Cities of Germany - Quedlinburg. Mini-guide to Quedlinburg. One day in the beautiful town of Quedlinburg he even



The German city of Quedlinburg is located on the northern outskirts mountain range Harz/Harz, approximately 60 km southwest of Magdeburg.





Quedlinburg is a journey into a real fairy tale.






In no other city in the world is half-timbered construction represented in such a volume as in Quedlinburg.




Over 1,600 houses dating back six centuries have been declared architectural monuments.



Quedlinburg has the oldest half-timbered building in East Germany, dating back to the 14th century (Word, 3). It now houses the Half-Timbered Museum.



The entire rather large historical center of the city is under UNESCO protection.






The history of Quedlinburg began in the 10th century, when the Saxon king Henry I built a royal palatinate on the Schlossberg mountain in 922. Simultaneously with the construction of the castle under the mountain, the construction of the city began. After the death of the king in 936, his widow Matilda founded a castle on the grounds of the castle. convent.


For almost 9 centuries, Quedlinburg was owned by a monastery, and its abbesses ruled the city.


The monastery, rising on Mount Schlossberg, is still a symbol of Quedlinburg.






The entire monastery complex looks more like a well-fortified castle.





The founder of the city, King Henry I, was buried in a small castle church, which later became a monastery. In 1129, the new monastery church of St. Servation / Sr. Servatius, erected on the site of the old one.





The monumental sandstone building is a three-nave Romanesque basilica.






At the beginning of the 14th century, a Gothic choir was erected above the crypt.





A pair of towers appeared already in the 19th century.




In the 16th century, a new castle was built on the territory of the monastery, which housed the abbess’s private chambers and ceremonial reception halls.








Between the church and the abbess's castle, forming a closed courtyard, there are residential and utility buildings of the monastery.






Now the entire complex of monastery buildings is occupied by the city museum.




And from the former monastery garden you can see the Harz hills from the top of the mountain.






The slopes of the Schlossberg mountain are one of the most romantic corners of Quedlinburg.





Narrow alleys flowing along the mountain converge in a large square located under the walls of the monastery.







Among the colorful houses of the square there is a half-timbered house with a bay window on two columns, built in the mid-16th century (Schlossberg, 12).



In this house in 1724, Fiedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, theologian, poet of the Enlightenment, and founder of German civic poetry, was born. Now the historical building houses the poet's museum.


On the nearby mountain Münzberg, the daughter of Henry I founded another monastery. In the 16th century, the monastery was destroyed, and artisans, cab drivers and musicians began to settle on Mount Münzberg. The development of Mount Münzberg is not very interesting, but it offers wonderful views of the monastery on Mount Schlossberg and Quedlinburg itself.






It is best to start exploring the historical center of Quedlinburg, which lies at the foot of the Schlossberg and Münzberg mountains, from the main square – the Market Square.





The long square is lined with buildings of all ages. Among the motley half-timbered houses are built the respectable houses of wealthy citizens.






There was also a place on the square for a fashion store, built at the beginning of the 20th century.




One side of the Market Square will be occupied City Hall/Rathaus.





The existing Renaissance building was erected in 1615.








The side wings were added in 1899/1901.



Near the Town Hall stands one of the smallest Rolands in Germany, 2.7 meters high.



The statue of Roland, made in the form of a knight in armor, with a raised naked sword, was a symbol of the free city.


In the 15th century, Quedlinburg rebelled against the authority of the abbess of the monastery on Mount Schlossberg and even joined the Hanseatic League. It was then that a sculpture of Roland appeared in the city square. Freedom did not last long, in 1477 the monastery restored its rule, and Roland was removed at the behest of the abbess. For almost 400 years, the sculpture lay in the courtyard of the Town Hall, and only in 1869 it was restored and installed in the square.


In the Blasiistrasse street leading from the Market Square there is the Church of St. Blasia/St. Blasii.


This is probably the most old church Quedlinburg, although the existing church building dates back to the early 18th century.




But the impressive Romanesque tower remains from the previous church building.



The interior decoration of the temple is designed in Baroque style.





A special feature of the church interior are wooden galleries surrounding the interior walls.






Now the church is inactive and is used as a concert hall.




The elegant Breite Strasse / “Wide Street” runs away from the Market Square in the other direction.



In one of the houses on the street there is a narrow, inconspicuous passage.



In fact, this passage is not a passage at all, but the Schuhhof / “Shoe Yard” alley.



The alley leads to a small artisans' quarter, whose tiny houses are considered the oldest secular buildings in Quedlinburg.






