Magdeburg Travel Guide

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City Introduction

Magdeburg is beautifully situated on the banks of the river Elbe and is a city with many sights, beautiful parks and a rich history that can be seen and experienced in several places in the center. The city is of course also known for the Magdeburg Rights, which was a collection of city laws with great influence on the government of many European cities.

The cathedral dominates Magdeburg’s skyline, and it is one of the city’s most famous buildings. The church was founded by the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, who is today buried in the cathedral. He established Magdeburg as the first capital of the German territory, and it added status and development in Magdeburg through the centuries.

There are several old churches and monasteries in Magdeburg, which are also characterized by beautiful and interesting buildings from more recent times. You can see many examples from the Gründerzeit era and from the magnificent 1950s architecture of the GDR. It is also in Magdeburg that you can enjoy Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s last project, the Green Citadel.

Today, Magdeburg is the capital of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, and there is much to see in the vicinity of the city. It is not far to the large waterway junction where a canal crosses the Elbe. The Harz mountain range with its cozy towns is not far away either, just as you can easily reach the Bauhaus in Dessau, the town of Halle and Luther’s Wittenberg.

Top Attractions

Magdeburg Cathedral

Magdeburg Cathedral/Magdeburger Dom

The Cathedral of Magdeburg stands as the dominant building in the city skyline, and its twin towers can be seen from a long distance. The original church from the 10th century burned down in 1207, and two years later began the construction of the present cathedral. The church was built as Germany’s first Gothic cathedral. The interior of the Protestant church is large and beautiful, and in the church you can e.g. see the tomb of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I.

 

Broad Street/Breiter Weg

Breiter Weg is Magdeburg’s main street, and the street was formerly built with beautiful mansions and bourgeois town houses. The street was one of the most beautiful baroque streets in Germany until the devastation of World War II, and today the houses with the numbers 178 and 179 are preserved as the only ones in baroque architecture. During the GDR era and in the reunited Germany, new buildings were built in a style, so that the street remains the city’s fine street.

 

Green Citadel, Magdeburg

The Green Citadel/Grüne Zitadelle

The Grüne Zitadelle is a building that was completed in 2005 as the last of the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s many major projects. St Nicholas Church stood here until 1959, when the church ruins were demolished. A house in plattenbau was built, and originally Hundertwasser was to rebuild it, but it instead became the beautiful new building you can see today. There are homes, shops, restaurants and much more in the characteristic construction, which you can see on a walk through the house’s two courtyards or on a tour.

 

Magdeburg Horseman/Magdeburger Reiter

This is an equestrian statue dating from the middle of the 13th century. It stands in a kind of lantern along with two statues of maidens. Originally, the equestrian statue had different colors before it was gilded in the 17th century. The statue you can see on the square Alter Markt is a copy of the original that can be seen at Magdeburg’s Cultural History Museum.

 

Ulrichplatz, Magdeburg

Ulrich Square/Ulrichplatz

There are several large squares in Magdeburg, and Ulrichplatz offers beautiful architecture from the early GDR era. After the World War II bombings, there were ruins around the square where the destroyed Ulrichskirche also stood. The church was demolished and magnificent residential buildings were completed in 1951 in Stalinist architecture. The square was laid out as an impressive parade ground, which can be clearly seen in the architectural style. Since the GDR era, the square has become smaller with the construction of the Ulrichshaus building.

Other Attractions

Old City Hall, Magdeburg

The Old City Hall/Altes Rathaus

Magdeburg’s city hall is known from 1244, but over the centuries the building was destroyed by fire and war. Today’s old city hall took shape in 1713 after a reconstruction. In front of the town hall you can see the statue Magdeburger Roland from 2005. The statue symbolizes freedom and independence. The town’s first Roland is known from the year 1419.

 

Cathedral Museum Ottonianum/Dommuseum Ottonianum

The Cathedral Museum in Magdeburg was opened in 2018 in the city’s old state bank building from 1923. At the museum you can experience exciting parts of Magdeburg’s history with a focus on Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, the archbishopric of Magdeburg and archeological finds in and around the beautiful cathedral. The museum is located right next to the cathedral.

