The Saale-Unstrut region is the southernmost region of the state Saxony-Anhalt. Parts of the region are already in the northeast Thuringia.
It has a hilly landscape and numerous culturally and historically significant sites. Architectural attractions include the Naumburg Cathedral, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and various castles and palaces. Also is Saale-Unstrut a wine-growing region known above all for its white wines - the quality wine-growing region furthest north in Germany.
places
- Bad Bibra - oldest part of the spa triangle Bad Kosen–Bad Sulza- Bad Bibra; Steel springs. To the west of the town is the new Saubach Valley Bridge on the Erfurt – Leipzig / Halle ICE line.
- Eckartsberga - Small town right on the border with Thuringia; Eckartsburg and Maze.
- Freyburg - Center of the wine-growing region; Neuchâtel Castle, Rotkäppchen Sektkellerei, historic vineyards.
- Goseck - with the prehistoric solar observatory
- Bad Kosen - Brine springs, graduation tower, not far away is the Rudelsburg.
- Laucha - old town fortifications and bell museum.
- Naumburg - With its cathedral, the city has one of the most important sacred buildings in Europe.
- Nebra - near the place where the Nebra Sky Disc was found.
- Bad Sulza - (already in Thuringia), spa and wine town (brine spa) on the Ilm; Tuscany thermal baths.
- Weissenfels - Baroque castle Neu-Augustusburg with shoe and city museum.
- Time - the city of sugar production with the Moritzburg.
Other goals
- Saale-Unstrut-Triasland nature park, a nature park region of over 100,000 hectares, consisting of several landscape protection, nature protection and European Natura 2000 areas, in the border area of Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, around Nebra. In particular as Geo-nature park designated, as you can get to know and experience the geological peculiarities here (special rock formations, fossils), but also various rare animal and plant species (bats, wild orchids and more)
- Beyond the border too Thuringia the Ilm flows into the Saale. This region is called the Thuringian Tuscany designated.
background
The hilly landscape the region is geologically relevant in the Triad-Time (over 200 million years before today), especially red sandstone and shell limestone, were coined. Typical for the region are the floodplain landscapes along the two eponymous rivers, orchards and of course the terraced vineyards. The sculptor, painter and graphic artist Max Klinger (1857–1920), who lived and worked in Großjena near Naumburg, called the region a "Tuscany of the North".
The western part of the region is particularly interesting for tourism, while the area east of the Saale is less scenic and in the mining region of the Central German chemistry triangle or the Leipzig lowland bay transforms.
The region has a high density of culturally and historically significant sites. It was settled as early as the Neolithic Age and apparently had a comparatively developed culture. That speaks for it Circular moat system of Goseck from the early 5th millennium BC BC, which most likely fulfilled the function of a solar observatory. Another prehistoric find of paramount importance is the Sky disk from Nebrawhich dates back to around 2000 BC. Is dated. It belongs to the UNESCO World Document Heritage, but is outside the region, in the State Museum for Prehistory in Hall issued. In the visitor center Ark nebra However, a true-to-original replica as well as multimedia and interactive documentation on the background can be viewed.
The region experienced another high point in the Middle Ages. In the 10th to 11th centuries there was in Memleben a Imperial Palace, that means the Ottonian kings and emperors held their court there for a time. The kings Heinrich I and Otto I even died here. In addition, a Romanesque Benedictine monastery with a monumental church dates from this period. In the first half of the 13th century, the Naumburger Dom erected, one of the most important late Romanesque church buildings in Central Germany. The Naumburg donor figures in the cathedral are among the most remarkable and artistic sculptures of the German Middle Ages. Naumburg Cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2018. There are also numerous in the region high medieval castle complexes. Particularly noteworthy is that Rudelsburgwhich was considered exemplary by the Romantics and which inspired Franz Kugler to write the folk song "On the Saale bright beach, castles stand proud and daring".
The philosopher's youth are also closely associated with the Saale-Unstrut region Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). He grew up in Naumburg from the age of six, attended the Naumburg Cathedral School and the Pforta State School, and founded the artistic-literary association "Germania" with friends on the castle ruins of Schönburg. An exhibition in his former home in Naumburg and an attached Nietzsche documentation center are dedicated to him.
getting there
By plane
The closest commercial airport is the Leipzig Halle Airport
(IATA: LEJ); approx. 40–60 km away, about an hour by train).