The opposite side of Breite Strasse merges with the Kornmarkt / "Grain Market" square.




On the square stands the building of the old city pharmacy, founded in the 16th century.








Most of the area is occupied by the Church of St. Benedict / St. Benedikti.





U gothic church There is only one tower, the second tower was hit by lightning a long time ago, but for some reason they did not restore it.




The interiors of the church were remodeled several times.








On one of the walls behind thick, glare glass there is a church relic.





This Gothic altar dates from around 1500.




Opposite the entrance to the church on the square there is another landmark and pride of Quedlinburg - a mausoleum built in 1726 for the burial of a wealthy Quedlinburg merchant.




At the same time, the mausoleum does not stand alone, but is adjacent with one wall to the end of a residential building.



After Kornmarkt Square, Breite Strasse rushes towards the city limits. Almost at the very end of the street there is a very noticeable building, Gildenhaus zur Rose.






The facades of this Renaissance half-timbered building are covered with rich carvings.






Almost parallel to the Broad Street / Breite Strasse is the Narrow Street / Schmale Strasse. From here you can clearly see the high spire of the Church of St. Aegidii / St. Aegidii.







There is an old cemetery near the church.




The church stands almost at the very city wall, in close proximity to the most powerful of the defensive towers, the Schreckens Turm.







All the streets and squares along which we have already “walked” are located in the so-called Old Town / Altstadt, but the historical center of Quedlinburg consists of the Old Town and the New Town, which is no less interesting than the Old Town.


New town/ Neustadt arose in 1200, was separated from the Old Town by the Mill Moat / Mühlgraben, had its own walls with towers and gates and its own administration.


On the border of the Old and New Towns stands the huge and pompous city castle of the Knight Hagen / Hagensches Freihaus (Klink, 11 / Bockstrasse, 6).




This palace with towers and bay windows was built in 1564.



Now there is a hotel in the castle.


A stream flows in front of the castle, which is the border between the Old and New Towns.




From the bridge begins a street with a very specific name “Zwischen den Städten” / “Between Cities”, on which stands the old hospital of St. Anna.



The streets of the New Town are also incredibly romantic.








And just like in the Old Town, the half-timbered building is the absolute master here.








A showcase in the Art Nouveau style looks very funny and unusual in a half-timbered house.







By the way, in almost all Quedlinburg houses the space between the wooden half-timbered beams is filled with brick, which is clearly visible on the unplastered walls.





Moreover, the bricks are very often laid out figuratively. It is unlikely that the old half-timbered buildings were originally like this, but we do not know from when this Quedlinburg “fashion” began.


In the New Town there is the largest church in Quedlinburg, St. Nicholas / St. Nikolai.



Its 72-meter towers are visible from afar.



On the eastern side of the New Town, a fragment of the city wall with three towers has been preserved.








Of the three towers, only one tower, the Gänsehirtenturm, has survived to this day in its authentic form.




The second tower of the "Schweinehirtenturm" was once rebuilt into a residential building, and is now being restored.



The third tower "Op'n Tittenplan" was extensively rebuilt in 1900.






Construction of the late 19th and early 20th centuries begins just outside the city walls.





The picturesque Bode River flows from the south and east along the borders of the historical center.






On the opposite bank of the river from the city center there is a city station building.




And between the old city walls and the river there are streets lined mainly with mansions from the early 20th century.




There are villas for every taste.








Neoclassical mansion:







Almost a castle:





Example of Quedlinburg Jugendstil:





But seriously, these streets with “new” houses deserve no less attention than the Old and New Towns, although most tourists simply don’t get to this part of the city, they don’t have enough time and energy. Therefore, I would like to warn those who are planning a trip to this unique, fabulously romantic city that the historical center of Quedlinburg is not at all “two squares - three streets”.


Old city, New Town, Schlossberg Mountain and Münzberg Mountain together make up a vast area with quite long distances. Therefore, in order to “tastefully” stroll through the colorful old streets and fully enjoy the spirit of antiquity and romance, you should set aside a whole day for the trip.

I absolutely can’t imagine how to cram into one publication everything that was revealed to us during the few hours we spent in this city! But on principle I don’t want to break my story into several parts, because the integrity of the image would then be destroyed irrevocably.

I only hope that it’s the weekend, which means you may have enough time and energy to watch and read to the end. I really want to show you everything! This was one of the most successful finds on our route - Quedlinburg not only met our expectations, but also exceeded them many times over. The common cliché “half-timbered paradise” is just an empty phrase compared to what it is actually filled with and what it is. This is an amazing combination of beautiful form and deepest content.

