Harz Monastery Hiking Trail - 7th Stage - Quedlinburg - Halberstadt

Coming from Quedlinburg, you cross the pedestrian bridge over the A 36 and master the short climbs to the Steinholzwarte and later to the legendary "Glass Monk," a rock formation with panoramic views. The ridge path over the Harsleben Mountains connects the Steinholz with the wild-romantic Thekenberge and promises spectacular sightlines to the Königsstein near Westerhausen, the Harz foreland, or the distant Brocken. The route then leads into the picturesque Spiegelsberge and the historic landscape park. Created almost 250 years ago, features such as the Belvedere Tower and the Spiegel Mausoleum testify to the once-rich park architecture. One of the most outstanding buildings in the park is the 1782 hunting lodge, from whose rear terrace a wonderful panoramic view over Halberstadt opens. The stage existing since 2024 is impressive, not least because of the unique silhouette of Halberstadt, which is prominently shaped by the towers of the cathedral, the Church of Our Lady, and the Martini Church. Below Spiegelsberge, the street now runs straight to the cathedral square, passing beautiful Gründerzeit villas.

Upon arriving at the cathedral square, you can grasp the impressive scope of the once spiritual and worldly power of the medieval bishops. The Diocese of Halberstadt was probably founded in the early 9th century by Emperor Charlemagne. Outstanding is the Cathedral of St. Stephen and St. Sixtus (built 1236/39 – 1491) (3). The elegant overall effect of the architecture, built in the style of northern French Gothic, and its furnishings make the cathedral a unique monument in Germany. Its treasure is inseparably linked: it houses the largest medieval cathedral treasure outside the Vatican with unique valuables spanning 1,200 years. The 1,200 sqm exhibition space in the cathedral cloister includes several halls as well as a bishop's chapel and historical treasury.

Passing by timber-frame art from five centuries, you come across the Berend Lehmann Museum, where interested visitors can learn about the history of one of the formerly largest Jewish communities in Central Europe. After crossing the Holtemme via the so-called Poet's Path, you will already see the thick walls of the over-1,000-year-old Burchardi Monastery, formerly home to Cistercian nuns. Today, several social and cultural projects and associations operate on the monastery grounds. The Romanesque and highly worth-seeing Church of St. Burchard is now home to the John Cage Organ Art Project, the slowest musical piece in the world. The composition by the American avant-garde artist John Cage is performed according to the instruction "as slow as possible" and lasts a total of 639 years.

TIPS

1 Steinholzwarte – former long-distance lookout with a view

2 Historic Spiegelsberge Landscape Park, gartentraeume-sachsen-anhalt.de

3 4 Cathedral and Cathedral Treasure Halberstadt, dom-schatz-halberstadt.de

5 Behrend Lehmann Museum, berendlehmannmuseum.de

6 Burchardi Monastery, awz.net, John Cage Organ Art Project, aslsp.org, Church of St. Burchard Tue-Sun 12-16 h

Tourist Information Halberstadt

Holzmarkt 1, phone 03941/551815

www.halberstadt.de

Stamp stations for the Harz Monastery Hiking Trail booklet: Cathedral I Treasure Halberstadt, Cathedral North Portal, and Burchardi Monastery