Quedlinburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, has all sorts of attractions to offer visitors: a historic old town, picturesque half-timbered houses from six centuries and the famous cathedral treasure. On a stroll through the city we were able to discover the most beautiful sights.
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Things to know about the City of Quedlinburg
Since 1994, large parts of the old town of Quedlinburg and the Royal Court complex are on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites as the “Church St. Servatius, the Castle and the Old Town von Quedlinburg”. The reason for the award of the title was that Quedlinburg, with its more than 2,000 well-preserved half-timbered houses dating back six centuries and the historic city plan, is an outstanding example of a European medieval city. This historically built city centre, which covers about 86 hectares, makes the city one of the largest area monuments in Germany.
Tourists staying in Quedlinburg must pay a tourist tax of EUR 2.50 per person/day to cover the expenses used for tourism. In return, you will receive a coupon booklet for Quedlinburg & Region, where you will find plenty of discounts for attractions and attractions. Buses and trams in the district of Harz can also be used free of charge.
What to see in Quedlinburg?
For exploring Quedlinburg and the surrounding area, we took a few days to stay for three nights at the Regiohotel Quedlinburger Hof, which is right next to Quedlinburg Central Station. The hotel has convinced us in about 10 minutes on foot due to the very good value for money, the free parking and the quick accessibility of the historic city centre.
The historic old town
The first port of our city walk was the historic old town where there are more than 2,000 half-timbered houses from six centuries. The many cobbled streets, small winding streets and spacious squares really pleased us and we had to stop every few meters to take pictures.
On the generously designed market square stands the Renaissance town hall which is protected as a monument, and whose facade is now beautifully covered with ivy in summer. The town hall was first mentioned in 1310 and is thus one of the oldest town halls in Central Germany. On the south-western corner of the town hall stands a 2.75 m high statue made of buntsandstein: the Quedlinburger Roland. The Roland – of which there are statues in many cities – is the statue of a knight with a sword and is considered a symbol of the city rights.
East of the town hall, a narrow alley leads through the Shoemaker Guild House into the Schuhhof,where in the Middle Ages the shoe flickers lived and worked. Here are some beautiful listed half-timbered houses. At the end of the shoe yard there is a passage way to “Hell”, also an alley with beautiful half-timbered houses.
North of the Schlossberg is connected to the Castle Square of the Finkenherd. Here are some very old half-timbered houses, such as the house “Finkenherd 1” from the late Middle Ages (around 1500), the house “Finkenherd 2” from 1540 and the house “Finkenherd 3” from 1780, all of which are great photo motifs. In the immediate vicinity of the Finkenherd is the Klopstockhaus, a municipal museum , on Schlossplatz. The half-timbered house is the birthplace of the poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, one of the founders of classical German literature.
The Schlossberg
We walked up the Schlossberg via Schlossplatz. The trail led us past some very nice colourful half-timbered houses, which are located close to the foot of the Schlossberg. On the right, the pastor’s staircase led within 66 steps to the top of the Schlossberg.
On the sandstone castle hill is the Romanesque collegiate church of St. Servatii with the cathedral treasure, in which there are rich relics and treasures. Quedlinburg Abbey was founded on the castle hill in 936, after the death of Henry I, and served as a permanent memorial to Henry I. From the Schlossberg you have a beautiful view of the city as well as the types of dough. There is also a small herb garden on the premises.
The Coin Mountain
West of the old town of Quedlinburg is the Münzenberg, which consists of about 65 mostly two-storey half-timbered houses. From here you have a great view over Quedlinburg, especially the Schlossberg, as well as the Harzer Vorland.
On the Coin Mountain we visited the Coin Mountain Museum, which is located on the ruins of the former monastery church of St. Mary. The church, built in 986, was the third large pre-Romanesque church in Quedlinburg after the collegiate church and the St. Wiperti church. Since 1525, the church has not been used as a sacral space; however, their remains will gradually be reopened to the public by means of a private initiative.
More Sights & Photo spots
In general, you should take at least a whole day to explore the many small streets in the old town. Everywhere you will find beautiful squares, churches, fountains and half-timbered houses to photograph.
Tip: During the Advent season, Quedlinburg traditionally hosts the “Advent in the Courtyards”, to which about twenty of Quedlinburg’s most beautiful courtyards open their doors to visitors. In addition, from 1 to 24 December, the city is home to one of the largest advent calendars in Germany, consisting of 24 Christmas-decorated houses.
The district of Gernrode
About 9 km from Quedlinburg is the district of Gernrode, which has some beautiful sights to offer.
At the town hall, which dates back to the time of historicism, we are bent on the left into the “centre” of the place. Here is the Romanesque collegiate church of St. Cyriacus, which was first mentioned in 961. Just a few minutes from the collegiate church, stands the Harz clock factory with the largest cuckoo clock outside the Black Forest and the world’s largest weather house with a height of 9.80 metres and a width of 5.20 metres. Both records were included in the Guinness Book of Records.
A map of what to see in Quedlinburg
On the following Google My Maps map we have mapped the most important sights in Quedlinburg, which you can explore on your own in just one day.