We came to Quedlinburg from . Hometown Copernicus and the famous Toruń gingerbread, quite unexpectedly for us, turned out to be very pretty and full of all kinds of treasures. We expected no less joy from Quedlinburg - in all the stories and guidebooks it appears as a “half-timbered miracle”, “a toy German town”, “ doll houses" etc. And from the very first minutes of our stay there, we were convinced that all these epithets were not at all an exaggeration.

This is what our hotel looked like, for example. This is a view from the courtyard, where the parking lot is very conveniently located.

Of course, there was no question of any elevator. And, of course, our room was right under the roof - I have a weakness for attic rooms, especially if there are attic windows there. I’ll tell you why below, and you will completely share my preferences, I think.

So, no elevator. Up a rather steep staircase. With suitcases. Eh, hold on, my stiff stilts!

The room looked exactly as expected. With the skylights I love so much, a bathroom and other amenities.

And here’s the reason why I love skylights so much - if you lean out of them, you can see something that is not visible from below, from the ground.

And it’s much more convenient to admire the sunset from here!

And in the morning the view pleases and inspires the desire to immediately take off and run outside as soon as possible!

The building is really old. And this fills simple and ordinary rituals, such as eating, with special charm. Look what the dining room looked like where we had breakfast. It is two-tiered - and of course, we decided to sit on the upper tier, because from there we could watch from above both the street waking up outside the window and the bustle near the reception, located below us on the first tier.

However, we didn’t stay at the table for long, because ahead of us lay an acquaintance with the ancient city, the historical center of which, Altstadt, the Old Town, has been on the list of the World Cultural and Cultural Heritage Sites since 1995. natural heritage UNESCO.

But first, as usual, let’s put our things in the car. For now, we’ll leave the car waiting for us in the parking lot. Of course, I couldn’t pass by the rose growing nearby either. And while I was dancing around the rose bush, and then packing things into the trunk, one of the guests of our hotel asked us whether we had really come here from Russia itself. I was getting ready for the now familiar dialogue about geographical location Rostov-on-Don and a reference to the Black Sea, but the conversation took an unexpected turn. Our interlocutor turned out to be a German teacher who speaks good English and, among other things, regularly visits our country - he conducts seminars at one of the universities in Moscow. We talked for quite a long time, exchanged thoughts on various occasions, made a very favorable impression on each other, and at the end of the conversation we heard some valuable advice on the route ahead of us around the city. After which our paths diverged for some time - we went to wander through the streets of the old center of Quedlinburg.

From the very first steps it became clear that here it is far from “a square plus three streets” that can please us with views, but the entire old city is actually a museum under open air. Every house we met was of a very advanced age and was a wonderful example of half-timbering.

The name is firmly connected with Quedlinburg Genrikh Ptitselov. Even in the process of preparing the route, I learned that it was incredible old City, has been mentioned in chronicles since 922. Some even tend to call it the cradle of Germany. And there are reasons for this. The founder of the city and the future ruling German dynasty was the Saxon Duke Henry I. According to legend, it was here, returning from bird hunting, that he met with representatives of several principalities who brought him the news that they had elected him as the first German king. Since then, the nickname Birdcatcher stuck to him.

The morning streets were still empty, so no one was bothered by our enthusiastic exclamations. There was a complete feeling of unreality, of fake decorativeness of the walls surrounding us. If it weren’t for the sounds of everyday and completely modern human life sometimes coming from some windows, one would think that we were participating in the filming of a large-scale historical epic with luxurious scenery.

Apparently, we weren't the only ones who felt this way. Rarely did passers-by look so captivated by contemplation.

Modern shops, brands and creative signs against the backdrop of ancient half-timbered buildings look like absolute surreal, but in some incomprehensible way they fit organically into this scenery.

At the risk of a dislocated neck, I tried to capture every house, every carved element of the facade. They are all so different!!

The design of the half-timbers, the carvings and the shape of the auxiliary wooden supports and cones, like fingerprints, are unique. No two houses are alike! Even approximately the same ones turn out to be completely different.

This red house is completely unique. This is a burgher house from 1612, belonging to the so-called half-timbered Renaissance. Such large carved panels, completely covering entire cells, are very rare! The owner of the house was related to the carpenter's guild, which is reflected in the motifs and ornaments of the carvings on the beams and panels.

Openwork forged signs are not uncommon here either. They add richness, thicken and refine the atmosphere of unreality and fabulousness.

