Skyward Tour: Welterbe Sachsen-Anhalt

80 Kilometers
2 World Heritage Sites
A journey back in time to the
Late Middle Ages and Prehistory

On this three-day tour through the idyllic wine landscapes of the Saale and Unstrut rivers, the mysterious Nebra Sky Disc will open a door for you into the world of prehistoric man in Saxony-Anhalt. You will feel the aura of the original in Halle and experience other valuable finds in the spectacular Museum of Prehistory. Finally, you will visit the site where the Sky Disc was found in Nebra. On the way, however, another World Heritage building awaits you: the unique Naumburg Cathedral.

On this stage you will discover:

State Museum of Prehistory in Halle (Saale)

Day 1: Halle (Saale)

Where everything revolves around a disc that has already amazed the whole world.

Day 1: Halle (Saale)

Uta of Naumburg, a sculpture by the Naumburg Master in Naumburg Cathedral

Day 2: Naumburg

Where our ancestors built a monumental structure to be close to the heavens.

Day 2: Naumburg

Day 3: Nebra

Where the scene of a crime in a mystery novel became a mecca for modern astronomy.

Day 3: Nebra

Exterior view of the State Museum of Prehistory Halle (Saale)

Your 3-day tour could look like this

Day 1: Halle (Saale)

Morning

The finely crafted Nebra Sky Disc has an almost mystical aura, you should definitely see it in the original. So start your day with a visit to the State Museum of Prehistory. The award-winning permanent exhibition with its staged rooms takes you on a journey through around 450,000 years of human history, from the Stone Age to the early modern era. The original Sky Disc plays a central role as an outstanding find from the Bronze Age. You should plan around three hours for your visit. Followed by a lunch break, e.g. in the local café or in the heart of the town on the market square (around 30 minutes' walk away).

View of the Neolithic room with cow and stone axe rain in the State Museum of Prehistory Halle (Saale)

View of the Palaeolithic room with mammoth from Pfännerhall and "Thinker"

Afternoon

The choice is yours: for example, a visit to the Francke Foundations, a World Heritage candidate very close to the market square, is exciting. On the grounds of the unique baroque school town, you can take a look at the facilities of the past. Some of the buildings house exciting exhibitions, such as the baroque art and natural history chamber, a historical library and an exhibition on the Pietist movement.
Or you can travel to the stars - inspired by the Sky Disc - by visiting the planetarium, which is the largest and most modern in Saxony-Anhalt. There you can experience the Milky Way under a huge dome, learn about dark matter or the southern starry sky. It's best to book tickets online in advance!

A Luther Bible in the library of the Francke Foundations in Halle (Saale)

Francke Monument in the Lindenhof, Francke Foundations

Evening

End the day on the "Kleine Ulli", as the restaurant and pub mile between the Moritzburg Art Museum and the university is affectionately known among locals.

Sunset in Halle's highest cocktail lounge

Special World Heritage Experiences

State Museum of Prehistory in Halle (Saale)
The aura of originals in a staged space: The multi-award-winning State Museum of Prehistory in Halle presents far more than just the unique Nebra Sky Disc, which is a World Heritage Site. There are many top-class finds to experience. These are displayed as part of productions that characterize each epoch in an artistic way. As you walk through the millennia, you will encounter thoughtful Neanderthals and glaciers growing out of the ceiling. You discover Roman worlds among the Germanic tribes and follow in the footsteps of early alchemists. From a total of over two million finds, those that are particularly outstanding - aesthetically or in terms of content - have been selected.

The Magic of Merseburg
"Eiris sazun idisi" begins the first of the two incantations discovered in the library of the cathedral chapter of Merseburg. They are among the few texts that have survived in Old High German. Their rhythm develops a magical pull, they are memorable due to their stave and end rhymes. They tell of an alleged true event and develop an incantation from it. The first incantation is intended to help prisoners to release their shackles. The second incantation is a healing spell for a horse's dislocated foot. It is probably only a matter of time before the Merseburg spells are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Why not at the Merseburg Magic Festival at the end of October? It would be a magical moment.

Francke Foundations
What a career! From a school for the poor to an orphanage and soon to be a World Heritage Site? The Francke Foundations with their extensive historical building complex have a good chance of being included by UNESCO in the illustrious circle of important testimonies to our civilization. Pastor August Hermann Francke opened his school for the poor in 1695 with 4 talers and 16 groschen. It soon grew into an educational and media center of the time. Today, visitors will find a whole range of museums and cultural monuments on the site. Marvel at the chamber of art and natural history or explore a library from the 17th century. In the historic orphanage, you have a great view from the roof and can visit exhibitions on the history of the foundations and the Pietist movement.

