Wolfenbüttel

Half-timbered houses and courtly history

A guided city tour takes you through the historic old town and introduces you to its half-timbered buildings. Wolfenbüttel Palace tells a different story, shaped by courtly life: it developed from a medieval moated castle and is the second-largest palace in Lower Saxony. Its state and private rooms, designed between 1690 and 1740, reveal what courtly life was like in the former residence of the Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

The high-Baroque state apartments are particularly noteworthy: the palace houses the only state apartments of this kind in the old Duchy of Brunswick to have survived in their original form. If you would like a palace tour in English or French, or wish to arrange a tour outside opening hours, this is possible with advance notice by phone or in writing. The palace and old town offer different highlights for your stay, so you need not limit yourself to just one era.

Lessing and the Herzog August Library

Gotthold E. Lessing lived in Lessing House from 1777 to 1781. He set up his study in Eva’s death chamber and wrote the play “Nathan the Wise” there. For literature enthusiasts, the site connects a biography with a specific work: the poet’s stay and the creation of the play are closely linked here.

The Herzog August Library also plays an important part in Wolfenbüttel’s cultural history. Founded in 1572, it gained worldwide renown as the “eighth wonder of the world.” Its collection comprises around one million volumes, including approximately 350,000 volumes from the 15th to the 18th century. Please bear this in mind when planning your visit: the library’s museum rooms are closed to the public for an indefinite period.

Church art and memorial site

The Church of Beatae Mariae Virginis is considered the world’s first major Protestant church building. Notable features include a carved wooden high altar by Freiberg sculptor Bernhard Ditterich, a pictorial depiction of the Passion and an ornate organ with 53 stops. Visitors can also descend into the Welf crypt. Free public tours, with no booking required, take place on the second Friday of each month from 5 to 6 p.m.

The memorial site at Wolfenbüttel Prison offers a different perspective on the city’s history. Its documentation center, opened in November 2019, is freely accessible and features the multimedia permanent exhibition “Law. Crime. Consequences. The Wolfenbüttel Penitentiary under National Socialism.” Different conditions apply to groups wishing to visit the memorial site’s historic locations on the prison grounds: they must register at least 14 days in advance, and visits are only possible under special security arrangements.

Waterways and nature along the Oker

The free audio tour of the waterways can be enjoyed at any time, independently, using your own smartphone. It leads to five stops where traces of Wolfenbüttel’s historic waterways can be seen. This format combines independent exploration with brief stops at these traces; you can include it in your plans without joining a guided tour.

The Oker flows through Wolfenbüttel. Its banks and floodplains provide habitats for birds, fish, small mammals, and plants on land and in the water. To experience the river floodplain from the water, you can take an individual canoe trip with Kanuverleih Okeraue. The rental service operates seasonally and is closed during the winter months. The city’s cultural attractions and canoe trips therefore offer different kinds of experiences to choose from for your trip.

More places to consider when planning your trip: Achim, Denkte, Cremlingen, Elbe, Schladen, Lucklum, Baddeckenstedt, Kissenbrück.

For the higher-level travel overview: Wolfenbüttel.