Discover Halle: Sky Disc, Salt Tradition & Experience Culture: Sachsen Anhalt Tourismus

Halle will surprise you - 3,600 years of human history meet the living present here. The city of Handel combines its rich history as a saltworks location with one of the densest cultural landscapes in Germany, surrounded by green oases along the Saale river.

Between the Sky Disc and Handel Monument, the Market Church and museums, you can feel the interplay of history and ideas in Halle. The old town with its arcades and Renaissance façades tells the story of the past, while young creatives, students and cultural workers provide new impetus - in theaters, galleries and alternative locations.

Anyone walking through Halle will discover a city full of contrasts: rich in tradition, full of sound and open to new ideas.

HIGHLIGHTS CULTURE EVENTS SALT CITY GREEN HALLE YOUNG HALLE RAIN TIPS

6 Highlights in Halle (Saale)

The hoard found at Nebra with swords, axes, chisels and arm spirals

Nebra Sky Disk

World sensation in the State Museum

The Nebra Sky Disk is one of the most important archaeological finds in Europe - 3,600 years old, made of bronze, with golden symbols for the sun, moon and stars. It is considered to be the oldest concrete depiction of the heavens known to mankind and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the State Museum of Prehistory, it is the centerpiece of an exhibition that tells the story of Central Europe's early history in an exciting and interactive way

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Market church, five-tower silhouette and the old town

The four towers of the Market Church of Our Lady and the Red Tower together form Halle's striking silhouette - also known as the "City of Five Towers". The market square in front is a place of city life - with a Handel monument, weekly markets, regular events and a view of the historic town hall. In the surrounding alleyways, the history of Halle is reflected in Renaissance façades, old arcades and small stores.

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Market square in Halle (Saale) with the five towers

Moritzburg Art Museum

Late Gothic castle with art treasures

Moritzburg Castle is the only preserved archbishop's castle in central Germany. Today it houses an art museum with works ranging from the Middle Ages to classical modernism - including Expressionism and Bauhaus. A sculpture park on the banks of the Saale complements the open-air museum.

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Giebichenstein Castle

1000 years of castle history

First mentioned in 961, Giebichenstein Castle is one of the oldest buildings on the Saale. It is situated on a porphyry rock above the river and is part of the Romanesque Route. Today, it serves as the campus of Burg Giebichenstein University of Art - a place where history and design come together.

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View of Giebichenstein Castle and the Giebichenstein Bridge over the Saale river

Mountain Zoo

Unique hillside location with panoramic views

Germany's only mountain zoo is located on the Reilsberg and offers natural enclosures, wide panoramic views and a species-rich animal world with around 1,700 animals. Adventure trails, viewing terraces and a petting area make the zoo particularly family-friendly.

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Peißnitz Island

Green oasis in the Saale

Peißnitzinsel is located in the middle of the city - surrounded by water, criss-crossed by paths and squares. There is space for sports, picnics and events. A small park railroad runs across the island and stages offer concerts and theater in the open air. The Saale always remains visible - as a calm companion.

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View of the Peißnitz Island with Peißnitz Bridge

Halle as a City of Art and Culture

Halle lives culture between past and present - on classical stages, in old walls and surprising niches. In the Handel House, you can experience the musical history of the world-famous baroque composer George Frideric Handel, while the Halle Opera House and the Neues Theater present a broad repertoire of opera, drama and dance. The Francke Foundations offer an impressive insight into the Baroque educational landscape with their school town, orphanage and art chamber. If you want to delve deeper into pop history, the Beatles Museum has a collection that is unique in the world. The offer is complemented by the City Museum, the Planetarium and the historic observatory - places where Halle as a city of knowledge and ideas becomes tangible.

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Lantern festival with fishing in the hall

A young couple at the lantern festival in Halle

Lime blossom festival at the Francke Foundations

Entrance to the New Theater in Halle (Saale)

Chamber of Art and Natural History of the Francke Foundations

Krokoseum children's creative center in the Francke Foundations

Exterior view of the Halle (Saale) Planetarium

Interior view of the Halle (Saale) Planetarium

Events in Halle

Halle brings people together all year round - with festivals, concerts and open-air theater. At the annual Handel Festival, the composer is celebrated with music in churches, squares and concert halls. The Lantern Festival on the last weekend in August attracts visitors to the banks of the Saale with a mix of culture, funfairs and culinary delights. Open-air concerts and family events regularly take place on the Peißnitz. Smaller formats such as readings in the Literaturhaus or open days in clubs and pubs also characterize city life.

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Experience the history of the salt city

Halle's history is closely linked to salt - the city's "white gold". In the Technical Halloren and Salt Museum you can learn more about the Halloren tradition, salt boiling customs and the oldest surviving brotherhood in Germany - the Salzwirker-Brüderschaft im Thale zu Halle, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages and which still cultivates the knowledge and customs of salt boiling today. Guided tours of the historic salt works and salt springs bring the economic importance of Halle for central Germany to life.

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Green Halle along the Saale

The Saale runs through Halle - both in the countryside and in the city. Riverside paths lead past promenades, parks and cafés. The Saale cycle path runs right through the middle, flat and family-friendly. If you like, you can take to the water in a canoe, pedalo or excursion boat. On the banks there are picnic areas, play areas and viewpoints such as the Klausberge or the Giebichenstein Bridge - with sweeping views over the city and river. The Amtsgarten and the historic parks, for example around Moritzburg Castle or the Francke Foundations, offer well-kept resting places with old trees and a historical background.

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Young people clinking glasses on the Peißnitzinsel

Two guests in the Zeitkunstgalerie in Halle

Freiraumgalerie - Urban Art in Halle (Saale)

Young people watching the sunset in Halle (Saale)

Cycle tour in Halle with a view of Giebichenstein Castle

Student City and Young Life

Halle is young in everyday life and open to ideas. Martin Luther University and the University of the Arts shape the city - with around 20,000 students from all over the world. Meeting places, projects and new formats - from co-working to club nights - are emerging on the campus, around the university square and at Kleiner Berlin - an alternative cultural quarter with bars, clubs and studios. In hidden courtyards, old alleyways and empty spaces, initiatives are developing that think differently about the city: from pop-up galleries and sustainability labs to music festivals. Kleine Ulrichstraße with its cafés, bars and restaurants is also one of them - lively, sociable and full of ideas. If you want to discover Halle, the best way is on foot - and explore new paths.

When It Rains in Halle

Halle also has a lot to offer on rainy days - especially for families.

The Halloren Chocolate Museum combines history with indulgence and offers insights into Germany's oldest chocolate factory.
For those who prefer a dip, the adventure pool Maya Mare with its world of slides, wave pool and sauna.
In Leipziger Straße and the arcades, cafés and small stores invite you to browse - even when the skies are gray.
The planetarium is one of the most modern in Germany and brings the stars very close.