More Excursions and Cultural Treasures

Moritzburg Art Museum Halle (Saale)
In the building of a late medieval bishop's residence, the museum presents more than 500 selected objects from its collection of around 250,000 paintings, prints, photographs, sculptures, arts and crafts objects and coins from antiquity to the present day. History buffs should not miss the Court and Banqueting Rooms. These magnificent original rooms are decorated all over with ornaments and allegorical scenes and allow guests to immerse themselves in the heyday of the salt city of Halle.
For a culinary break after impressive moments of art, the MoritzKunstCafé, located in the Moritzburg courtyard, offers a wide range of dishes in the stylish interior or in the airy outdoor area.

Stroll through the City
On the market square with its five towers, guests encounter the city's most famous son, George Frideric Handel, honored here with a statue. In the Handel House, where the baroque composer was born in 1685, his works and historical musical instruments can be admired. Afterwards, you can stroll through the dreamy alleyways around the cathedral. The "Kleine Ulli", or Little Ulrich Street, is particularly recommended. It smells of fresh coffee and atmospheric music can be heard from the many cafés and pubs on the street.
Just a few steps further on is the stately Moritzburg Castle with its art museum. Behind it, the Mühlgraben flows leisurely, and after a short walk across the Würfelwiese, you reach the Peißnitzinsel and the Saale. A curious park railroad makes its rounds here from April to October, not only to the delight of children. From its stop, you cross the Bridge of Friendship, then through the parks on the Ziegelwiese and back over the Mühlgraben to Giebichenstein Castle. The castle houses a branch of the city museum with an observation tower. After an hour's walk, you have a wonderful view of and over Halle.

Planetarium
Has the Nebra Sky Disc sparked your interest in astronomical phenomena? Halle's planetarium offers all celestial explorers a glimpse into space. The celestial theater is housed in a former gasometer on the green Saline Island. "Jewels in the Night Sky" or "Expedition into the Solar System" are the names of the programs for adults. Children can embark on a space adventure with polar bear Lars or the green Olchis. Book in good time.

Boat Tour
From May to October, Halle Boat Hire has pedal boats, SUPs and canoes available on the River Saale, more precisely at the Peißnitz Bridge on the Ziegelwiese. For longer tours or just an hour in the heart of the city.

Geiseltalsee - the Largest of Its Kind
Halfway between Halle and Naumburg lies Germany's largest man-made lake. Created first by lignite coal mining, then by renaturation of the 15 x 5 kilometer area and the inflowing Saale water. The newly created natural, cultural and leisure landscape can now be viewed from three observation towers. Three lidos and several bathing spots invite you to splash around, swim or dive. Cycle paths lead around the Geiseltalsee, excursion boats sail on it and leisure captains can hire boats in Mücheln. And in the Pfännerhall central workshop, visitors can experience what mining has brought to light and gain an insight into the history of the earth.

Day 2: Naumburg

Morning

The next morning we continue to Naumburg. The journey takes around 50 minutes from Halle. The twelve medieval stone sculptures in the west choir of Naumburg Cathedral are sure to impress you. Their vibrancy and expressiveness are simply incredible. Perhaps you feel like Umberto Eco and are fascinated by the beauty of the founder figure of Uta, or you are enchanted by Reglindi's smile.
But there is much more to discover in this unique cathedral, where Romanesque and Gothic styles blend in a fascinating way: the west choir screen with its Passion reliefs and lifelike plant capitals or the bronze handrails decorated with figures in the east choir.

We also recommend two special tours: The tower tour takes you past three huge bells from the 16th century to the north-west tower - from where you have a magnificent view over Naumburg (Friday to Sunday in summer). With an audio guide, you can explore the cathedral treasure vault, a huge Romanesque vault in which the sacred treasures are displayed. Finally, we recommend the exhibition on the works of the Naumburg Master on the upper floor of the west cloister on the cathedral grounds. A final walk in the cathedral garden offers time to relax. You can plan a whole morning for the cathedral, exhibition and garden. Afterwards, enjoy a lunch break in the old town, e.g. at Gasthof Zufriedenheit at the gateway to the Saale-Unstrut wine region.

