7 World Heritage Sites in One State - UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Harz UNESCO World Heritage Site

The southern part of Lower Saxony offers a wealth of monuments and heritage sites for history buffs and city travelers alike. In the foothills of the Harz Mountains, there are three landmarks that attract tourists from all over Germany and the world. One of them is the Old Town of Goslar. It invites visitors not only to the winter Christmas market but also to stroll through the narrow streets lined with half-timbered houses. The beauty and medieval charm of this thousand-year-old imperial city can be admired at every turn in the Old Town with its gabled roofs. 

Just by looking at certain notable buildings, such as the Imperial Palace, the Neuwerk Church in Goslar, or the Gustav Adolf Church in the Hahnenklee-Bockswiese district near the Bocksberg, one quickly realizes just how great the fame and prestige of today’s county seat were in times past. 

Later in history, the ores from the Rammelsberg made the city an important center for industry and commerce, contributing to the prosperity of the city and the Walkenried Monastery. A remnant of this era is the Rammelsberg Mine, which was shut down in 1988 and, together with Goslar’s Old Town, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. In 2010, the Upper Harz Water Management System was added to this complex. For eight centuries, this water management system, with its network of dikes and channels, provided the energy and thus the driving force for the city’s mining industry.

© JuTe CLZ

Wadden Sea National Park, Hildesheim, and the Fagus Factory

High up in the north, there’s only one heritage site worth seeing, and you can’t even see the whole of it in a single day. We’re talking about the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which received its designation in 2009. The ebb and flow of the tides off the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark is once again a top destination for visitors looking for a vacation spot. Especially for hiking and nature enthusiasts, the 1,300-kilometer-long mudflat landscape offers a wonderful paradise.

© www.ostfriesland.de

Located 34 km from Hanover, Hildesheim is home to five significant buildings and landmarks. The highlights include the World Heritage sites of Hildesheim Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church—both with a history dating back nearly a thousand years to the 11th century. These churches and the cathedral are built in Gothic or Neo-Gothic styles, and since they were designated World Heritage Sites in 1985, they have attracted a steady stream of visitors to the city. Particular attention is also given to the thousand-year-old rosebush at St. Mary’s Cathedral, a symbol of Hildesheim and part of the “Legend of the Rose Miracle,” which became famous once again after World War II. The Hildesheim Cathedral Treasury is also significant. Relics and other treasures bear witness to the church’s rich history and the vibrant faith of the city. And yet another church boasts a remarkable feature: the church tower of St. Andreas. At 114.5 meters high, it is the tallest in all of Lower Saxony. It is accessible via 364 steps, and from its observation deck, one has a panoramic view of Hildesheim and the surrounding countryside. 

Heading south, you pass the tranquil town of Alfeld. But this corner of Germany also has its own landmark. The yellow Fagus Factory, designed by Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius, was added to the World Heritage List by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 2011 and is one of the 42 World Heritage Sites currently in Germany. In this pioneer of modern industrial architecture, one can clearly see the desire for light, air, and clarity. Reason enough to take a short trip to the Hildesheim metropolitan area and see these historic buildings for yourself.

© Ina Funk