Salzwedel, Saxony-Anhalt

Houses along the river Jeetze in Salzwedel, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salzwedel_H%C3%A4user_an_der_Jeetze.jpg
Author: Nephantz!


Salzwedel is a town in the district of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Officially called Hansestadt Salzwedel, it covers 305 sq km (118 sq mi) and has a population of 25,000 people (2012 estimate). Due to its many well-preserved timber-framed houses, it is part of the German Timber-Frame Road (Deutsche Fachwerkstraße).

The history of Salzwedel is synonymous with that of its castle, which was first documented in 1112. The settlement was first mentioned as a town in 1233. From an original settlement which became the Altstadt (old town), a new settlement developed in 1247 and was called Neustadt (new town). It reached its golden age in the 13th century, when it became part of the Hanseatic League from 1263 to 1518.

Salzwedel became part of the Province of Saxony within the Kingdom of Prussia after the Napoleonic Wars. Under the Nazi, it had a concentration camp for female prisoners. The defeat of the Nazis saw US troops liberating the camp. The US Army eventually turned over control of the city to Soviet forces, and Salzwedel became part of East Germany.

On 9 November, 1989, Salzwedel was the first to open its border to the west, enabling East Germans to cross freely into West Germany for the first time since the building of the Berlin Wall. In recognition of its history as a member of the Hanseatic League, the town was renamed Hansestadt Salzwedel on 1 April, 2008.

Timber-framed houses in Salzwedel
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salzwedel_Fachwerk.jpg
Author: Björn Gäde

How to go to Salzwedel

Salzwedel is located close to the border between Saxony-Anhalt and Lower Saxony to the north. It is a distance from all major cities with Berlin to the east, Hamburg to the northwest, Hanover to the southwest, and Braunschweig and Magdeburg to the south.

From Magdeburg, you can reach Salzwedel directly by taking Highway 71.

Places of Interest in Salzwedel

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