 

Art Museum in the Monastery of Our Lady, Magdeburg

Art Museum in the Monastery of Our Lady/Kunstmuseum Kloster Unser Lieben Frauen

This is an interesting museum for both medieval and contemporary art, located in the Monastery of Our Lady. The monastery was founded in the years 1015-1018, and it is Magdeburg’s oldest, preserved building and a beautiful example of Romanesque architecture. In the beautiful setting, there are i.a. old sculptures and changing exhibitions.

 

Magdeburg Cultural History Museum/Kulturhistorisches Museum Magdeburg

The Magdeburg Cultural History Museum was founded in 1906, and here you can learn more about different parts of the city’s history and culture. It is also here that you can see the original statue of the Magdeburg Horseman, which is from the 13th century and considered a masterpiece of European Gothic art.

 

Saxony-Anhalt State Parliament, Magdeburg

Saxony-Anhalt State Parliament/Landtag von Sachsen-Anhalt

The Landtag is the parliament of the German federal states, and as the capital of Saxony-Anhalt there is also a Landtag in Magdeburg. The beautiful building with baroque facades was built in the 1720s and was originally four buildings that were converted into a parliament building in the 1990s. The Landtag meeting room itself is a new building facing the complex’s courtyard.

 

Hasselbach Square/Hasselbachplatz

This is a beautiful square located at the southern end of the main street Breiter Weg. The square was laid out after the demolition of Magdeburg’s fortifications in the 19th century, and both at the square and in the streets around it you can see fine buildings in the so-called Gründerzeit style, which was characterized by rich decorations, using both classical elements and national romanticism.

 

Opera House, Magdeburg

Opera House/Opernhaus

Magdeburg’s opera house opened in 1907 with the name Centraltheater. On stage, one could enjoy varieties and operettas until it was destroyed during World War II. It was rebuilt and opened as the Maxim Gorki Theater in 1951.

 

The Playhouse/Schauspielhaus

The Schauspielhaus in Magdeburg has a past as a residence. It was built as Villa Klausemann, which was the residence of the industrialist Ferdinand Friedrich August Klausemann. In 1906 it was rebuilt for various social purposes as a large meeting place, and from the end of World War II it has been a theater.

 

Albinmüller Tower, Rotehorn City Park, Magdeburg

Rotehorn City Park/Stadtpark Rotehorn

This park was laid out on the island of Werder in the years 1871-1874. Here are i.a. lovely green areas, the concert and congress building Stadthalle from 1927, the lookout tower Albinmüller-Turm from the same year and the museum wheel steamer Württemberg from 1909. From the lookout tower you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Magdeburg.

 

Elbauenpark

This is a large park with green areas and various activities. The park was created in connection with the exhibition Bundesgartenschau 1999 and is not least known for the characteristic Millennium Tower/Jahrtausendturm. The tower is 60 meters/196 feet high and built of wood. It houses an exhibition about the human era and development.

Day Trips

Magdeburg Water Bridge

Magdeburg Water Bridge/Wasserstraßenkreuz Magdeburg

North of Magdeburg you can admire this impressive bridge, where a shipping canal crosses the Elbe. A series of elevators and locks connect ship traffic on the Elbe-Havel-Kanal and Mittelland-Kanal canals with the Elbe. The 918 meter / 3,011 foot long Trogbrücke is located in the middle, and here ships can sail on a bridge over the river and thereby save a detour of 12 kilometers / 7.5 miles via the Elbe.

 

Quedlinburg

This is a town located northeast of the Harz Mountains. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its many half-timbered houses, castles and constructions from the Gründerzeit era and in the Art Nouveau style. You should see the beautiful church Stiftskirche and enjoy the old town, where the oldest of the famous half-timbered houses dates back to 1347. You can also drive to other parts of the Harz with the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen railway.

 

Bauhaus, Dessau, Germany

Bauhaus

The famous Bauhaus school was in operation in the years 1919-1933. It was founded by Walter Gropius in Weimar, and it had its home in first Weimar, then Dessau, and finally in Berlin. The schools are on the UNESCO World Heritage List and you can visit the Gropius’ Bauhaus building in Dessau.

