The inclusion of a certain tourist object, city or part of it in the UNESCO World Heritage list encourages more and more tourists to visit this object, which contributes to the increase of revenues to local budgets and, accordingly, to the improvement of the economic situation of the city or region. Also, thanks to the UNESCO list, the investment attractiveness of the city is significantly improved.
Germany is rich in history and cultural attractions. Many German monuments of high historical, cultural and architectural significance are included in the UNESCO list. In this article, we will look at seven wonders of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt on the UNESCO list, which any tourist must visit.
1. Quedlinburg
In the pearl of Saxony-Anhalt, town of Quedlinburg, the crown was offered to the first German king from the Saxon dynasty – Henry the Fowler. In addition to the church on the Castle Hill, the UNESCO list includes half-timbered houses. The historic centre of Quedlinburg contains around 1,300 old half-timbered houses, making it one of the largest territorial monuments in Germany. Architectural and historical landmarks, the cosy atmosphere of medieval streets with numerous cafes, shops and stores attract up to 350,000 tourists annually.
2. Naumburg Cathedral
Naumburg is an ancient town with 1000 years of history and a stunning ancient St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is situated in the very south part of Saxony-Anhalt, 60 km from Halle (Saale). When visiting the cathedral, the greatest delight is caused by the works of the “Master of Naumburg” – an unknown architect and sculptor who created real masterpieces. The expressiveness of the stone reliefs of the Passion and the twelve figures of benefactors is unrivaled throughout the world. “The most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages”, Margravine Juta, charms thousands of visitors every year. The cathedral also houses other artistic treasures created by renowned masters. Here you will find stained glass windows by Neo Rauch and an altar painted by Lucas Cranach.
3. Luther Memorials
Martin Luther was born in 1483 in Eisleben. In 1505 he entered the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt. Luther was a devout Christian and a seasoned theologian. Gradually he began to doubt the teachings of the church. How can you buy the salvation of a soul with money? Why is the Pope’s word more important than the Bible? In 1517, Luther, already a professor of theology, published 95 theses criticizing the Catholic Church. We invite you to take a trip to the towns of Eisleben and Wittenberg, where Martin Luther was born, published his 95 theses and was buried.
Book a tour to Martin Luther towns
4. The Nebra Sky Disc
The Nebra Sky Disc is the name given to this bronze disc, 30 cm in diameter, covered with an aquamarine patina and inlaid with gold inserts with symbolic images of the Sun, Moon and 32 stars, including the Pleiades cluster. It is considered the world’s oldest star map and an archaeological sensation of the 21st century. Twenty years have passed since the priceless and mysterious artifact, dating back to around the 17th century BC, was handed over to German scientists in February 2002 and became the subject of their research.
The Nebra Sky Disc is the property of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt and the main exhibit of the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle, attracting visitors like a magnet. And in 2013, the world’s oldest star map, the study of which allowed it to be attributed to the Unetice culture, was included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, a program for the protection and preservation of world documentary heritage and relics of special cultural value.
5. The Garden Kingdom
Leopold III Friedrich Franz, Prince and Duke of Anhalt-Dessau (1740–1817) wanted to “combine the beautiful with the useful.” He launched a program for the development and improvement of the country that was unique in Germany. The Dessau-Wörlitz Park Kingdom is one of the first and largest English parks in Germany and continental Europe. A large number of parks, gardens and castles were created between Dessau and Wörlitz, all united by a cultural landscape characterized by floodplains and forests. In 2000, this masterpiece of landscape gardening was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tourist attraction is located 70 km northeast of Halle (Saale).
Book a tour to the Garden Kingdom
6. Bauhaus
A milestone in Art Nouveau architecture is the Bauhaus school building opened in Dessau in 1926. Today, the Bauhaus Dessau – Design Center has once again become a vibrant place for experimental design, research and teaching. And the “Masters’ Houses” in Dessau were built in 1925-26. From the Kornhaus, the Historical Labor Exchange to the Törten residential area with its Konsum building, arcaded houses and Stahlhaus – traces of the Bauhaus are visible everywhere. Since 1996, the Bauhaus building and the seven Master Houses in Dessau have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites, along with the Bauhaus building in Weimar. The Houses with Balcony Access, built under the direction of the second Bauhaus Director Hannes Meyer, joined the list of World Heritage Sites in Dessau in 2017.
7. Global Geopark Harz
The UNESCO Global Geopark Harz covers the entire Harz, its immediately adjacent foreland and the “Brunswick Land” further north. There is a special geological structure there with salt domes, as well as iron ore and lignite deposits. The Harz and its foreland offer sediments, rocks of volcanic origin and karst landscapes. The mining and research history stretching back over 1,000 years is of particular importance. An area on the northern edge of the Harz is internationally known as the “Classic Square Mile of Geology” and its uplift zone provides insights into the sediment deposition of the huge period from 65 to 250 million years ago.
You can order a tour to Saxony-Anhalt including visiting to the UNESCO Heritage Sites or request a tourism consulting with us.
