Wolfenbüttel: Half-Timbered Houses, Palace and Nature

Half-timbered houses, palace history and landscapes of forests, heathland and wetlands give the Wolfenbüttel destination a variety of facets. In the historic old town, local history and architecture take centre stage; in Elm-Lappwald Nature Park, trails and diverse landscapes shape the experience. The Imperial Palace of Werla adds another distinctive feature. Depending on whether you are mainly planning a cultural trip, a route through several towns or experiences in nature, different places can provide the right focus for your trip.

Half-timbered Houses and Palace History

Wolfenbüttel’s historic half-timbered old town comprises around 1,000 half-timbered houses. A guided city tour is a walking tour of the historic old town and offers a clear way to explore this aspect of the city. Those with a particular interest in architectural history will find another facet at Wolfenbüttel Palace: it developed from a medieval moated castle and is the second-largest palace in Lower Saxony. The palace is also home to the only original, fully preserved High Baroque state apartments in the former Duchy of Brunswick.

The city’s history can also be explored through individual places and collections. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing lived in the Lessing House from 1777 to 1781. The Herzog August Library was founded in 1572 and is considered the “eighth wonder of the world.” At the Bürger Museum Wolfenbüttel, themed displays present unusual and typical exhibits from 500 years of Wolfenbüttel’s civic and urban history. The Welf crypt is located in the Church of St. Mary, and visitors can descend into it.

The Gardeners’ Museum offers a different perspective on local life. It shows how local varieties of fruit and vegetables are grown and marketed, placing these topics in the context of Wolfenbüttel’s almost 300-year tradition of market gardening. This complements the history of the palace and city with an insight into regional horticultural history, without limiting a visit to a single topic.

Nature Trails and Different Ways to Travel

Elm-Lappwald Nature Park lies in the districts of Wolfenbüttel and Helmstedt and covers 470 square kilometres. Its landscapes include extensive forests, valleys, protected wetlands, heathland, spring-fed streams and small lakes. The nature park invites visitors to hike, cycle and explore away from the main roads. Its network of hiking trails covers around 500 kilometres and includes signposted circular routes, car parks and shelters. The area’s size and diversity make it a different choice for days in nature than a stay devoted mainly to Wolfenbüttel’s urban history.

The Eulenspiegel Tourist Route also connects several towns to create a different kind of trip. It is around 170 kilometres long and links Braunschweig, Wolfenbüttel, Schöppenstedt and Helmstedt. If you would like to include several of these towns, this calls for a different approach to planning than a trip focused squarely on Wolfenbüttel. When choosing accommodation, the main consideration is therefore which stops and themes you would like to prioritise.

The Imperial Palace of Werla is a distinctive part of the region’s archaeological heritage. It lies southeast of Werlaburgdorf in the municipality of Schladen-Werla, on a promontory above the Oker. The “Imperial Palace of Werla” Archaeological Park is the largest archaeological park in northern Germany. Its location and setting give a visit a different historical context from Wolfenbüttel’s half-timbered old town or palace.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Trip

The nature park is geared towards hiking, cycling and landscapes; the Eulenspiegel Tourist Route connects several of the towns mentioned, while the Imperial Palace of Werla adds an archaeological destination. These differences are more useful than a general idea of which accommodation suits every travel plan. Choose your accommodation to match the places and experiences that matter most to you.

Discover more destinations: Dettum, Wolfenbüttel, Haverlah, Erkerode, Achim, Schöppenstedt, Cremlingen, Elbe, Sickte, Kneitlingen, Schladen, Hornburg, Lucklum, Baddeckenstedt, Dorstadt, Heiningen, Denkte, Kissenbrück, Wittmar and Börßum.

View the overview of destinations: Lower Saxony.