Discover Wittmar: History and Hiking Trails

Buildings and Traces of the Past in Wittmar

The Bismarck Tower was built in 1901. From there, the view extends as far as the Harz foothills. Asseburg Castle takes you back to a different period: it is the ruin of a hilltop castle built in 1218 and destroyed in 1492. Wittmar’s historic buildings thus span the period from a medieval hilltop castle to the tower built in 1901.

The medieval church also tells a story of change: it no longer has a church tower, as its tower was demolished around the turn of the century. A defensive tower in Wittmar is now used as a residence. The forester’s building in the Asse Forest near Wittmar is a listed building and has been the residence of the forester of the Asse since 1835. The church, defensive tower and forester’s building represent three distinct aspects: architectural change, residential use today and heritage protection.

The Early Neolithic burial ground in Wittmar takes you further back in time. It includes burials from the Linear Pottery and Rössen cultures. The range of local traces of the past therefore extends from archaeological cultures to medieval buildings and more recent history. Those interested in archaeology will find a different way to explore the past here than by looking at towers and castle ruins.

Hiking Trails and Landscape

An old orchard meadow lies to the right of the path from the large car park at the Assewirtschaft, along the Liebesallee towards the Bismarck Tower. It adds a landscape feature along this route and complements the buildings with another facet of the area.

The hike along the adventure trail starts at the “Waldhaus Asse” car park above Wittmar. Another hiking option leads around the Röhrberg to the northern Muschelkalk ridge. The return route follows the Teichweg and crosses the site of the former Asse I mine back to the “Waldhaus Asse”. The adventure trail starts at the “Waldhaus Asse” car park above Wittmar; the additional hike leads around the Röhrberg to the northern Muschelkalk ridge and returns via the Teichweg and the site of the former Asse I mine to the “Waldhaus Asse”.

Nature and Culture in the Wolfenbüttel Travel Destination

The Elm-Lappwald Nature Park offers a distinctive landscape within the wider Wolfenbüttel travel destination. It lies in the districts of Wolfenbüttel and Helmstedt and covers 470 square kilometres. Its landscape includes extensive forests, valleys, protected wetlands, heathland, spring-fed streams and small lakes. The network of hiking trails covers around 500 kilometres and includes signposted circular routes, car parks and shelters. Away from the main roads, the nature park invites you to hike, cycle and explore.

The cultural attractions in Wolfenbüttel also form a distinct part of the wider travel destination. The historic half-timbered old town has around 1,000 half-timbered houses. Wolfenbüttel Castle is home to the only original, preserved high Baroque state apartments in the former Duchy of Brunswick. The Herzog August Library was founded in 1572 and is considered the “eighth wonder of the world”. The wider travel destination therefore offers a choice of both landscape exploration and urban architectural and cultural history.

When searching for a holiday apartment, you can first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: would you like to centre your visit on Wittmar’s local history and the trails described here, or also include the nature and culture of the wider Wolfenbüttel travel destination? This will help you choose a location based on the experiences you want to include in your trip.

Discover more destinations: Achim, Schöppenstedt, Erkerode, Hornburg, Baddeckenstedt, Kissenbrück, Dettum, Cremlingen

See the overview of the wider travel destination: Wolfenbüttel.