Page 458 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

456  NOR THERN GERM AN Y L OWER SA X ON Y , HA MBURG AND BREMEN  457

d Einbeck 1737 by the English King
Road map C3. * 29,400. £ George II, who was also the h The Weser Renaissance Trail
n Rathaus, Markt Straße 13 (05561- ruler of Hanover, the university
313 19 10). ∑ einbeck.de taught the sons of wealthy The Weser Renaissance is an architectural and
German, English and Russian decorative style of northern Germany, dating from
In the Middle Ages, this town aristocrats. Important cultural the mid-16th to the mid-17th century. Its tall roofs and
had 600 breweries – more than figures worked here, including
houses – and today it is still the writer Heinrich Heine, the gables were inspired by Dutch architecture, although
known for its beers; Bockbier, brothers Grimm and the explorer it has many original features: the Zwerchhäuser (bay
the famous German strong Alexander von Humboldt. windows, one or more storeys high), the Utlucht
beer, was invented here. Burned Göttingen’s reputation as an (prot ruding sections of the façade),
down in 1540 and 1549, the educational centre continues lavish decorations and multi-
town was subsequently rebuilt today, partly due to the esta- wing castles, some with
in a uniformly Renaissance style. blishment of the Max Planck WESERGEBIRGE
The historic town centre is Institute, named after the scientist spiral staircases in
enclosed by the city walls. who was born in the city and their towers.
More than 100 half-timbered developed the quantum theory.
houses have survived to this Göttingen is a lively town The twin-towered Gothic façade of
day. Eickesches Haus thanks to its student popul- St Cyriakus in Duderstadt
(Marktstraße 13) is ation, with dozens of cafés, 1 Hameln
particularly eye-catching, cosmopolitan restaurants g Duderstadt Rattenfängerhaus (rat
with a sculpted façade and bars. University Road map C4. * 24,500. £ catcher’s house),
based on biblical and buildings are scattered n Marktstraße 66 (05527-84 12 00). Weser Hochzeitshaus (wedding
Classical stories. Other all over town, and the Emmer house) and Demptersches
picturesque houses Aula, a Neo-Classical To the south of the Harz Haus (Dempsters’ house)
are good examples of
can be found in Assembly Hall, is mountains, not far from the Weser Renaissance
Tiedexer Straße and worth a visit. On the former border with style. The Romanesque-
in Marktplatz. The the Marktplatz in East Germany, lies this often Gothic Münster
latter boasts the Rathaus the town centre stands overlooked gem. A walk around (collegiate church) is
(town hall) and the the Rathaus (town the medieval town is best also worth seeing.
Rats waage (muni- Stone crest on hall) with a Gothic started on Obermarkt (upper
cipal weigh house) Göttingen’s Rathaus stone façade. The market). Here stands the half-
and Ratsapotheke Gänseliesel- timbered Rathaus (town hall), 2 Hämelschenburg
(chemist). The tower of the brunnen, the goose girl with an interesting façade and The castle, built
neighbouring Pfarrkirche fountain, in front dates from spiky towers. Inside it has 3 Bevern Weser in 1588–1612, is a
St Jakobi (parish church) leans 1901. It is kissed by students exhibition halls and a cultural Another gem of the Weser SOLLING three-winged building,
1.5 m (5 ft) from the erpendicular. who have passed their exams, centre. East of the town hall Renaissance style, the castle surrounded by a moat.
In 1741, a Baroque façade was and much loved by tourists. rises the Catholic Probsteikir- in Bevern, near Holzminden, It has an impressive
added to hide this. From the southeastern end of che St Cyriakus with its rich was built from Prussian ex terior with towers
the market square, Göttingen’s interior of altars and 15 Baroque stone in the years 1602–12. and decorative gables;
Environs four main churches can be seen: statues. St Servatius, its It has four wings as well as its original interiors
are also preserved.
15 km (9 miles) from Einbeck St Michael to the south, St Jakobi Protestant counterpart, two towers in the corners
is the spa town of Bad to the north, St Johannis to the combines Gothic architecture of its courtyard. Diemel
Gandersheim. It grew up west and St Albani to the east. with a Secessionist interior.
around a Benedictine The latter two boast late-Gothic Nearby is the Westertorturm,
monastery established here in altars worth visiting. Together, the only surviving town gate.
852, which in the 10th century they testify to Göttingen’s Its strangely spiralling finial
was the home of Roswitha von early importance is not a decorative feature, Weser
Gandersheim, the first known during the but the consequence of a
German dramatist. Middle Ages. weakness in its design.

f Göttingen
Road map C4. * 129,000. £
n Altes Rathaus, Markt 9 (0551-499 Tips for Drivers
800). _ Händel-Festspiele (Jun);
Literaturherbst (Oct), Jazzfestival 4 Münden Starting point: Hameln.
(Nov); student festivals, such as The principal buildings that exemplify the Length: 112 km (70 miles).
Stiftungsfest. ∑ goettingen.de Weser Renaissance style are the town hall Stopping-off places: good
and the castle, now a regional museum restaurants and bistros can be
Along with Tübingen, Marburg with a collection of ceramics. Fragments found in all the towns and
and Heidelberg, Göttingen is one of a Renaissance fresco of Duke Eryk II of 0 km 20 villages along the route.
of the most renowned German Calenberg can also be admired here. 0 miles 20
university towns. Established in The Gothic Rathaus on Marktplatz in Göttingen
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp501–502 and pp529–31

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