A Weekend in Quedlinburg

Hello friends. Today I would like to tell you about another small yet very interesting town I visited during my trip to Germany. This town is Quedlinburg, located in the state of Saxony Anhalt. It was founded in the 10th century by King Henry I, also known as Henry the Fowler, who is buried here. As always we began our walk at the Marktplatz, the market square. The square is both beautiful and completely authentic. There are many half timbered buildings here. Overall Quedlinburg holds the record for having the highest number of half timbered houses in Germany. According to various sources, the town has around two thousand of these houses. They appear on almost every corner and no two look the same. The colors differ, the constructions vary slightly and the infill patterns within the wooden framework change from building to building. The overall appearance is very distinctive.

On the square stands the equally characteristic town hall, which is entirely covered in ivy. When we visited, the ivy had taken on a deep red burgundy tone. In other seasons the leaves sometimes fall away completely, while in summer they turn green. As a result the town hall changes its appearance with the seasons and gives the square a different character each time.

Also located on the square is the Roland Statue. This statue symbolizes the town’s independence, more precisely its status as a free imperial city. Quedlinburg was one of seven cities to receive this status, which was granted in the millennium year.

To see as much as possible in a short time and in an organized way, we decided to take a tourist train. It turned out to be a very practical choice, since Quedlinburg is extensive not only in the number of its half timbered houses but also in the area they cover. Approximately 84 hectares of the town are filled with this architectural style. It spans from the town’s founding to the late 19th century, up until the emergence of Art Nouveau. There are also a few notable buildings in the city that reflect this later architectural style.

One of the most distinctive features of Quedlinburg’s half timbered architecture is the small pyramid shaped ornaments placed on the beams. These details can only be seen here. The town itself was naturally divided according to professions. The Marktplatz formed the central area where the nobility lived, while craftsmen resided outside the city walls. Even today, remnants of the walls can still be seen. Craft guilds usually settled close together within their own groups.

The town was especially famous for its shoemakers. Boots were produced here and leather was dyed and processed. There was also a separate street where potters lived. They were always located apart because they worked with fire, which posed a serious risk. In general, the town was very active in trade and was a member of the Hanseatic League. Its main trade goods included silver and garments made from various fabrics. Linen was produced here and there was also trade in wool, silk and salt. Overall, it was an economically lively town.

The most romantic district is considered to be Münzenberg, also known as Monastery Hill. It is a hill filled with small houses and takes its name from the monastery that once stood there. On another hill stands a castle that has been restored in recent years and looks very impressive.

In more modern times, Quedlinburg also earned significant income from the seed trade. Several large companies sold both flower seeds and agricultural seeds. Sugar beet seeds were particularly popular and brought considerable wealth. Even today, several villas can be seen in the town that were largely built with money earned from this trade. This is a very interesting detail.

Another intriguing aspect is the origin of the town’s name. According to legend, Quedl was the name of a dog that lived here and warned the townspeople of approaching bandits by barking loudly. As a gesture of gratitude, the town was named after the dog. As far as I know, this is the first city I have encountered whose name comes from a dog.

The tourist train ride was well worth it, especially in such changeable weather. Another important fact about Quedlinburg is that Germany’s first female doctor came from here. Her name was Dorothea. She was a nun who served at St Nicholas Church. According to legend, St Nicholas appeared to her and told her that she should heal people. At first, she was not easily accepted as a physician, but she questioned the diagnoses made by male doctors and was often proven right. Today, she is remembered in the town with great respect.

Another detail, perhaps less important but still striking, is that Quedlinburg once had many breweries, most of which produced dark beer. One of these historic breweries still stands today. Beer is not my favorite drink, but if you enjoy it, it is worth trying.

We decided instead to try another well known local specialty: cheesecake. According to popular opinion, the most authentic Quedlinburg cheesecakes are served at Café Vincent. You can actually watch the production process there. They make a total of 191 different varieties, although the menu changes slightly with the seasons. Be careful, as the portions are very large. We could not finish ours and had to take them away. The base of the cheesecake is generally similar, while the main difference lies in the toppings. We tried the blackberry version, which was very good. The rosemary raspberry was also nice, but the blackcurrant stood out the most.

I definitely recommend visiting Quedlinburg. It is a very charming town and was perfect for a weekend trip. In general, small German towns attract great interest thanks to their unique sense of authenticity.

See you on the next journey.