By train
In the region, the train station is in Naumburg (Saale) often useful for the journey. A few intercity or ICE trains stop there every day (from Leipzig, Dortmund, Berlin and Nuremberg). The closest regular long-distance stops are Leipzig, Hall and Erfurt.
From the direction of Halle or Leipzig and Weimar/ Erfurt / Eisenach you can take the regional train or the regional express to several places in the Saale-Unstrut region (including Weißenfels, Naumburg, Bad Kösen) every hour. It takes 20–40 minutes from Halle, 35–60 minutes from Leipzig and 40–55 minutes from Erfurt.
In the street
The highway 
(Berlin – Nuremberg) runs along the eastern edge of the region, junction Weissenfels or Naumburg; the highway 
(Göttingen – Leipzig) on the northern edge, junction Leuna.
The southern route of the Romanesque Road, with stations and others in Memleben, Eckartsberga, Bad Kösen, Naumburg, Zeitz, Freyburg and Goseck.
By bicycle
The Saale cycle path from direction Jena or hall that Unstrut cycle path from direction Mulhouse, the Ilm cycle path from Weimar, the Goethe Cycle Path from Halle.
On foot
The Saale-Unstrut region is from Ecumenical pilgrimage Central Germany crosses on the course of the medieval trade route Via regia oriented (Gorlitz–Bautzen–Leipzig–Naumburg–Erfurt–Eisenach–Vacha). It is also a branch of the Way of St. James and marked accordingly with the shell symbol. On the main hiking trail marked with white, blue and white stripes Saalfeld–Bad Frankenhausen you can go here along the rivers Saale and Unstrut.
mobility
The Burgenlandkreis (Weißenfels, Naumburg, Nebra, Zeitz) belongs to the Central German Transport Association (MDV) at. All network tickets are valid on regional trains, trams and buses in the respective tariff zone. The Saxony-Anhalt (or Saxony or Thuringia) ticket is also recognized by all public transport in the MDV. If you only want to travel by train to other means of transport without authorization to transfer, you can also purchase tickets at the DB tariff using BahnCard discounts.
The regional train from Naumburg-Ost to Wangen and back runs every hour directly along the Unstrut and stops in Naumburg Hbf, Freyburg and Nebra, among others.
The RB Halle-Eisenach, whose route runs along the Saale and stops in Weißenfels, Naumburg Hbf, Bad Kösen and Großheringen, also runs every hour. There is also the RB Naumburg – Saalfeld, which runs every two hours and which also stops in Bad Kösen.
The Unstrut cycle path connects Naumburg with Freyburg, Laucha, Nebra and Memleben; the Goethe Cycle Path branches off from this and continues to Bad Bibra, Eckartsberga and Bad Sulza. The Saale cycle path provides the connection between Weißenfels, Goseck (a few kilometers off the main route), Naumburg, Bad Kösen and Camburg.
Anyone who can walk well can do it Ecumenical pilgrimageVia regia Use (Jakobsweg) to go from Naumburg to Freyburg and Eckartsberga or the white-blue-white main hiking path to get to Bad Kösen, Freyburg, Laucha, Nebra and Memleben.
Tourist Attractions
- Eckartsberga: Eckartsburg - Well-preserved Romanesque hill castle
- Freyburg: Neuchâtel Castle
- Goseck
- Solar observatory - an almost 7000 year old circular moat near Goseck
- Goseck Castle - Formerly Romanesque castle, which was first rededicated as a monastery and then as a manor; the oldest preserved part is the monastery church from the 11th century.
- Bad Kosen
- Pforta Monastery - Cistercian abbey from the 12th to 16th centuries, from which the now well-known boarding high school Landesschule Pforta emerged
- State winery Pforta Monastery - Viticulture tradition since 1154, with guided tours and wine tasting
- Rudelsburg and Saaleck Castle - both date from the 12th century; Rudelsburg in particular is considered to be one of the most beautiful castles on the Saale and the romantic ideal of a medieval castle ruin
- Memleben: Monastery and imperial palace - ruins of the monumental Romanesque monastery church; No structural remains of the imperial palace of Heinrich I and Otto I from the 10th century, which must have been located here, have so far been found; but a museum provides information about the importance of meme life in the Middle Ages
- Naumburg (Saale)
- Naumburg Cathedral
- well preserved Old town with numerous medieval, renaissance and baroque buildings
- Nietzsche House and Documentation Center - Former home of the eminent philosopher
- Nebra (Unstrut): Ark nebra - Visitor center at the place where the Nebra sky disk was found with a multimedia and interactive exhibition
- Schönburg - High medieval hilltop castle near Naumburg
- Time: Zeitz Cathedral
activities
hikes on foot, with the wheel or boat at / on the Saale and the Unstrut.
