Schwienau: Gardens, Culture and History

If you are looking for accommodation in Schwienau, you can plan your trip around your own interests. Garden diversity, cultural insights and archaeological traces offer different highlights. For travel groups with varying preferences, it helps to weigh these themes carefully and keep an eye on visiting dates.

Garden Diversity and Culture at Melzingen Arboretum

Melzingen Arboretum contains around 800 plant species from all over the world. You can stroll through the richly varied garden at any time of year, offering a different perspective on the plant world depending on when you visit. The garden also hosts cultural events. As the specific program changes, check the dates in advance if you are planning your visit around one of them.

The arboretum also has a café serving coffee or tea and cake. As opening arrangements may change, it is advisable to check whether the café will be open on the date of your visit. This lets you combine a visit to the garden with a break at the café without making your entire itinerary dependent on a changing events program.

Historic Everyday Culture and Archaeological Traces

The permanent exhibition “Ja damals” in the arboretum’s cultural barn displays tools used in the home, garden and fields. It illustrates manual work in earlier times and adds a cultural-historical perspective to the view of the plant world. Those interested in historical everyday objects will find a different way of engaging with the past here than at an archaeological site.

The area around Melzingen includes stone cists, sacrificial stones, cup-marked stones and 80 burial mounds. Access restrictions may apply at individual sites. The Melzingen Sacrificial Stone is a large granite boulder with a deep artificial groove. Finds of two adzes and an axe indicate that the stone was visited between 2500 and 600 BC. If you plan to include the stone in your itinerary, check current access arrangements in advance.

Natural Environment and Respect for Nature

Maschbruch Nature Reserve is in the Hohe Heide natural region. A ditch running through the area is a tributary of the Schwienau. When visiting, stay on the paths and keep dogs on a leash. Bear these guidelines in mind when planning to explore the protected area.

Distinctive Cultural Highlights in the Uelzen Destination

The Uelzen destination features other distinct cultural themes. Uelzen’s Hundertwasser railway station was created as a project for Expo 2000 in Hanover and is one of the last works by Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Art, ecology and modernity come together in the station’s design. The “Weg der Steine” (Path of Stones) leads from the station forecourt into Uelzen city center and includes 21 artistically painted rock sculptures.

The Ebstorf World Map at Ebstorf Abbey offers another distinctive historical highlight: it was probably created around 1300, measures about 13 m² and is considered the largest known medieval map of the world. From April 1 to October 31, the abbey offers guided tours lasting about 90 minutes, with explanations of the map. Check the dates for your planned visit before making arrangements.

You can prioritize these themes according to your interests: at the arboretum, plant diversity, garden walks and the cultural program go hand in hand; the archaeological sites focus on locations and their history. Uelzen offers different highlights in architecture, public art and the world map. If you are looking for accommodation in Schwienau, first decide which of these themes you would like to shape your trip.

Discover More Destinations

Hanstedt, Wriedel, Altenmedingen, Himbergen, Rosche, Gerdau, Suderburg and Emmendorf.

For the full travel overview: Uelzen.