 

Halle

The town of Halle in the state of Saxony-Anhalt is an interesting town with several sights. The square Markt with the church Marktkirche forms the city center, and you can also visit the Händel-Haus museum, the castle Giebichenstein and Germany’s oldest chocolate factory, Halloren.

 

Wittenberg, Germany

Wittenberg

The town of Wittenberg is located on the banks of the Elbe. It is world famous as the place where Martin Luther published his theses on the door of the Schlosskirche church. That action was the start of the Reformation, which changed the Christian Church in many countries. The Schlosskirche is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Shopping

Allee-Center

Ernst-Reuter-Allee 11
allee-center-magdeburg.de

 

City Carré

Kantstraße 3
city-carre-magdeburg.de

 

Florapark

Olvenstedter Graseweg 37
florapark-center.de

 

Galeria Karstadt

Breiter Weg 128
galeria.de

 

Shopping streets

Breiter Weg, Ernst-Reuter-Allee

With Kids

Aqua park

Nemo
Herrenkrugstraße 150
nemo-magdeburg.de

 

Activities and exploration

Elbauenpark
Tessenowstraße 7
elbauenpark.de

 

Playland

Schatzhöhle
Reinhard-Mannesmann-Weg 5
schatzhoehle.com

 

Playgrounds

Stadtpark Rotehorn, Werder

 

Natural history

Museum für Naturkunde
Otto-von-Guericke Straße 68-73
naturkundemuseum-magdeburg.de

 

Technic

Technikmuseum Magdeburg
Dedendorfer Straße 65
technikmuseum-magdeburg.de

 

Zoological garden

Zoo Magdeburg
Zooallee 1
zoo-magdeburg.de

Practical Links

Magdeburg tourism

magdeburg-tourist.de

 

Germany tourism

germany.travel

 

Magdeburg city transport

mvbnet.de

 

German railways

db.de

 

Leipzig/Halle Airport

mdf-ag.com

 

Hannover Airport

hannover-airport.de

 

Berlin Airport

berlin-airport.de

City History

Geolocation

In short

Overview of Magdeburg

Magdeburg is beautifully situated on the banks of the river Elbe and is a city with many sights, beautiful parks and a rich history that can be seen and experienced in several places in the center. The city is of course also known for the Magdeburg Rights, which was a collection of city laws with great influence on the government of many European cities.

The cathedral dominates Magdeburg’s skyline, and it is one of the city’s most famous buildings. The church was founded by the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, who is today buried in the cathedral. He established Magdeburg as the first capital of the German territory, and it added status and development in Magdeburg through the centuries.

There are several old churches and monasteries in Magdeburg, which are also characterized by beautiful and interesting buildings from more recent times. You can see many examples from the Gründerzeit era and from the magnificent 1950s architecture of the GDR. It is also in Magdeburg that you can enjoy Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s last project, the Green Citadel.

Today, Magdeburg is the capital of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, and there is much to see in the vicinity of the city. It is not far to the large waterway junction where a canal crosses the Elbe. The Harz mountain range with its cozy towns is not far away either, just as you can easily reach the Bauhaus in Dessau, the town of Halle and Luther’s Wittenberg.

About the upcoming Magdeburg travel guide

  • Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
  • Published: Released soon
  • Author: Stig Albeck
  • Publisher: Vamados.com
  • Language: English

About the travel guide

The Magdeburg travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the German city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

Magdeburg is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

Read more about Magdeburg and Germany

Buy the travel guide

Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.

Use the travel guide

When you buy the travel guide to Magdeburg you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

Magdeburg Cathedral • Green Citadel • Breiter Weg • Elbe River

Overview of Dresden

Dresden is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. Zwinger, Katolische Hofkirche, Semperoper and Frauenkirche are some of the famous building from the magnificent baroque era, which the city is so famous for. However, the city has much more to offer as well, such as Altmarkt and Prager Straße, both originating from the GDR.

 

Throughout time, the Saxon princes have built Dresden as a true world city in beautiful Baroque, and fine culture has always flourished among the beautiful buildings. As a visitor, you will enjoy this when you visit the grand museums, see the fine architecture or just walk the city streets. The scenery along the River Elbe is worth seeing on the way.

