The newly designed Castle Museum in Quedlinburg in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, will open on October 3. With over 300 exhibits, the museum will take visitors through 1,100 years of art, culture and power history in one of Germany's best-preserved medieval cities.
Quedlinburg is located in the Harz region and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1994. The city is known for its more than 2,000 half-timbered houses from eight centuries, cobblestone alleys and the historic castle area above the city.
The extensively renovated Castle Museum opens on October 3. The new museum tour includes the diocese church, the castle grounds, historic buildings and the surrounding gardens.
1,100 years of German history
First mentioned in 922, Quedlinburg holds an important place in early German history. The city is most closely associated with Henry I, Duke of Saxony and King of the East Franconian Kingdom.
After his death in 936, his widow Mathilde founded a diocese for noble women. Over the following centuries, Quedlinburg developed into a center of learning, culture, and female influence, and at the same time became an important residence for the Ottonian rulers.
The new exhibition "Memoria - Memory and Power" tells the story of the period using some of the city's most significant historical objects.
Over 300 historical objects
A central part of the museum is the Quedlinburg Cathedral Treasure, which is considered one of Europe's most important medieval church treasures.
Among the objects are the golden Servatius Casket, the so-called Heinrich Comb and the Quedlinburg Carpet from around 1200. In total, the exhibition includes more than 300 objects of cultural and historical significance.
Combine culture with the Harz
Quedlinburg can also be used as a starting point for trips to the Harz region. Nearby are Wernigerode Castle and the medieval Falkenstein Castle, as well as historic narrow-gauge railways with steam locomotives.
For those who want to combine a cultural trip with hiking, there is an extensive network of trails in the Harz. One of the region's most famous excursion destinations is the Brocken, the highest peak in the mountain range.
From Sweden, Quedlinburg can be reached via Berlin, from where the drive takes about two and a half hours. From Hamburg it takes about three hours by car, and there are also train connections from Berlin to the Harz region.
