Discover Springe: Forests, Wildlife and History

Springe combines a walled woodland landscape with wildlife experiences and an accessible local history. Saupark, the Wisentgehege and the Museum on the Burghof each offer a different focus: nature and wildlife sit alongside traces of the town’s medieval and later history. You can plan your trip around whether you are most interested in discovering landscapes, observing wildlife or exploring culture.

Forest, wildlife and a winter activity

Saupark Springe is a woodland area surrounded by a wall 16 kilometres long and two metres high. This unusual enclosure gives the forest a clear, distinctive boundary. For planning a nature-focused holiday, it offers a tangible contrast with the wildlife at the Wisentgehege: here, the woodland is the main attraction; there, the animals take centre stage.

At the Wisentgehege Springe, you can discover and observe more than 300 wild animals, including European bison, Przewalski’s horses, brown bears, otters and wolves. The different species make the animal park a distinctive nature experience within Springe. If you want to combine several interests, you can treat the wildlife and the forest as different highlights of your trip.

Skiing is also possible in Springe, but only when there is snow in winter. The ski area has four smaller lifts and several cross-country ski trails; it is described as the northernmost in Lower Saxony. This potential winter’s day is therefore quite different from the year-round themes of forests, wildlife and local history: snow conditions are the deciding factor.

The Burghof and a history of the forest

The Museum on the Burghof stands on the site of a medieval moated castle built by the Counts of Hallermunt. The museum brings together this historic location and buildings from a later period: the granary and coach house of the subsequently established estate house around 2,000 square metres of exhibition space across three floors. The transition from castle site to the estate’s buildings gives the museum several points of historical interest.

Another detail of local history can be found at the Holzleserin statue by the Marienbrunnen. The figure recalls an old rule that in the state forest, people could collect only as much fallen wood as they could carry in a back basket. This makes a specific limit on gathering wood in the past easy to understand: the amount people could take was determined not by choice, but by how much they could carry.

For planning your days and accommodation, this gives you a clear choice between different interests: Saupark and the Wisentgehege are about forests and wildlife, while the museum and Marienbrunnen are about history. Skiing is an additional option that depends on the weather. When looking for accommodation, first consider which of these themes makes Springe particularly interesting to you. Then check the specific location and amenities offered by each place to stay.

More places to explore in the Hannover Region

The wider Hannover Region also offers experiences beyond Springe. Steinhuder Meer is the largest inland lake in northwestern Germany and is located in the Hannover Region; it is especially known for water sports and holiday activities. In Mardorf, a state-recognised resort, a five-kilometre lakeside path invites you to take a walk. The Dead Moor, an important nature reserve and habitat for numerous animal and plant species, is also near Mardorf. These regional examples offer a different focus from Springe’s forests and wildlife.

The Herrenhausen Gardens in Hannover are part of the cultural offering in the Hannover Region. They comprise the Great Garden, the Berggarten, the Georgengarten and the Welfengarten. The Berggarten evolved from a vegetable and nursery garden into a botanical garden. Interactive digital garden rallies and guided experiences explore a range of garden-related themes, offering a different way to discover the area than tracing Springe’s history.

Another distinctive idea in the Hannover Region is the Park of the Senses in Laatzen. Its four elements—air, water, fire and earth—offer experiences that engage sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. At the centre of the park is the Valley of the Butterflies: perennials, shrub roses and flowering shrubs provide a habitat for butterflies, bees, bumblebees and other insects. This gives you a contrast between Springe’s walled woodland and the region’s gardens and sensory experiences.

Bus routes 382 and 385 serve the entrance to the Wisentgehege Springe or the Abzweig Wisentgehege stop. Check the current timetable before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Burgdorf, Burgwedel, Lehrte, Hannover, Seelze, Pattensen, Wennigsen, Hemmingen.

Go to the regional travel overview: Hannover Region.