The path through the is particularly attractive for a walk Flower base at the lowest section of the Unstrut from Freyburg to the confluence with the Saale near Naumburg (a good 5 kilometers). On the way there is, among other things, the "Stone Picture Book", a series of 12 reliefs carved into the sandstone rock, the renowned wine location Edelacker as well as the house of the artist Max Klinger. Directly at the river triangle there is a ferry across the Saale, which runs without a motor, only using the flow energy of the water (March – October).
The Naumburg canoe station offers bike, canoe and rubber dinghy tours from the mouth of the Saale-Unstrut and is open all year round.
The are particularly recommended for cycling Unstrut cycle path and the Saale cycle path.
Wine tasting at one of the numerous wineries. These are among the most famous Landesweingut Kloster Pforta (Bad Kosen) that Freyburg winegrowers' association as well as the wineries Pawis (Freyburg), Thürkind (Gröst), tooth (Large herrings). Some hotels offer a wine tasting in connection with an overnight stay or even a whole wine weekend, e.g. Gasthaus & Hotel "Zur Henne" (in Naumburg), as well as that Berghotel zum Edelacker or that Hotel to the sundial (both in Freyburg).
kitchen
In Würchwitz, southeast of Time becomes Mite cheese produced. A memorial was erected there for this purpose. In contrast to normal cheese, which is produced by bacteria and / or mold, so-called cheese mites are used in mite cheese. Originally the mites were pests, but the use of flour turned them into livestock.
Wine
The cross-border wine-growing region of Saale-Unstrut has a size of 765 hectares and a 1000-year tradition. The southern and southwestern parts of the wine-growing region are in Thuringia, the majority of which is expanding Saxony-Anhalt out. It extends from the Unstrut River Laucha up to the confluence with the Saale Naumburg and at the Saale from Jena to Burgwerben at Weissenfels. There are notable vineyards in Kaatschen, School gate and Bad Kosen. The 60 km long Saale-Unstrut Wine Road runs through the area. Its northern location means that early-ripening varieties such as Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Blanc and Silvaner cultivated.
Saale-Unstrut Wine Route
Vineyard between Naumburg and Weißenfels
accommodation
There are numerous pensions and smaller hotels in the region, especially in Naumburg, Weissenfels and Freyburg, but also in the smaller towns, see the respective local articles. If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the choice is limited:
- Berghotel zum Edelacker, Schloss 25, 06632 Freyburg / Unstrut. Tel.: (0)34464-35-0, Email: [email protected]. Four-star hotel in a vineyard above Freyburg. Restaurant with fine cuisine made from regional products. Various adventure offers, especially those relating to wine, as well as special events (see website). Sauna, bike rental (incl.), Free WiFi in all rooms.Price: double room from € 105 (more expensive on weekends, cheaper for stays over 3 days).
- Parkhotel Güldene Berge, Langendorfer Strasse 94, 06667 Weißenfels. Tel.: (0)3443-39200, Email: [email protected]. Smaller four-star hotel (33 rooms) in a villa from around 1900 in the south of Weißenfels. In addition to single and double rooms, there is a family room, larger comfort room. (30 m²; 2 extra beds possible; minibar, coffee / tea station), the “rose room” and a suite. Large garden, restaurant, fireplace room.Price: double room from 100 €.
- That also has four stars Atrium Hotel Amadeus in Osterfeld, which, however, is a bit away from the actual Saale-Unstrut area.
security
climate
literature
Web links
- Saale-Unstrut tourism - Portal of: Saale-Unstrut wine-growing region, Saale-Unstrut-Triasland geo-nature park, tourist information of the Saale-Unstrut-Tourismus e.V.