Why not a setting for the fairy tales of Charles Perrault or the Brothers Grimm?

Rare stone structure here. This is the town hall. Not a ceremonial one, but a damn attractive angle.

But this is the most ceremonial facade, richly entwined with ivy and flooded with bright sun.

Town Hall - one of the special buildings for Quedlinburg. Firstly, stone. Secondly, it is very ancient - there are already mentions of it in documents from 1310. It was built at the intersection of two main shopping streets that time. The entrance portal appeared about three hundred years later. But still, even he is already at least four hundred years old. Above the entrance is a coat of arms with the symbols of the city - the imperial eagle and the Kwedel (Wiedl) dog. According to legend, the dog of the city’s founder, Heinrich Ptitselov, warned his family members about approaching enemies with a loud bark, which saved the owners from death. In Rome there are geese, here there is a dog - funny analogies. But there are no geese on the coat of arms of Rome, but there is a dog on the coat of arms of Quedlinburg.

The stone knight with a drawn sword on the corner is a statue of Roland, evidence that the city once gained economic freedom, joined the Hanseatic League and became free city. However, this did not last long - after 30 years, Quedlinburg was again forced to come under the protection and management of the abbey. The statue was destroyed and only two hundred years ago it was put back together from the miraculously preserved rubble. By the way, this is the shortest Roland of all those installed in Germany.

The facade faces the main square of the old city - Market Square.

Market Square - the heart, soul, head, language and center of life of any medieval city. And even more so for something as important as Quedlinburg. IN market days There was a lively trade here. It's funny that foreign merchants had the right to trade here only on the condition that they stopped at a local inn. On other days, all more or less significant events took place here - from the announcement of city council decisions to judicial procedures. And all the townspeople gathered for the ceremonies of swearing in the abbess here.

Around the square there are houses more than half a century old, which once belonged to merchants and ordinary townspeople. One of the rare stone buildings here Haus Grünhagen - a residential building built 300 years ago. The gates were passable; carts carrying goods that were sold by Mr. Grunhagen, a merchant and textile manufacturer who lived here with his family, drove through them.

On one of the half-timbered old people leaning against the wall of a stone house, I noticed a sign and froze, raising my head and reading it. With my knowledge of German, this would be an almost useless exercise if it weren’t for the dictionary on my phone. But then help suddenly arrived - a nice elderly gentleman, who sat down to rest on a bench nearby, approached me with an offer to help translate, if I understand English. Naturally, I didn’t refuse!

This sign hung on a house with a small passage into the courtyard, as I thought. But no! As it turned out, this is actually the beginning of the street, which the shoemakers’ guild at one time turned into a whole quarter of shoemakers. At night the street was closed, and random passers-by had to go around. The houses here are already 500 years old!

Now these are just residential buildings, and souvenir and book shops are located in the former shoemakers' workshops. Few people notice the street, apparently deceived by its narrowness, just like I was at first. That’s why it’s empty and so unimaginably quiet and beautiful that you don’t want to leave it at all!

In general, in Quedlinburg there are more than one and a half thousand half-timbered buildings, and most of them are of a very respectable age - from 500 to 700 years. The oldest half-timbered house was built in 1310. He is a rare representative of one of the types of half-timbering, which is characterized by only vertical beams, not connected to each other by horizontal or inclined ones. This type is called Shtenderbau, from the German Ständer - beam, support.

This house was residential right up until 1965 (!)! And since 1976 it has been located here Half-timbered Museum . The exposition is simply fantastically interesting, rich, and visual. Here you can find out everything about what a half-timbered structure is, what it comes in, and what its advantages and disadvantages are. Starting with the fact that half-timbered wood is not a style. This is a type of construction. German Fachwerk This Fach- compartment, department, and Werk- construction.

Its essence is that a frame is assembled from strong and thick logs or beams, the compartments of which are filled with different materials, laid in several different ways. This is very clearly shown on this stand in the museum.

Inside there are tablets hanging on the walls, on which all the elements of the frame, all possible decorations and design features one or another style of half-timbering. As illustrations, photographs are provided of real houses that can now be seen in Quedlinburg, and in nearby Wernigerode, and in other towns that have preserved their half-timbered treasure to this day.

Magnificent models allow you to feel and see all the structural elements of such houses. These are models of real buildings, the addresses and information about which can be found on signs nearby.

