Quedlinburg

Old Town with the Burgberg, the Münzenberg and St. Wigbert's Church
UNESCO-World Heritage since 1994

This former imperial capital on the Romanesque Route is one of the most important historical sites in Germany. The main attraction is the town itself: with its original ground plan and more than 1,200 half-timbered buildings - seven centuries' worth - it is an exceptional example of a well-preserved medieval town.

The Museum of Half-Timbering (Fachwerkmuseum) is housed in what is surely Germany's oldest half-timbered building, dating from around 1300. The collegiate church of St. Servatius - with the tombs of the first German King, Heinrich I, and Mathilde, his queen, and also a famous church treasury - is a Romanesque masterpiece.

In a 10th-century imperial charter, Quedlinburg is referred to as the "metropolis of the Empire" and, under Heinrich I and his Ottonian successors, the town developed into a major centre for European politics, education and culture. The Lyonel Feininger Gallery, which has Europe's largest collection of works by the artist, is well worth a visit.

Route Suggestion
From Hildesheim via Goslar, Quedlinburg and Weimar to Wartburg Castle