Discover 7 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Halberstadt (Germany). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Halberstadt Cathedral, Gleimhaus, and Tiergarten Halberstadt. Also, be sure to include St. Burchard in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Halberstadt (Saxony-Anhalt).
Table of Contents
Halberstadt Cathedral
Also known as: Dom zu Halberstadt
Cathedral in Halberstadt, Germany. The Halberstadt Cathedral or Church of St Stephen and St Sixtus is a Gothic church in Halberstadt in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was the episcopal see of the Bishopric of Halberstadt, established by Emperor Charlemagne in 804. The present-day church, which replaced an older Romanesque church, was built between 1236 and 1491 in a Gothic style, clearly inspired by the French Gothic cathedrals. In 1591 the Bishop of Halberstadt joined the Protestant Reformation, and the church has been used by the Protestant Church since. The cathedral was severely damaged in the Second World War, but has been restored in the decades after the war.
The cathedral retains much of its medieval decoration and stained glass windows. The large cathedral treasury contains over 600 objects of art, dating from the 5th to the 18th century, including a unique textiles collection. Many very valuable items are of Byzantine origin, having been brought to Halberstadt in 1205 by Bishop Konrad von Krosigk who had participated in the Fourth Crusade's sack of Constantinople.
An organ was installed in the cathedral in 1361, and is believed to be the first example of an organ with a modern chromatic keyboard. In 2000, the time elapsed since the organ's installation- 639 years- was chosen to be the length of a performance of American composer John Cage's As Slow as Possible. The performance began in 2001 at the St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt, and is due to end in the year 2640.
The cathedral is currently used by the Evangelical Church in Central Germany.[1]
Address: Dompl. 16A, 38820 Halberstadt
Gleimhaus
Museum in Halberstadt, Germany. The Gleimhaus in Halberstadt is one of the oldest literary museums in Germany. It was built in 1862 in the former home of the poet and collector Johann Wilhelm Ludwig Gleim. The half-timbered house lies behind the choir of the gothic cathedral to Halberstadt. The collections of the Gleimhaus go back to Gleim's estate.[2]
Address: Dompl. 31, 38820 Halberstadt
Tiergarten Halberstadt
Halberstadt Zoo is the zoo of the city of Halberstadt in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
It covers about ten hectares on the Spiegelsberge hills southwest of the city. About 250 animals of 75 species are kept there.
Address: Spiegelsberge 4, Halberstadt
St. Burchard
St. Burchardi Monastery is a former monastery of the Cistercian nuns in Halberstadt in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
City Museum
Museum
Address: Dompl. 36, 38820 Halberstadt
Gröninger Weinfass
The Gröninger Fass, also known as the Halberstädter Riesenweinfass, is an oversized barrel from the late 16th century that can now be seen in the cellar of the Spiegelsberge hunting lodge in Halberstadt.
According to measurements from 2005, the barrel has a capacity of 140,000 to 145,000 liters, is 7.56 meters long inside and between 8.33 and 8.48 meters long outside. The diameter of the inner stave edges is 4.37 meters. The weight is given as 636.99 hundredweight.
Originally, the barrel may have been composed of 93 oak staves, but today there are 92 - however, the visible reduction in size of the barrel could also be due to drying shrinkage.
Stadtbibliothek Halberstadt
Library
Address: Domplatz 49, Halberstadt