Magdeburger Reiter

This is Saxony-Anhalt

A country steeped in history and stories – of powerful emperors, modern ideas, and broad horizons

Saxony-Anhalt - right in the middle of Germany, characterized by the Brocken and vast landscapes, cities that have changed over time and paths that take their time.

Around 2.2 million people live here: in Magdeburg, Halle (Saale), Dessau-Roßlau - and in many smaller towns between the Harz Mountains and the Elbe, where the pace is often different.

Saxony-Anhalt is the heartland of German history: in the Middle Ages, the triad of Byzantium-Rome-Magdeburg shone brightly. The Reformation began here. Six UNESCO World Heritage Sites tell of spiritual, artistic and architectural heritage.

What makes Saxony-Anhalt special

Exterior view of the Gothic House in Wörlitz Park
Exterior view of the Gothic House in Wörlitz Park

World record in stone, script and style

Saxony-Anhalt has the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany - measured by the number of sites per square kilometer. These include five important cultural landscapes and monuments: the Bauhaus in Dessau, the Luther memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg, Naumburg Cathedral, the old town of Quedlinburg and the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz. The heritage is complemented by the Nebra Sky Disk - a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013 and the oldest concrete depiction of the heavens known to mankind.

The "biggest among the little ones"

The Harz narrow-gauge railroads run for 140 kilometers through forests, moors and villages - mostly steam-powered. They are considered "the biggest of the small": an unusually extensive network for narrow-gauge railroads in Europe and the longest in Germany. Around one million passengers board each year. The ride on the Brockenbahn is particularly impressive: since 1992, the powerful locomotives with around 700 hp have been steaming up to the legendary summit several times a day - without gears, using friction alone. They climb the steepest section of the route from Drei-Annen-Hohne station in around 50 minutes - slowly, steadily and with puffing breath.

Drei Annen Hohne station with Harz narrow-gauge railroad
Drei Annen Hohne station with Harz narrow-gauge railroad
Exterior view of the Romanesque church of St. Stephani Bernburg
Exterior view of the Romanesque church of St. Stephani Bernburg

Romanesque architecture along the way

88 Romanesque buildings in 73 locations are connected by the Romanesque Road - a route that runs like a figure eight through the whole of Saxony-Anhalt. No other federal state has such a high density of preserved medieval buildings. These include important sites such as Halberstadt Cathedral with its precious church treasury, the Jerichow Monastery as an early brick building or the collegiate church in Quedlinburg with the burial place of Ottonian kings.

Unexpected records with history

Some records from Saxony-Anhalt seem strange at first glance - but they tell stories. For example, that of Otto von Guericke: in 1654, he carried out an experiment in Magdeburg that is now known worldwide. Two hemispheres, from which the air was removed, held together so tightly that 16 horses could not pull them apart. This image came to symbolize the power of the vacuum - and later even found its way into the Levi's jeans brand logo: Two horses trying to tear a pair of jeans. Other superlatives also tell of imagination, maverickness or pioneering spirit:

Did you know?

  • The Halberstadt cathedral treasury is considered the best-preserved medieval church treasure in Europe outside the Vatican - with textiles, goldsmiths' art and relics that have been preserved for centuries.
  • The baroque garden of Altjeßnitz is home to the largest baroque maze in Germany - with 2,000 box trees and a network of paths dating back to the 18th century. Those who walk through it experience geometry as a game.
  • Walt Disney drew inspiration for his character of the wicked stepmother in Snow White was inspired by the figure of Uta in Naumburg Cathedral - her gaze, her drapery and her presence found their way into film history.
  • At the Rappbode Dam, one of the longest pedestrian suspension bridges in the world spans the valley: the Titan RT - 458 meters long, 100 meters above the ground.
  • In Sangerhausen, the Europa-Rosarium is home to the largest collection of roses in the world.
  • In Stendal, the world's tallest Trojan horse stands on the grounds of the Winckelmann Museum - 15 meters high, made of wood and accessible.
  • One of the largest tulip fields in Germany blooms in Schwaneberg.
  • Gardelegen in the Altmark is the third largest town in Germany in terms of area after Berlin and Hamburg. At 632 square kilometers, it is one of the quiet superlatives: lots of landscape, lots of space, lots of time.

Jeet nich, jibs nich!

Wie jehts n Meine/Meinor?

People who have made history

From reformers to chancellors - Saxony-Anhalt has produced personalities who have shaped thought, power and culture over the centuries. Their traces can be found in churches, cities and stories - and sometimes also in everyday life.