Quedlinburg is called the reserve of German Fachwerk (half-timbered architecture). There are more then 1,300 half-timbered houses in the town, and this is the largest number in Germany. The town was lucky to escape the bombing during the World War II . The oldest house in East Germany dates back to the first half of the 14th century.
On the photos are not all most interesting houses. If you like Fachwerk, then you should include Quedlinburg in the program of your trip.
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
The oldest house in East Germany (first half of the 14th century) ©wikimedia.org / Jungpionier
Half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Red half-timbered house in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Green house in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Interesting painted house ©Yuriy Buriak
The lower part of the house is rebuilt, but the upper part is original. ©Yuriy Buriak
Half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
In addition to half-timbered houses you can find a huge number of beautiful 19th century villas. They were built during the period of economic prosperity. It became possible because of the flower and vegetable breeding tradition. This business still plays an important role in the town's economy, you will find shops with seeds everywhere.
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Half-timbered houses in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Villa in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Villa in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Villa in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Commerzbank building ©Yuriy Buriak
Villa in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
District administration ©Yuriy Buriak
Music school ©Yuriy Buriak
There is also a castle in the town, a former monastery and an abbey. The abbey was founded in 936 by Otto I the Great, Duke of Saxony and King of Germany to perpetuate the memory of his father Henry the Fowler. Both his father and mother Matilda were buried in the crypt.
The cathedral, museum and crypt are open to visitors. In the cathedral find 2 small rooms with the main treasures of Quedlinburg. After World War II, one of the American soldiers took many valuable things to the USA. Among them were the 9th century Reliquarium (a beautiful box for the holy things) and Evangelistarium (a book with the text of the Gospel). They were discovered in 1987 and after a long trial returned to Quedlinburg in 1993. Now the treasures are stored in special capsules with constant temperature and pressure.
Exposition of the museum is not very large, but most items are really old. In the deepest room in the cave there is an exhibition dedicated to the Nazis, who used the cathedral for their ceremonies from 1937. Because of the crypt, I initially thought that they were trying to do the same things as in Wewelsburg, but I didn't find any such information.
Castle in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Castle in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Interesting rock formations near the castle ©Yuriy Buriak
View of Quedlinburg from the observation deck at the castle ©Yuriy Buriak
View of Quedlinburg from the observation deck at the castle ©Yuriy Buriak
Opposite the castle is the Münzenberg hill that offers the best views of the castle. Queen Matilda built a monastery here, but nowadays nothing left, only the walls. However, be sure to walk along the streets of Münzenberg. You will see a town within a town, a sort of a miniature half-timbered town.
Muenzenberg, the old part of the town ©Yuriy Buriak
View of Muenzenberg ©Yuriy Buriak
Throughout the town you can find the remains of the town wall. Previously, the old town was surrounded by numerous towers, currently only 4 left. You can find them near the Castle Hotel (it's not near the castle, find it by the Watch Tower). There is an observation deck on one of the towers, you need to drop a 1 euro coin to get to the top.
Quedlinburg in the 17th century ©wikimedia.org / Nairem
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Stairs to the observation tower ©Yuriy Buriak
Observation deck on the tower ©Yuriy Buriak
View from the observation deck ©Yuriy Buriak
Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Castle Hotel ©Yuriy Buriak
Fountain in the courtyard of the Castle Hotel ©Yuriy Buriak
Sculpture in the courtyard of the Castle Hotel ©Yuriy Buriak
More photos of Quedlinburg
St. Aegidii Church (1179) ©Yuriy Buriak
House with 12 windows, under each window is the Zodiac sign - Aries. ©Yuriy Buriak
House with 12 windows, under each window is the Zodiac sign - Leo. ©Yuriy Buriak
Someone doesn't like half-timbered houses :) ©Yuriy Buriak
Sculptures in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
Residents created a wire human figure. ©Yuriy Buriak
Coats of arms remained on many houses. ©Yuriy Buriak
The entire story is written on this house. ©Yuriy Buriak
For some reason, a thermometer was put in such beautiful box. ©Yuriy Buriak
Sculptures in Quedlinburg ©Yuriy Buriak
There are many flowers in the town ©Yuriy Buriak
Here you can download a brochure about the town in English.
And here are the maps of Quedlinburg.
Getting there: By train through Halberstadt, use bahn.de.