Woman looking at Naumburg Cathedral in the distance

Uta von Naumburg, sculpture by the Naumburg Master

Afternoon

The choice is yours: in Naumburg, you can follow in the footsteps of the old fortifications and take a walk through the old town. Some of the city walls are still well preserved and you can visit the Museum of Historical Buildings in the Marientor. Alternatively, a trip to the Geiseltalsee is worthwhile, especially in sunny weather. It takes around 20 to 30 minutes by car to get to either the boat hire in Mücheln or Stöbnitz beach. Spend the night in Naumburg or at the Geiseltalsee.
You can spend the night in the immediate vicinity of the cathedral in Naumburg, for example at the Alter Bischofshof.

Old post office in the old town of Naumburg

Special World Heritage Experiences

Naumburg Cathedral: Up and Down
From April to October,Himmelstürmer can go high up on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays at 3 pm on guided tours of the cathedral tower. Or you can go deep down, on archive tours of the cathedral treasury vault: more than 30 exquisite works of art from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, such as the St. John's Bowl, the unique Naumburg Pietà or magnificent liturgical manuscripts, can be seen here.

Cathedral Garden
The cathedral garden is an oasis of peace at ground level between medieval walls and bastions, in blooming nature next to ponds that reflect the heavenly light like paradise. It is one of the 50 most beautiful and significant parks in Saxony-Anhalt's "Garden Dreams" network.

Even more excursions and cultural treasures

Fortified Old Town
The Wenzelsmauer, Jakobsmauer and Marienmauer walls still remain from Naumburg's former fortifications. The magnificent Marientor houses a museum about the historic buildings.

Naumburg Streetcar
It is called Ille, Groschenhexe or Wild Bitch: The streetcar from 1892 with a track width of one meter is today the smallest streetcar in Germany with daily service and one of the smallest in Europe.

Schulpforta Foundation
One of the oldest state schools in Germany has existed in the Naumburg district of Schulpforte since 1543. It is one of the three princely schools founded by Duke Moritz of Saxony. Music, natural sciences and languages are particularly encouraged here. Its most famous graduates are the poets and philosophers Klopstock, Fichte and Nietzsche. The historic building was the location for many films, including "The Flying Classroom", "Pope Joan" and "One who set out to learn to fear". On a tour, you can experience the special, relaxing atmosphere of the village and architectural highlights such as the lavishly decorated Cistercian church, the cloister and the 12th century mill. Alternatively, you can learn more about the famous pupils on themed tours or taste the local wine from Pforta. There is also an audio guide for a self-guided tour.

Day 3: Nebra

Morning

The journey from Naumburg to Nebra Ark takes about 40 minutes. As you already know, the original of the Sky Disc is in the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle. However, the unique piece was found not far from the small town of Nebra that gave it its name. Today, the Nebra Ark floats like a golden barque above the Unstrut River at the foot of the Mittelberg - an architectural highlight! Its digital planetarium takes you on a 24-minute journey back in time. Afterwards, it is worth taking a short hike to the original discovery site on the Mittelberg. An art trail puts you in the mood for the"Celestial Eye", which lays the sky at your feet at the discovery site. From the observation tower there, you can see far into the countryside. Afterwards, take a lunch break, e.g. in the Arche Panorama Café or in the nearby Waldschlösschen Restaurant & Café.

Two visitors in an exhibition room at Nebra Ark

Original find location of the Nebra Sky Disc

Afternoon

Just 10 minutes from the Ark are the impressive ruins of Memleben Abbey, where Henry I and Otto I died. Both rulers are closely associated with German history. Alternatively, you can also go hiking in the Saale-Unstrut-Triasland Geo-Nature Park. The Geopfad Nebra, for example, is an almost 10-kilometre circular trail that connects Nebra and Wangen and also leads past the Nebra Ark. Afterwards, spend the night in the region or drive home.

Aerial view of Memleben Monastery and Imperial Palace

Parking

There are hardly any parking spaces at the Museum of Prehistory in Halle, so we'd recommend taking the streetcar there instead.

In Naumburg you will find paid parking near the cathedral.

Public Transport

You can reach the State Museum of Prehistory from Halle station by taking streetcar line 7 in the direction of Kröllwitz (journey time approx. 15 minutes).

It takes less than 10 minutes to walk from Naumburg station to Naumburg Cathedral.

Nebra Ark can be reached using bus line 629 from Nebra and Memleben, which runs every hour in summer.