Alfeld (Leine)

Alfeld is a small historic town located near Hildesheim and Hanover.

The most famous landmark of Alfeld is the Fagus shoe factory, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the first and most important structures of early modernism. In simple words, it is the first factory of a new type, with new design, which we are using nowadays.  Haven't visited it yet.

In Alfeld we relaxed in the nice, modern swimming pool 7 Berge Bad, with a sliding roof. Afterwards we walked around the town. The half-timbered buildings in the historic center were built mostly in the 19th century, the earlier ones survived little due to numerous fires.

Among the buildings, the Latin School (Lateinschule), built in 1610, stands out.


The walls are decorated with drawings dedicated to the seven arts of the time:
 - grammar (rod)
 - dialectics (snake or dog)
 - rhetoric (blackboard and pen)
 - music (musical instrument)
 - Arithmetic (counting board or abacus)
 - geometry (compass)
 - astronomy (astrolabe).

The Latin school building now houses the museum.






Animal Museum


The houses behind the museum are the oldest in the town and date from around 1501. They housed a bathhouse, a store and a warehouse.




There is also an interesting Planetenhaus (51.985472, 9.827611) nearby, but we only found out about it after the walk.

The Weser Renaissance town hall dates back to 1586.


Market Square


Since the 13th century, the town has been surrounded by fortress walls. One of the towers (Fillerturm) is still standing today.


Beautiful place in the center of the city, a small river on one of the streets. Kids will love it and there is a nice ice cream cafe.


Getting there: parking lot 51.986361, 9.827056. There is a train station Alfeld (Leine).