Goslar: Half-timbered Houses, Mining and Harz Discoveries

Goslar combines a remarkably intact half-timbered old town with traces of mining and a wide range of Harz nature and outdoor activities. The historic old town covers around one square kilometre and contains more than 1,500 half-timbered houses. At the foot of the Rammelsberg stands the Imperial Palace, which has stood for nearly 1,000 years and was once the seat of kings and emperors.

Half-timbered Houses and the City's History

The St. Annenhaus on Glockengießerstraße has stood since 1488 and is the oldest half-timbered house in Goslar's old town to remain fully intact. At the Goslar Museum, you can learn more about how people in Goslar lived and worked over more than ten centuries; the museum also explains the city's development. The Zwinger offers a different historical focus: its exhibition on the late Middle Ages includes armour, siege equipment, weapons from the Peasants' War of 1525 and the Thirty Years' War, as well as objects relating to medieval penal practices.

The Imperial Palace can also be explored from different perspectives. Public tours of the hall are available, as are special, themed and school-group tours. The formats may change; check the current offerings before your visit.

Discover Mining History

The former Rammelsberg ore mine is a visitor mine where you can explore various aspects of the mining tradition. A museum dedicated to this history is part of the site. In Clausthal-Zellerfeld, the Upper Harz Mining Museum combines significant exhibits with original mining installations that visitors can discover and experience for themselves.

Near Clausthal-Zellerfeld, the 3.4-kilometre World Heritage Discovery Trail “Tracing the Past in the Great Clausthal” is a circular route from the Rosenhöfer Radstuben to the Ottiliae Shaft, the oldest iron hoisting shaft. Check current conditions and access information before setting out. At the Samson Mine in Sankt Andreasberg, you can see the world's last surviving original man-engine.

Other places offer their own historical highlights. The Wilhelm Busch House in Mechtshausen is the former vicarage where Wilhelm Busch lived towards the end of his life. He died there in 1908 and was buried in the local cemetery. The Vienenburg Local History Museum focuses on the city's industry, crafts, trade and commerce, and recalls the former potash mining in the Harly hills. The Hausmann Tower, a watch and artillery tower, and a flanking tower are all that remain of the former Liebenburg Castle.

Hiking Trails, Views and Harz Activities

Bad Harzburg borders directly on Harz National Park. From there, themed hiking trails pass lynx and wildcat enclosures and the Radau Waterfall, among other sights, and continue up to the Brocken. Since 2015, the Harz Treetop Walk has offered an accessible experience above the Kaltes Tal valley. It is more than 1,000 metres long, reaches heights of up to 26 metres and offers insights into nature and geology. Since 2020, the Harz Tree-Suspension Railway has added to the attractions: secured in a harness attached to a rail system, you glide at 12 to 15 km/h for more than 1,000 metres downhill from the Burgberg to the far end of the treetop walk, passing through old oak and beech trees. Check current conditions before visiting.

Braunlage offers hiking trails and mountain biking routes. Winter activities include several ski runs, an ice rink and a toboggan run; the Wurmberg is also home to several ski jumps. Seasonal operations and opening conditions may vary. Another viewpoint is on the Harly: the Harly Tower is a popular hiking destination, offering sweeping views in all directions. In Vienenburg, the castle tower is considered a landmark and affords panoramic views over the Harz foreland. The grounds around Vienenburg Lake offer a place to relax. The Innerste Dam also serves as a local recreation area for residents and tourists in the Goslar district.

The Upper Harz Water Management System, also known as the Upper Harz Water Regale, has been protected as a nature reserve in the Goslar district since 1978. It adds another theme to the region's viewpoints and trails: the landscape itself and its protection.

Museums, Hands-on Activities and Events

At the Goslar Tin Figure Museum, children and adults can cast and paint their own tin figures in the open workshop. This gives families an activity they can enjoy together, where the focus is not only on exhibitions but also on making something themselves.

The Sehusa Festival is held every year in the park of the former Sehusa Castle and is considered northern Germany's largest historical festival. Check the dates and programme before your trip. The Salt and Lights Festival is one of the public events in Bad Harzburg; it is also worth checking the dates for each event.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Accommodation Search

The places and activities differ considerably in focus: Goslar is known for its half-timbered houses, Imperial Palace and city history; Rammelsberg and Clausthal-Zellerfeld offer different ways to explore the mining tradition. Bad Harzburg and Braunlage offer different hiking and outdoor activities, while Vienenburg provides further points of interest with its museum, castle tower and lake. Let these themes guide your accommodation search by deciding which matter most to you, rather than assuming that all the experiences can fit into the same daily itinerary.

For getting around by public transport, an interactive route map for the Goslar district shows nearby stops and departure times and helps you discover places of interest. Since transport data can change, check the information before travelling. Overnight guests can use HATIX free of charge during a Harz holiday if they pay the current visitor's tax in a participating town. Find out about the participation requirements and network coverage in advance.

Discover More Destinations

Bad Harzburg, Braunlage, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Goslar, Sankt Andreasberg, Langelsheim, Seesen, Liebenburg, Vienenburg, Upper Harz, Lutter am Barenberge, Altenau.

Go to the main travel overview: Lower Saxony.