WEST HARZ PLACES

The townships and villages in the west Harz tend to be plusher than in the east Harz, although the east is rapidly catching up now. Half-timbered houses still remain amongst more modern building. Most places have been holiday bases for walkers since the 19th century and have health, sport and winter sport facilities.

Braunlage A Kurort (health resort) and popular tourist base for many years. Braunlage has its own "mountain" Wurmberg, 972m (3188ft), with a cable car route to the summit. The higher stretches are used by downhill skiers in snowy winters.

Goslar is a UNESCO listed town with the residence of the early emperors.It is a beautiful medieval town with a massive wall surrounding the Altstadt (the Old Town), and an imposing Rathaus (Town Hall) dating from the 15 ^th /16 ^th Century. The Marktkirche and the Kaiserpfalz (Emperor’s Residence) of the 11 ^th Century are worth visiting. A major mining museum is situated at the nearby Rammelsberg, where silver was found and mined for centuries.

Sankt Andreasberg is well worth visiting. This pretty and pleasant hill town with its steep streets and old buildings shows plenty of evidence of its long mining history, and one former silver mine, the Grube Samson or Samson pit (till 1910), arranges guided tours during most of the year.

Are you looking for a lovingly furnished holiday flat at ground level? Here it is! > Haus Mandy < Your "holiday home" is situated in a quiet side street of St. Andreasberg, the well-known climatic health resort in the Harz Mountains, surrounded by the National Park. A paradise for kids . Dogs and cats are welcome The altitude of around 800m and the leisure facilities of the local community offer the best preconditions for relaxation and new experiences. Treat yourself to a place in the sun or snow. Click on the photo for more information .

Clausthal-Zellerfeld This former mining community consists of 2 merged towns. Mining took place on the nearby Clausthaler high plateau from 1200 to 1350 so it is a natural base for a Mining Museum. The town has many half-timbered and slate faced houses and Germany's largest wooden church, the Marktkirche, seating 2,200!

Whether you would prefer the inimite guesthouses, a small hotel,  the Harz has an excellent choice of  Hotels, Guesthouses, Ferienwohnungen , Bed and Breakfast, Ferienhaueser, timeshares apartments and studio apartments. There is a property to suit every taste. Mostly you can find better deals for this hotels on the internet than with your local travel agent.

THE BROCKEN  a very German Mountain in the High Harz National Park

The Brocken, at 1142m (3747ft), is the highest part of Northern Germany and lies
at the heart of the High Harz National Park (Hochharz National Park). The peak, which is almost bare, is often hardly discernible. For about 300 days in the year it vanishes in the fog.  This natural spectacle has contributed to the myth that witches live on the Brocken. Based on this folk tale, the "Walpurgis Night" is celebrated annually with a witches' dance. On clear days you can enjoy magnificent views encompassing countless towns, villages, far hills and several granite formations like Devil's Pulpit cherished by botanists for the arctic-alpine lichens growing around there. At the summit's foot the rivers Ilse, Bode, Oder and Ecker start their lives.

Since the removal of the Brocken Wall in October 1991 great efforts are being made to care for the trees, wild life and plants, which had developed unhindered during the years of restriction. The Brocken Garden, first begun in 1890 as an experimental garden, was neglected from 1961 to early 1990 and is now being re-developed with alpine plants from many parts of the world.