The museum building itself does not have the strongest of frames - without lintels and supporting beams, it is difficult for the floors to maintain their immobility - about eight hundred years old. The mowing of the floors is simply incredible! The steel beam was laid not so long ago; it prevents the house from settling and warping further.

These distortions and sagging, characteristic of half-timbered structures, are very noticeable on the facades.

Quedlinburg is not limited to just the Old Town. The New City, which, by the way, already existed in 1222, is also full of beautiful houses, squares, and churches. At that time, the city grew to the point that the residents no longer had enough space, and they began to settle on the eastern swampy bank of the Bode River. The first temple there was built on stilts - the swampy soil required it. This area of ​​the city would also be worth seeing. But on this visit, we decided to limit ourselves to a walk around the Old Town and, on the advice of our casual acquaintance from the hotel, to look into the castle, whose long history is full of events, both wonderful and terrible.

Let's go there now! As befits castles, this one is located on a hill. Road to Castle Hill Schlossberg (Schlossberg) passes through narrow picturesque streets, so we’ll continue to look around and admire.

This small house, the frame of which is filled with bricks laid in an intricate pattern, stands exactly on the spot where, according to legend, the crown was awarded to Heinrich the Ptitselov. The new king ordered the reconstruction of the castle that existed here on the mountain, which he bequeathed to his wife Matilda after his death. When Henry died, his son Otto, who ascended the throne, at the request of his mother, organized an abbey here, and the remains of Henry the Birdcatcher were buried here. Interestingly, the abbey was not just convent. This was a kind of community of ladies from Saxon high society and it was called the imperial women's secular abbey, each of the ladies included in it had their own bright palace-type chambers in the abbey, and could leave it at any time if they wished. It’s a bit like the Order of the Beguines, isn’t it?

Matilda ruled the abbey and its lands for almost thirty years. She avoided the title of abbess in every possible way, but she zealously and wisely ruled the city and the monastery, and also took an active part in the affairs of the entire state, helping her son. For her merits and kind heart, she was canonized, and after her death, her remains were buried next to the remains of her husband.

Her granddaughter, named Matilda after her grandmother, took over the management of the abbey and became the first Quedlinburg abbess. She and her successors were imperial princesses and had voting rights in the Reichstag.

The granddaughter did not lag behind her grandmother. She achieved for the city the right to mint coins, collect customs duties, market trade, merged the New City with the Old, and then with the surrounding village communities, thereby laying the foundation for the future growth and commercial prosperity of the city.

Quedlinburg grew and became richer, and by the 15th century it became cramped in the tender feminine embrace of the abbess. The townspeople decided to join the Hanseatic League, leaving the abbey's sphere of influence. But the liberation lasted only 30 years. The new abbess resorted to the help of the Saxon princes, who returned the city back to the fold of the church.

But what about the abbey itself? Let's go back a little in time. In 1070 there was a terrible thunderstorm, lightning struck wooden buildings and caused a huge fire. Many buildings burned down both on the territory of the monastery and on the castle hill. The restoration of the abbey began immediately, but still, in some incomprehensible way, Henry’s remains were lost. The sarcophagus where they were kept was empty.

In 1539, during the Reformation, the abbey became Protestant and still remains independent. But very soon he too was forced to teach all the other church principalities. During secularization in 1802, it was dissolved, its lands went to Prussia.

Now it's organized inside most interesting museum, in which you can see, hear, feel this whole story. Here you can see the famous ballista, a masterpiece of military engineering, and watch a short costume film about how it worked. The bed of the last abbess, personal belongings of the monastery residents, as well as magnificent furniture, household items, a library, and dishes are kept here.

The castle offers guided tours upon request. English language, but we would have had to limit ourselves to a booklet and a leaflet if it weren’t for our good friend, a teacher, whom we met at the hotel, and by a very lucky chance we met right in the castle. He kindly became our guide and translator from German.

The museum's collection also contains this golden fibula from the Grosse Order...

And the famous Raubgrafenkasten chest, which served as a portable prison for Count Albrecht II von Regenstein, who was known for his bandit habits and passion for robberies and raids on the lands of his neighbors.

All the private chambers and all these archaeological and historical artifacts are so well preserved because the abbey was not damaged during wars and strife. But during the years of the Third Reich, the monastery church got it. The fact is that Heinrich Himmler, the chief of camps, zigs and agitation in the Third Reich, imagined himself to be nothing less than the reincarnation of Heinrich the Ptitselov. One of the cornerstones of the “thousand-year Reich” was the “cult of ancestors,” which became the reason that the Nazis actively excavated everything around the abbey, and the entire Nazi elite gathered in Quedlinburg in the year of the 1000th anniversary of the death of Henry I.

