "town" in a diploma issued by Landgrave Friedrich von Thüringen. The large square in front of the community tavern still bears the name "Markt" (market) today and provides information about the market rights of the municipality of Crawinkel. This oldest part of the municipality is a clustered village with the church, the market and the community tavern at its centre. The younger part of the village, Friedrichsanfang, runs in a south-westerly direction as a street village. Today, due to its favourable location on the northern edge of the Thuringian Forest, the village is particularly active in the field of tourism. In 2008, the millstone carving museum was established in the community centre "Alte Mühle" (Old Mill), which is dedicated to the tradition of this old and typical Crawinkel craft, millstone carving, as well as instrument making (violins and citterns).In the nearby Thuringian Forest and extensive pasture landscapes, there are good hiking conditions. The extensive network of paths is ideal for hikers, horseback riders and mountain bikers. The hang-gliding and paragliding school as well as the Gossel-Crawinkel equestrian club offer excellent recreational opportunities for active holidaymakers.
