Wolfenbüttel: Half-Timbered Houses, a Palace and Traces of Lessing

Discover Wolfenbüttel through its half-timbered houses, palace history and literary traces. The Old Town has more than 600 half-timbered houses, giving the cityscape a distinctly historic character. A guided city tour takes visitors through this historic Old Town; if you prefer to explore independently, the Waterways audio tour offers another way to discover the city.

Half-Timbered Houses and Courtly History

Wolfenbüttel Palace began as a medieval moated castle and is the second-largest palace in Lower Saxony. Particularly noteworthy are the only high-Baroque state apartments of the former Duchy of Brunswick to survive in their original form. Created between 1690 and 1740, the ceremonial and private rooms illustrate daily life at court in the residence of the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg. A visit to the palace thus takes you from its architectural history to the rooms where court life unfolded.

Palace tours can also be arranged outside opening hours by booking in advance by phone or in writing. Tours in English or French are available on request. Check the current arrangements before your visit.

Lessing and the Herzog August Library

The Lessing House links Wolfenbüttel’s city history with a specific chapter in German literary history: Gotthold E. Lessing lived there from 1777 to 1781. He set up his study in Eva’s death chamber and wrote the play “Nathan the Wise.”

The Herzog August Library is also an important part of the city’s cultural history. Founded in 1572, it gained worldwide fame as the “eighth wonder of the world.” Its collection comprises approximately one million volumes, including around 350,000 volumes from the 15th to the 18th century. Important for planning your visit: the library’s museum rooms are closed to the public for an indefinite period. Check their status before planning a visit; the closure applies to the museum rooms, not necessarily to the entire library.

Church Art and Remembrance

The main church, Beatae Mariae Virginis, is considered the world’s first major Protestant church building. Notable features include a wooden high altar carved by Freiberg sculptor Bernhard Ditterich, a pictorial depiction of the Passion and an elaborately decorated organ with 53 stops. Visitors can also descend into the Welf crypt. Free public tours, with no booking required, take place on the second Friday of every month from 5 to 6 p.m.; check the date before your visit.

Opened in November 2019, the Documentation Centre at the Wolfenbüttel Prison Memorial presents the multimedia permanent exhibition “Law. Crime. Consequences. The Wolfenbüttel Prison during National Socialism.” The Documentation Centre and its permanent exhibition are freely accessible. The historic sites on the prison grounds are separate: groups must register to visit them at least 14 days in advance, and visits are possible only subject to special security measures. Check the latest visitor information in advance.

Waterways and Nature

The Waterways audio tour takes you to five stops where traces of the historic waterways can be seen. You can take it at any time, independently, using your own smartphone, and free of charge. The route therefore provides a self-guided alternative to the guided city tour: both explore aspects of the city, but present them in different ways.

The Oker flows through Wolfenbüttel. Its banks and floodplains provide habitats for birds, fish, small mammals, and plants both on land and in the water. Okeraue Canoe Rental offers individual trips through the species-rich river floodplain. It operates seasonally and is closed during the winter months; check the latest operating details before your trip.

The wider Wolfenbüttel destination also offers a taste of nature: Elm-Lappwald Nature Park lies in the districts of Wolfenbüttel and Helmstedt and encompasses forests, valleys, protected wetlands, heathland, headwaters and small lakes. Its network of hiking trails covers around 500 kilometres and includes signposted circular routes, parking areas and shelters. The nature park invites visitors to hike and cycle away from major roads. When looking for a place to stay, you can first consider whether your trip will focus mainly on the city’s culture or also on the nature park within the wider destination.

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Back to the overview of the wider destination: Wolfenbüttel.