EAST HARZ PLACES
Quedlingburg, once a center of the German Empire, is well worth a special visit as it is a remarkable place with its medieval character. It is now an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage listed town with 1600+ buildings listed as of historic interest. The center of the town has remained virtually intact from the Middle Ages with tiny, narrow, winding streets. On the nearby Schlossberg is the childhood home of 18th century classical poet, Friedrich Klopstock. It now houses a recently renovated museum.
Wernigerode The town stands on the northern edge of the Harz but is set into the wooded slopes of the mountains and is known as the colorful town of the Harz also preserving its medieval town center. The pictorial Rathaus in the Markt is Wernigerode's pride and joy. The striking silhouette of the fairy tale castle, the Schloss (castle), dating from 1881 dominates from its setting on a wooded hill.
Stolberg
This is a perfectly preserved small medieval town, known as "the gem of the South Harz." Set in the Harz's southern slopes and nestling where 4 narrow valleys meet amidst fine hills, it is dominated by the Renaissance Schloss (Castle) overlooking the town. Once a mining center, it has streets of unbroken rows of well-preserved half-timbered houses. Stolberg was awarded the title of "Historic European City" in 1993.
Schierke When its isolation ended in December 1989 Schierke quite quickly re-established its attractions as a spa and wintersport resort village, a sort of St. Moritz of the Harz, especially with the reopening of the Brockenbahn on the 15th September 1991. The village stretches out a long way and close to the village are odd looking rock formations, known as klint or klippen. The best known is Feuersteinklippen from the red color of the rocks, and the name was also given to a popular bitter-sweet herb liqueur, called Schierker Feuerstein.
