Magdeburg on the Elbe: Cathedral, Art and Green Spaces

Magdeburg brings together the Elbe, striking architecture, art and green open spaces. The city is also a hub and the starting and end point of the northern and southern routes of the Romanesque Road. This lets you experience the city’s many facets, from its medieval heritage and contemporary art to paths along the water.

Cathedral, Sculpture and Architecture

Magdeburg Cathedral is the first cathedral on German soil designed in the Gothic style. Emperor Otto is buried inside in a stone sarcophagus. The Magdeburg Rider and its two accompanying figures are also among the notable sculptures of 13th-century European Gothic art. Anyone interested in architecture and sculpture will find striking examples of medieval Magdeburg here.

The Green Citadel provides a different architectural accent: it was the last project by artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser and was completed in 2005. The Kunstmuseum Magdeburg Kloster Unser Lieben Frauen presents significant works by international contemporary artists across five floors. Medieval forms and modern art thus offer different starting points for a cultural stay.

Science, Nature and Urban Green Spaces

The Otto von Guericke Museum in the Lukasklause is dedicated to the life and work of Otto von Guericke in a permanent exhibition. Historical replicas of instruments, images, documents and experiments illustrate his life. The Museum of Natural History holds more than 350,000 objects from the fields of geology, mineralogy, palaeontology, botany and zoology. Its permanent exhibition introduces you to the ecological habitats of Saxony-Anhalt, from the Börde and the Elbe with its floodplains to the Harz Mountains.

Outdoors, too, the scenery changes: Rotehorn City Park lies on an island in the Elbe. Old avenues, broad meadows and views towards the cathedral define its character. The Elbe Cycle Route passes right through Magdeburg, by parks, bridges and the cathedral. The paths are well maintained, mostly flat and family-friendly. For a broader view, the Elbe Cycle Route runs for nearly 350 kilometres through the wider destination of Saxony-Anhalt, from Havelberg in the north to Lutherstadt Wittenberg in the south.

If you would like to experience Magdeburg from the water, you can take an excursion with the Weiße Flotte from the banks of the Elbe to the waterway junction and the idyllic surrounding area. Check the current timetable if you are planning a trip.

Experiences for Different Interests

At the Gruson Greenhouses, visitors have been experiencing the tropics under glass since 1896; this tropical botanical garden offers a contrast to the open green spaces along the Elbe. The Millennium Tower is a walk-through, spiral-shaped museum that presents 6,000 years of the history of knowledge. At Magdeburg Zoo, the AFRICAMBO savannah landscapes feature an elephant habitat with different vantage points for observing elephants, vervet monkeys and aardwolves. Animal habitats and presentations may change; check the latest details before your visit.

Randau Prehistoric Village combines reconstructed houses from three eras with hands-on experiences: at the shooting range, you can practise using a spear, bow and arrow. Visitors can also buy bread baked in a clay oven there. This adds an engaging look at past ways of life to museum and city experiences.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

Natural history, greenhouses, the zoo and the prehistoric village add even more to explore. You can tailor your accommodation search to the experiences that interest you most in Magdeburg, without limiting your itinerary to just one side of the city.

Discover more destinations: Magdeburg, Beyendorf, Jerichower Land, Burgenlandkreis, Salzlandkreis, Dessau-Roßlau, Saalekreis

View the wider travel overview: Saxony-Anhalt.