 

About the upcoming Dresden travel guide

  • Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
  • Published: Released soon
  • Author: Stig Albeck
  • Publisher: Vamados.com
  • Language: English

 

About the travel guide

The Dresden travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the German city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

 

Dresden is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

 

Read more about Dresden and Germany

 

Buy the travel guide

Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.

 

Use the travel guide

When you buy the travel guide to Dresden you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

Other Attractions

Old City Hall, Magdeburg

The Old City Hall/Altes Rathaus

Magdeburg’s city hall is known from 1244, but over the centuries the building was destroyed by fire and war. Today’s old city hall took shape in 1713 after a reconstruction. In front of the town hall you can see the statue Magdeburger Roland from 2005. The statue symbolizes freedom and independence. The town’s first Roland is known from the year 1419.

 

Cathedral Museum Ottonianum/Dommuseum Ottonianum

The Cathedral Museum in Magdeburg was opened in 2018 in the city’s old state bank building from 1923. At the museum you can experience exciting parts of Magdeburg’s history with a focus on Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, the archbishopric of Magdeburg and archeological finds in and around the beautiful cathedral. The museum is located right next to the cathedral.

 

Art Museum in the Monastery of Our Lady, Magdeburg

Art Museum in the Monastery of Our Lady/Kunstmuseum Kloster Unser Lieben Frauen

This is an interesting museum for both medieval and contemporary art, located in the Monastery of Our Lady. The monastery was founded in the years 1015-1018, and it is Magdeburg’s oldest, preserved building and a beautiful example of Romanesque architecture. In the beautiful setting, there are i.a. old sculptures and changing exhibitions.

 

Magdeburg Cultural History Museum/Kulturhistorisches Museum Magdeburg

The Magdeburg Cultural History Museum was founded in 1906, and here you can learn more about different parts of the city’s history and culture. It is also here that you can see the original statue of the Magdeburg Horseman, which is from the 13th century and considered a masterpiece of European Gothic art.

 

Saxony-Anhalt State Parliament, Magdeburg

Saxony-Anhalt State Parliament/Landtag von Sachsen-Anhalt

The Landtag is the parliament of the German federal states, and as the capital of Saxony-Anhalt there is also a Landtag in Magdeburg. The beautiful building with baroque facades was built in the 1720s and was originally four buildings that were converted into a parliament building in the 1990s. The Landtag meeting room itself is a new building facing the complex’s courtyard.

 

Hasselbach Square/Hasselbachplatz

This is a beautiful square located at the southern end of the main street Breiter Weg. The square was laid out after the demolition of Magdeburg’s fortifications in the 19th century, and both at the square and in the streets around it you can see fine buildings in the so-called Gründerzeit style, which was characterized by rich decorations, using both classical elements and national romanticism.

 

Opera House, Magdeburg

Opera House/Opernhaus

Magdeburg’s opera house opened in 1907 with the name Centraltheater. On stage, one could enjoy varieties and operettas until it was destroyed during World War II. It was rebuilt and opened as the Maxim Gorki Theater in 1951.

 

The Playhouse/Schauspielhaus

The Schauspielhaus in Magdeburg has a past as a residence. It was built as Villa Klausemann, which was the residence of the industrialist Ferdinand Friedrich August Klausemann. In 1906 it was rebuilt for various social purposes as a large meeting place, and from the end of World War II it has been a theater.

 

Albinmüller Tower, Rotehorn City Park, Magdeburg

Rotehorn City Park/Stadtpark Rotehorn

This park was laid out on the island of Werder in the years 1871-1874. Here are i.a. lovely green areas, the concert and congress building Stadthalle from 1927, the lookout tower Albinmüller-Turm from the same year and the museum wheel steamer Württemberg from 1909. From the lookout tower you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Magdeburg.

 

Elbauenpark

This is a large park with green areas and various activities. The park was created in connection with the exhibition Bundesgartenschau 1999 and is not least known for the characteristic Millennium Tower/Jahrtausendturm. The tower is 60 meters/196 feet high and built of wood. It houses an exhibition about the human era and development.

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