Quedlinburg

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becks
becks
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Editor Pick

UNESCO-Listed Half-Timbered Old Town

  • July 6, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by becks from Mexico City, Mexico
UNESCO-Listed Half-Timbered Old Town

The remarkable half-timbered buildings in Quedlinburg made the town one of
Germany's more than 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This small town of 23,800 has over 1,200 half-timbered houses of which almost 800 are listed historical buildings. In the old town, you can basically stroll down any alley to see fine examples.

The Markt is the large market square in the heart of the old town and is surrounded by mostly half-timbered structures. Many of these house hotels and outdoor cafés that contribute to the general jovial atmosphere on this pleasant square. It is the heart of all festivals and even on a quiet weekend, some musicians may play here.

Particular fine examples of half-timbered buildings can be seen in the streets between the Markt and the Schlossberg where the castle and St Servatius Church look down on the old town. Arguably, the most famous buildings here are the Finkenherd. These are a very narrow row of houses where, according to tradition, Heinrich I was busy catching finches when the delegation arrived with the imperial insignia to inform him that he was elected German king. (Some claim that this event did not even occur in Quedlinburg but general opinion held that he was in Quedlinburg but the exact spot where the messengers found him might have been elsewhere.) Many of these houses now have small cafés or souvenir shops. A large board has the words of a famous German song by Johann Nepomuk Vogl retelling the event – "Herr Heinrich sitzt am Vogelherd".

A surprise nearby, and not only because of the modern building, is the Lyonel Feiniger Gallery. The American-born Feiniger joined the Bauhaus school in 1919 but had to flee Germany after the Nazis came to power. He left numerous paintings and drawings with a friend who hid them here in Quedlinburg. These form the basis of the collection, which is also complemented by temporary exhibitions.

On the opposite side of the Markt, is the Schreckensturm, the best preserved of the original town gate towers. More interesting than the tower and the remains of the town walls is the number of half-timbered houses in the vicinity. In contrast to the well-trodden areas near Markt and Schlossberg, several houses here are in urgent need of repair and some are possibly beyond rescue. During the Communist era, upkeep was limited and plans were afoot to destroy large sections of Quedlinburg to replace the half-timbered structures with concrete, which appealed more to the central planners. This all changed after Germany was reunited in 1990 but there simply is not enough money available to repair all buildings. However, in general Quedlinburg is doing much better than less famous towns in maintaining its architectural heritage.

From journal Quedlinburg: UNESCO Heritage Site – Half-Timbered

Editor Pick

Schloss Quedlinburg

  • July 5, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by becks from Mexico City, Mexico
Schloss Quedlinburg

I do not know what attracted me more to Quedlinburg – the 1,200 half-timbered building of which nearly 800 are listed as historic buildings, or the Schlossberg with its important role in early Holy Roman Empire history. After two visits, I still do not know but there is absolutely no reason to not enjoy both.

In 918, German King Konrad I did the unthinkable on his deathbed and recommended that the German dukes elect his great adversary, Heinrich duke of Saxony, rather than his own brother to succeed him. Heinrich was not present at the subsequent election and according to legend was busy catching finches when the deputation arrived with the royal insignia. For the next century, Quedlinburg and other towns north of the Harz Mountains would be the center of German power politics. It is hard to imagine that now but during this period, Quedlinburg was on of the four most important cities in the German-speaking world.

Heinrich I had his favored Pfalz (Imperial Palace) on the rocky hill known as Schlossberg to the west of the modern-day town center. It is a short but steep hike up to the castle and the even more impressive church – see separate entry. Of Heinrich’s original castle only a few cellar vaults survived – the section that is below the restaurant. The rest of the castle is mostly Renaissance with some later additions.

A small museum in the castle has an eclectic but interesting exhibition that deals with the history of the castle and the region. A popular exhibit is a large wooden crate known as the Robber Baron Box. Graf Albrecht von Regenstein was publicly imprisoned in it for several weeks after being found guilty of breaking the peace of the land – stealing and maiming in modern language. In addition to the exhibits, including some staterooms from the 18th century, numerous flights of stairs, towers, and balconies add some interests and would be fun for children too. The views from some windows and balconies are absolutely marvelous.

On a lower level, near the castle restaurant is a large herb garden. It can be enjoyed for free and also offer some fine views of the western parts of Quedlinburg. The half-timbered buildings here were due for demolishing and were only saved by the timely ending of the division of Germany. For communist central planners, modern concrete simply had more attractions that any historical half-timbered buildings.

The Schloss is one of
Germany's more than 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

From journal UNESCO Heritage Site St Servatius in Quedlinburg

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