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Welcome to Wolfenbüttel, the former Guelph residence and lively medieval town between the Harz and heath. For over three hundred years, Wolfenbüttel was the residence of the dukes of Braunschweig and Lüneburg, a centre of spiritual life and the fine arts. The famous "Herzog August Bibliothek" and the "Lessinghaus" still bear witness to this today. Michael Praetorius composed in Wolfenbüttel, Leibniz worked here, and it was here that Lessing wrote "Nathan der Weise". Spared by the war, the town still looks to the visitor like it might once have looked in ducal times: over 600 lovingly restored half-timbered houses, venerable churches such as the "Hauptkirche" and splendid buildings such as the ducal castle still reflect the glory of a great past.

Wolfenbüttel waterways

Wolfenbüttel was once criss-crossed by a network of small and large canals. The waterways were used for trade and crafts, and numerous water mills and sawmills produced free energy with the help of the waters of the river Oker. The lives of the citizens took place by and with the water. Experience this exciting cultural heritage, laid out by Dutch civil engineers between the 15th and 18th centuries, through the Wolfenbüttel waterways cultural route

Nowadays, with a few exceptions, the Wolfenbüttel waterways have largely disappeared. A signposted circular tour explains the former situation and the layout of the trenches and canals within the town. A guide to the Wolfenbüttel waterways cultural route is available for the nominal sum of one euro.

• More information on Wolfenbüttel waterways

Duke August Library Wolfenbüttel

The library, founded in 1572 by Duke Julius in the castle became, under the learned book collector and "prince of peace" Duke August, the largest collection of books in Europe and was considered the eighth wonder of the world. The current library building was built from 1883 to 1887 in the style of a Florentine Palazzo and replaced the famous but dilapidated library rotunda of the 18th century.

Today, the great walls conceal a modern research library of international quality with a collection of about 800,000 volumes. In the museum rooms, such as the Augusteerhalle, Schatzkammer (treasure chamber), Globensaal, Kabinett and Malerbuchsaal, guests from all over the world come to admire the bibliophilic gems of past ages. The treasure of treasures in the Duke August library and the thing that draws many visitors is without doubt the Henry the Lion gospel, purchased at auction for 32.5 million German marks in London in 1983, one of the most magnificent - and most valuable for art historians - manuscripts of the middle ages, which has now found its final resting place in Wolfenbüttel.

• http://www.hab.de/index-e.htm

Schloss Wolfenbüttel

Of Niedersachsen's stately homes, Schloss Wolfenbüttel is of particularly high quality. The Schloss, originally with a moat, took on its present appearance in the 18th century and, after the Leineschloss in Hanover, is the largest intact stately home in Niedersachsen.

The imposing four-winged building was the residence of the dukes of the house of Braunschweig-Lüneburg for over 320 years. The Schloss' magnificent facades and state rooms still tell of the brilliant sittings of the court and form the centrepiece of the museum in Schloss Wolfenbüttel. Alongside the state rooms with their impressive and authentic examples of courtly living and table culture from the era of absolute monarchy, the museum is also full of remarkable objects documenting bourgeoise life over the last three hundred years.

Highlights

• Ducal Schloss
• Herzog August Library
• Lessinghaus
• Hauptkirche
• Rathaus with market
• “Little Venice”
• Historic city centre
• 600 half-timbered houses
• “Water ways” culture route
• Year of history
• Summer of culture in the courtyard of the Schloss
• Town festivals
• Culture night
• Christmas market

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susan cincotta  |  09.09.2009 16:49:27

very good

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