Come to an area, where emperors and kings have made history

In the 9th century miners settled in the Harz Mountains. Silver was found and the region became a centrepoint of German history. Today several mining museums report on the history of the Harz Mountains. The Rammelsberg mine in Goslar has even been designated part by UNESCO as part of the World Cultural Heritage. The romantic towns with their half-timbered houses invite visitors to stroll through their medieval streets.
	Do not miss a trip on the nostalgic steam driven narrow gauge railway train, which can take visitors up to the highest mountain of the Harz, the Brocken.
Most of the south section of the Romanesque Route in Saxony Anhalt runs through the wild, romantic countryside of the Harz Mountains.
The famous poets Heine and Goethe both toured this beautiful region with its dense forests, lushous ravines and picturesque waterfalls. It`s countryside inspired some of their finest works, among them Heine´s Harz Journey (Harzreise) and Goethe´s immortal Faust. It is a land steeped in legend – the local tales of witches dancing on the Brocken mountain are described in Walpurgis Night and the stories of noble emperors and kings have provided material for many sagas.

A romanesque Harz journey begins in the episcopal city of Halberstadt, often styled as the “Gateway to the Harz”. Half-timbered houses, churches and magnificent old buildings bear witness to former wealth of what was once the most powerful city in the Harz Mountains. The treasury in the Cathedral of St. Stephanus boasts the world´s largest collection of clerical robes. 
 

The treasury is only one of many reasons to visit the cathedral. With its lovely medieval stained-glass windows and the Romanesque marble font its bears witness to a time when the High Romanesque was gradually giving way to the Gothic age. In the direct vicinity stands the Church of our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche), a romanesque jewel with richly-decorated choir stalls – one of the many fine examples of the works of the famous carpenters that can be seen in the town.

Also worth seeing is the Benedictine abbey of Huysburg, which stands in the middle of Huys Forrest just a short distance away from Halberstadt. This important High Romanesque building is still occupied and managed by a small group of Benedictine monks.

For a change of scene, Westerburg Castle in Dedeleben has stories of another kind to tell, about medieval knights and princesses, inspiring the visitor to fantasise about romantic heroes and daring, last-minute rescues. The castle´s martial past is still clearly apparent – its strategic setting is well concealed, and its massive walls are still surrounded by two moats. Today you can book the hunting room and the knights´ hall for stylish events and even wedding ceremonies and receptions.

From here the Romanesque Route continues to Ilsenburg with its richly-decorated abbey church. Many of the medieval decorations, including the fine Romanesque stucco floor, were only rediscovered recently. The church provides an idyllic setting for concerts, exhibitions and weddings. The next station on our Romanesque journey is Quedlinburg, one of the most beautiful and romantic towns in all of Saxony-Anhalt. This is a historic ground – legend has it that this is where the Holy Roman Empire was founded.

For example, high up on Castle Hill (Schlossberg) stands the Collegiate Church of St. Servatius. This is where Heinrich´s widow Mathilde established a seminary for the noblewoman who ruled Quedlinburg for centuries. A visit to St. Servatius with its incomparable treasury is one of the most memorable experiences on the entire Romanesque Route. The Church of St. Wiperti from the period of Otto I. is also well worth seeing.

With its 1200 half-timbered buildings spanning seven centuries Quedlinburg is Germany´s largest national  monument and is now also included on UNESCO´s World Cultural Heritage list.

Near Quedlinburg in Gernrode stands the only almost entirely preserved church from the early Ottonian period, the Collegiate Church of St. Cyriakus. The decorations that the master masons of the Romanesque created here are still unparalleled. Even though almost no right angles were used in the architecture of the church it has still survived for over thousand years.

If you continue along the Romanesque Route the next striking sight is Falkenstein Castle, perched up high on a hill overlooking the Selke Valley.

The enchanting old imperial city of Goslar on the northern edge of the Harz Nature Park lies in Lower Saxony and it is a major tourist attraction. This is where the Saxon and Salesian emperors built their biggest Romanesque palace. For centuries this fascinating , monumenal complex was their favourite seat of government in the northern Germany. Forty-seven churches and chapels give the “Rome of the North” a unique skyline. Also worth visiting is the beautiful Old Town with the Gothic Town Hall standing on the lovely medieval market square. In 1992 the Old Town was added to the UNESCO´s World Cultural Heritage list. While in Goslar you should also visit the old mine in the 600-metre-high hill of Rammelsberg, which provides a beautiful natural backdrop to the imperial palace.

back