Christian symbols from the church were removed, the entire furnishings, including the altar and even the pews, were burned, and the interior was decorated in an “Aryan spirit.” From then on, the temple served to perform Nazi cult rituals. During excavations carried out by the Nazis on the territory of the castle hill, certain remains were found, which were immediately declared the remains of Heinrich Ptitselov and solemnly reburied next to the remains of Matilda.

Our way here:


In addition to the half-timbered buildings in the city great amount the most beautiful villas of the 19th century. They were built during a period of economic prosperity. And it came due to the tradition of selection and breeding of flower and vegetable seeds. This business still plays an important role in the city's economy, and you will see seed shops everywhere.


The city also has a castle, which was a monastery and abbey. The abbey was founded in 936 by Otto I the Great, Duke of Saxony and King of Germany, to perpetuate the memory of Father Henry the Birdcatcher. The father and mother Matilda were buried in the crypt.

The castle's cathedral, museum and crypt are open to the public. Be careful in the cathedral; the main treasures of Quedlinburg are collected in small rooms on the sides. After World War II, one of the American soldiers took away many valuable things. Among them were a reliquary (a beautiful chest for holy things) and an evangelium (a book with the texts of the Gospel) from the 9th century. They were discovered in 1987 and, after a lengthy trial, returned to Quedlinburg in 1993. Now treasures are stored in special capsules with constant temperature and pressure.

The museum's exhibition is not very large, but most of the items are really ancient. In the deepest room in the dungeon there is an exhibition dedicated to the Nazis, who used the cathedral for their rituals since 1937. Due to the presence of the crypt, at first the thought crept into my mind that they were trying to do the same thing as in, but I did not find such information.


Opposite the castle is Mount Münzenberg, from where you can see best view to the castle. Queen Matilda built a monastery here, but now nothing remains of it except the walls. However, be sure to walk through the streets of Münzenberg, you will see a city within a city, a kind of miniature half-timbered town.


Throughout the city you can find the remains of the city wall. Previously, the old city was surrounded by numerous towers, this moment 4 of them left. You can see them on the territory of the Castle Hotel (it is not in the castle, look for Observation tower). You can climb one of the towers, there is an automatic passage, you need to insert a 1 euro coin.


More photos of Quedlinburg

17.06.2017

Ancient city Quedlinburg is located 174 km from Berlin. The city is famous for its attractions, or rather its half-timbered houses, which are included in the UNESCO list.

This event happened in 1995. World-listed houses cultural heritage, a lot, more than 1600, over 600 years old. The entire Old Town is one continuous attraction. The city is quiet and cozy, suitable for lovers of leisurely travel.

Historical background about Quedlinburg

The city is located in Saxony-Anhalt, near the Bode River. Since ancient times, the river itself was considered an ideal place for people to settle. Quedlinburg is located near the castle hill, which serves as a natural refuge for it.

If you believe the legends, the founder of the city is Quitil. The city was first mentioned in historical sources in 922, on April 22. This year is mentioned as the year of foundation of the temporary royal palace in Quedlinburg for Henry I, who became the first German king. This palace became quite significant during the reign of the king; after the death of Henry I, his remains were transported to Quedlinburg and buried there. The city was revered by the royal family. The nobility loved to spend various special events and holidays.

In 996, a convent was built near the city. The townspeople had to pay taxes to the monastery, and the abbesses had to defend the city in case of danger. But too high taxes worried the townspeople, and as a result, clashes occurred between the town residents and the monastery.

To gain freedom from the nunnery, in 1384 the Quedlingburgers became part of the Lower Saxon community of cities, and in 1426 they joined the Hanseatic League. Having received the long-awaited freedom, they erected a statue of Roland. The management of the monastery was dissatisfied with the current state of affairs, so in 1477 the city was attacked. After which the city had to withdraw from the Hanseatic League and sign a letter of repentance. During the clashes, the statue of Roland was destroyed; it was restored again only in 1869.

The heyday of architectural excellence in the city occurred during the Thirty Years' War. It was at this time that a large number of half-timbered houses were built, which have survived to this day. In the 19th century, the city became rich thanks to the development of selection and cultivation of vegetable and flower seeds. Luxurious country villas and houses were built with the money received.

The city was not damaged during World War II. But during his stay in the USSR, no money was allocated for the reconstruction of ancient houses, and the city gradually collapsed. In addition, there was even a plan to demolish the buildings and build in their place structures corresponding to the era of socialism. But, thank God, this plan was not destined to come true.

