Salzgitter: Water Sports, Nature and History

Salzgitter brings together very different travel experiences: water sports on a large lake, traces of Neanderthals in the Ice Age Garden, historic buildings and protected landscapes. What you want to do can therefore also shape your choice of where to stay—from an active day on the water to culture and hiking.

Water sports and protected nature

Salzgitter Lake is the water sports hub of southeastern Lower Saxony. It covers 75 hectares and extends 2,120 metres from north to south. Sailors, windsurfers, rowers and canoeists all use the lake. Its dimensions give it a clear sense of scale, while the sports listed show the variety of its focus on the water.

Heerter See offers a different focus. The 272-hectare site of former settling pond 3 is a nature reserve, including a small remnant of the former forest. A hiking tour is possible around the Heerter See nature reserve and European bird sanctuary, and is considered a special experience for nature lovers. This means you can also plan your stay around the landscape and trails, rather than focusing solely on activities on the water.

Ice Age history and discoveries

The 2,000-square-metre Ice Age Garden has been part of the Salder Castle Municipal Museum since 2 July 2006. Together with the permanent archaeological exhibition “50,000 Years of Life in Salzgitter,” it shows the living conditions of the Neanderthals who hunted in the northern Harz foreland at the beginning of the last Ice Age. Related finds come from Krähenriede in Lebenstedt. The museum also presents the history of the region from prehistoric times to the early 20th century.

All museum departments offer guided tours, workshops, children’s birthday parties and hands-on activities as part of their educational programme. The children’s birthday parties and hands-on activities mentioned are of particular interest to families; if you are planning for a specific date, it is worth checking the current programme.

Castles, palaces and cultural sites

Gebhardshagen Moated Castle was built around the year 1000 and is one of the oldest moated castles in the Duchy of Brunswick. The restored keep in the Lichtenberg Castle ruins houses a permanent exhibition on the castle’s history and archaeological finds. Both sites combine architectural history with exhibitions, but have different focuses: a moated castle at one, and the history of castle ruins and their finds at the other.

The monastery church at Ringelheim Palace was rebuilt and newly constructed in the Baroque style in 1694. Every May, it hosts the Ringelheim Organ Festival. If you are planning your trip around this event, check the latest event dates. The estate park at Flachstöckheim, formerly the English garden of the von Schwicheldt noble family, includes an open-air stage; concerts and children’s theatre performances are held there.

The graduation pavilion in the Rose Garden also offers a glimpse of a different kind of structure: it was used for salt production. Its wooden framework is mostly filled with bundles of blackthorn brushwood, and visitors are invited to breathe in the air there.

Hiking and views in Bad Salzgitter

The sub-destination Bad Salzgitter offers a different focus. Salzgitter-Bad lies nestled in the Salzgitter Hills and is a good starting point for longer hikes through varied natural landscapes. One of the viewpoints is the Bismarck Tower, from which you can look out over the Northern Harz Foreland.

The tower was built in 1900 on 272-metre-high Hamberg. Climb 24 stone steps to reach the first platform; a further 57 wooden steps lead to the highest of the four platforms. The Bismarck Tower is one of three metal Bismarck towers, though it is not made entirely of metal. Its steps and platforms make its design as tangible as its location in the hills.

An industrial tour with clear requirements

Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, a Salzgitter AG company, offers guided tours of its steelworks. The tour explains steel production from the blast furnace through to semi-finished and finished products in the rolling mills. Individuals and small groups of up to 15 people can take part. Participants must be at least 16 years old and in at least average physical condition: the tour involves long distances and stairs and is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. These age and mobility requirements are especially important when planning a family visit.

Planning your stay and getting around

Salzgitter-Ringelheim has its own railway station with regional train connections. The bus stop closest to Ringelheim Palace is called “Goslarsche Straße” and is served by routes 650 and 656. Check the current timetable before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Peine, East Frisian Islands, Northeim, Hameln-Pyrmont, Celle, Hanover Region.

Back to the main travel overview: Lower Saxony.