Holiday in Goslar

About Goslar

Goslar on the northwestern edge of the Harz Mountains is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Germany and a triple UNESCO World Heritage site: the old town, the Rammelsberg mine, and the Upper Harz water management system are all protected by the World Heritage organization. No other place in Lower Saxony combines so much World Heritage in such a small area. The Kaiserpfalz, built in the 11th century under Heinrich III, is the largest and best-preserved secular building from the Salian period. Over 20 imperial diets convened here, and emperors and kings resided in Goslar — the city was at times the center of the Holy Roman Empire. The monumental historical paintings in the Reichssaal (1879-1897) depict German imperial history over more than 700 square meters. The Rammelsberg mine is the only mine in the world that operated continuously for over 1,000 years (968-1988). Underground, visitors can experience the history of ore mining in original tunnels, from medieval waterwheels to industrial extraction in the 20th century. The old town enchants with over 1,500 half-timbered houses, the marketplace with the carillon at the Kaiserringhaus (which shows scenes from Rammelsberg mining four times daily), the Große Heilige Kreuz (a pilgrim hostel from the 13th century), and the quiet streets of the Frankenberger district. Goslar is also the gateway to the Harz — Germany's northernmost low mountain range with the legendary Brocken (1,141 m) as its highest peak.