Sights of Quedlinburg

One of the main attractions of the city is the same statue of Roland. This is a kind of symbol of the city’s freedom, which is of great importance for its history. The statue has a modest size, only 275 cm. This statue is the smallest of all surviving symbols of market freedom and the rights of citizens who sought to obey only the emperor and no one else.

Above the portal of the town hall, which is also a landmark and was first mentioned in 1310, is the city’s coat of arms. The city's coat of arms depicts a dog sitting at the gate. The city's coat of arms is held by an eagle, and above it is Abundantia, the goddess of abundance. It is as if she showers everyone entering the city with a cornucopia. In the area of ​​the pedestrian zone, on the market square, the “Grunhagen House” was built. It was made in the Baroque style in 1701. It is located opposite the town hall and serves as a decoration for this square.

Also interesting to explore is the Monastery Church, in which King Henry was buried. The church was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1129. Henry's remains, which were supposed to be in a stone sarcophagus, were lost. The Nazis considered this church as one of the cult places of their ideology.

Now the church building is located local history museum. The museum has various interesting exhibits, one of which is a mobile prison. It was in this prison that Count Albrecht II served his sentence.

One of the western creaks, which was not used for its intended purpose, has now become a bar. The bar has retained the atmosphere of antiquity and has become popular place recreation. Antique part The city, which is called the “coin mountain” or Münzenberg, is located on a hill opposite the Schlosberg mountain. To get to this attraction you need to climb 99 steps.

But if you can do this, then you will have an unforgettable view of Quedlinburg with its beautiful ancient architecture. The market square serves as the heart of this city and small streets diverge from it like arteries, on the sides of which small houses - half-timbered houses - are built.

Queen Matilda built a monastery on the site of modern Münzenberg and ruled it until her death. She inherited money for construction after the death of her husband Heinrich. But both the monastery founded by Matilda and the second monastery founded by Abbess Matilda II were destroyed by peasants during the uprising. Of both buildings, only the bakery was able to survive. Its chimney still towers over Münzenberg.

Since 1576, musicians, artisans and cab drivers began to settle on this hill. There are many anecdotes about the native inhabitants of Münzenberg. For example, such an interesting joke about professions. When a child was born into a family, he was given the choice of a pipe or a coin. If a child reached out with his hand to the pipe, then he will probably be a musician. If he chooses coins, he will become a thief. And if he grasps two things, then he will be a composer.

Tourists will undoubtedly be interested in looking at the panorama of the city. Attention is drawn to the turrets that decorate the city landscape, as well as the ruins of the city wall and many churches. During the 14th century, there were many towers in the city, 18 in the new part of the city and 10 in the old. They are depicted in ancient engravings depicting the city. At the moment there are only four towers in the city and the same number are preserved near the old city wall. The reason for the demolition of the towers was the growth traffic in the city.

Walking around the outskirts of the city, here and there you can come across the ruins of the city wall. Once it was 2290 m long in the old part of the city, and 1570 m long in the new one. In ancient times, the area of ​​Quedlinburg was protected by ditches and oxen, but these have now been filled in. This event took place in 1821.

There are many ancient churches in the city. The highest is the Church of St. Nicholas. Near the market square is the Blasikirche church. Behind the town hall you can see the Benedictine Church, which is called the “Marktkirche”. In addition, there is also the church of Egidiikirch, Matilda, St. Johann.

Architectural features of Quedlinburg

Yet Quedlinburg is famous precisely because of its half-timbered houses, which were built in the 14th-18th centuries. The most famous and interesting houses to view are located near the Benedictine church Marktkirche. One of them is a tall and very narrow house, the floors of which protrude above each other. It was built in the 15th century and is designed in the Gothic style. Nearby there is a 14th century house, which is decorated in Renaissance style. Also popular is the house where heralds, a gendarme and a midwife lived. This row of houses ends in 18th-century half-timbering.

The museum dedicated to half-timbered art is housed in the oldest half-timbered building, built in the 14th century. If the half-timbered structure is made in the Gothic style, then each floor protrudes above the previous one, and the ground floor should be higher than the rest. This is a kind of house in itself. You can also find houses in the Lower Saxon style and half-timbered Renaissance buildings, which are located in the old part of the city center.

For tourists, Quedlinburg is interesting precisely because ancient architecture and a large concentration of architectural masterpieces, half-timbered houses. It is very interesting to leisurely stroll along the city streets and observe the quiet life of the town. In addition to sightseeing, you can visit cafes and restaurants that will hospitably welcome tourists. And also choose a hotel for comfortable rest. Also, every year on Easter and Trinity Sunday, the city hosts colorful performances.

