"Wedding town" Wernigerode by Sjalen

Wernigerode Travel Guide: 37 reviews and 109 photos

Town Hall and Wohltäterbrunnen - Wernigerode

Wernigerode, known as "die bunte Stadt am Harz" is at the foot of the Harz mountains which were formerly a divided mountain range separating East and West Germany. Throughout my childhood I regularly visited the western side with historic Goslar, and looked across to Mount Brocken which is Harz' highest peak, in the east, with the GDR surveillance equipment on its peak (see my Torfhaus page). That is why it has been particularly interesting to start visiting the towns on "the other side" these days when it has become much easier and famous Wernigerode was long on my wishing list.

Wernigerode's fame comes from the fact that it was kept a tourist destination in GDR times. Thus, most (there are exeptions) of the wonderful half-timbered houses here have been well looked after and the town looks like the mountain town it is, with Norwegian-looking wooden houses mixed with German half-timber. New developments for more demanding consumers have quickly caught on here too, contrary to neighbouring Quedlinburg, when the wall came down. The town has therefore kept its tourists who still come to go on steam trains up Mount Brocken. That it at all survived WWII is thanks to a colonel Petri who somehow managed to save it from allied bombings. He is honoured at the lovely 19th century Wohltäterbrunnen ("Benefactor’s Fountain").

The town is also famous for being a popular wedding destination during the GDR days. My cousin who was invited to one has told me that this is another reason for Wernigerode's popularity: because of the wedding parties, the bakery in the main square had cakes like no other in the bleak GDR and loooong were the queues to its counters in those days.

Pros and Cons

Pros:pretty, close to the Harz
Cons:some ugly developments here and there
In a nutshell:Steam trains and scenery

Last visit to Wernigerode: Nov 2005
Intro Updated Nov 8, 2005
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Reviews (8)

Gadenstedtsches Haus Things to Do (6)

Again, one of the most beautiful houses I have ever seen. Named after the 1582 owning family, this house with its... more travel advice

Strolling around Favorites (1)

Just walking up and down the main streets of town looking at half-timbered houses is great. Breitenstrasse is the best... more travel advice

By train Transportation (1)

You have to change at Magdeburg to get here by train so it is not the easiest but perfectly do-able. more travel advice

St Sylvestri Church Things to Do (6)

This town centre church must be the simplest church I have ever seen as far as decorations go. This is of course partly... more travel advice

Comments (3)

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hunterV Apr 7, 2008 at 9:31 AM

Good tips, thanx!
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Mariajoy Nov 24, 2005 at 1:48 PM

Ohhh! Another little German Gem Charlotta! I was in Wanzleben (and Magdeburg last week) for a wedding - is that anywhere near Wernigerode??
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Nemorino Nov 24, 2005 at 2:03 AM

Nice introduction to Wernigerode. I've only been there once so far, but really liked it. Some day I'd like to take the narrow gauge railway from there to Nordhausen. (I was in Sachsen-Anhalt last weekend, but in Dessau and Magdeburg, not Wernigerode.)