Residents of the city and artists dressed in the clothes of medieval citizens walk the streets and perform performances. It will undoubtedly be interesting for tourists to see this action. So don't forget to visit Quedlinburg when you're in Germany.

Quedlinburg Castle (Schloss Quedlinburg) is one of the oldest surviving castles in Germany; located on Castle Hill, in the historical center of the ancient German city Quedlinburg (state of Saxony-Anhalt).

Story

Quedlinburg Castle is famous for the fact that it housed Quedlinburg Abbey, founded in 936 after the death of the first king of the East Frankish kingdom, Henry I the Birdcatcher (876-936), by his widow, Queen Matilda of Westphalia. Representatives of noble aristocratic families lived in the monastery, who did not marry and decided to devote the rest of their lives to God. The entire city, which arose at the foot of the Castle Hill, was subject to the authority of the abbess of the monastery.
During the Middle Ages, the monastery in Quedlinburg was considered one of the most significant in Germany - this played a role several centuries later: in the 1930s, with the coming to power in the country of the National Socialist party led by Adolf Hitler, Quedlinburg Castle became one of the most important places of worship: the founder of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler, associated himself with the King of Germany, Henry I, who went down in history as a talented ruler who managed to significantly strengthen and expand the borders of the German kingdom in the 10th century. Nazi torchlight processions were organized to the tomb of King Henry I in Quedlinburg.
In the 16th century, with the beginning of the Reformation in Germany, almost all Catholic monasteries and churches passed to Protestants. In 1540, the convent in Quedlinburg suffered the same fate.
In 1803-1806, the government of Napoleon Bonaparte, headed by Minister Talleyrand, passed the law on mediatization, according to which the reorganization of the political units that made up the Holy Roman Empire was carried out. An integral part mediatization became secularization, that is, the seizure of church property in favor of the state. In 1803, Quedlinburg Abbey was abolished, and all its property became state property of the Principality of Quedlinburg, which became part of the Kingdom of Prussia. Later, property rights to the monastery were transferred to the Kingdom of Westphalia, which existed from 1807 to 1814.
Church of Saint Servatius
The main monastery church of St. Servatius, consecrated in the name of saints Servatius of Maastricht and Dionysius of Paris, was built in 1070-1129. on the site of a small castle chapel where King Henry I the Birdcatcher was buried.
The temple building is a three-nave Romanesque basilica with a flat roof and a Gothic choir.
During the restoration work carried out in the church in 1863-1882, two neo-Romanesque style towers topped with pointed spiers were added to the main building, which were replaced by flat hipped roofs after the destruction of World War II in 1946.
The church crypt in which King Henry I and his wife Queen Matilda were buried has survived to this day. Matilda's remains still rest in the crypt of the Church of St. Servatius; the remains of Henry I were lost.
The crypt also contains the remains of several abbesses of the monastery, including the daughter of Emperor Otto I, abbess Matilda, the sister of Otto III, abbess Adelheide, and the daughter of Henry III, abbess Beatrix.
In the Church of St. Servatius there is a treasury that is considered the richest in Germany. Among the most valuable rarities: the gilded reliquary of St. Servatius (late 9th century); crest of Henry I (10th century); handwritten Gospel from the monastery of St. Wigbert (early 16th century), handwritten Gospel of Samuel bound in gilt and trimmed with precious stones (13th century). The castle houses a valuable collection of antique handmade carpets.
Today, services are held in the Church of St. Servatius.
Quedlinburg Castle houses a museum whose exhibition is dedicated to the history of Quedlinburg Abbey.
Since 1994, Quedlinburg Castle, together with the Old Town, which has preserved its centuries-old half-timbered architecture, has been part of World Heritage UNESCO.

Tourist information

Working hours:
from April to October: Tuesday - Sunday from 10.00 to 18.00 (Monday - closed);
from November to March: Tuesday - Sunday from 10.00 to 16.00 (Monday - closed);
The museum is closed on December 24, 25 and January 1.
Museum ticket prices: adult - 4.50 euros, reduced price - 3 euros, family ticket - 9.50 euros.
Ticket price for visiting the museum and church of St. Servatius- 7 euros.
Telephone: 03946/905681
Fax machine: 03946/905689
Website page: http://www.quedlinburg.de/de/museen/schlossmuseum.html

 

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