Discover Goslar

Goslar combines a historic Old Town with art collections and a long mining history. During your stay, you can explore these different themes: the townscape, exhibitions or the history of ore mining. If you are looking for a hotel in Goslar, it helps to think in advance about which aspects interest you most. This lets you plan your trip around your own priorities, without every experience having to revolve around the same theme.

Old Town, Town Hall and Art

The historic townscape is defined by richly decorated half-timbered houses, winding lanes, slate roofs and cobblestones. Goslar Town Hall was built between 1295 and 1326. The Old Town can therefore be explored through both its architectural styles and the history of individual buildings: half-timbering and roofscapes shape the overall impression, while the Town Hall provides a specific connection to the history of the medieval town.

The collections also offer different perspectives. Goslar Museum displays the famous Krodo Altar from the early 12th century, a masterpiece of medieval art. Its coin collection includes well over 1,000 Goslar coin issues; the exact number may change as the collection is catalogued. The Mönchehaus Museum, by contrast, focuses on modern and contemporary art. Its exhibitions change, so the current programme determines what is on view during a visit.

UNESCO World Heritage and Mining History

The Rammelsberg Ore Mine and Goslar Old Town were jointly recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992. The Rammelsberg Museum and Visitor Mine presents at least 3,000 years of ore-mining history at and within Rammelsberg across four museum buildings. The joint recognition and the exhibition on mining history offer two different ways to explore the subject: international recognition of the heritage and an account of its long development.

At Goslar’s Market Square, the carillon, with its procession of figures and mining melodies, tells the story of mining at Rammelsberg—from the legendary discovery by Knight Ramm to the modern era. Another perspective is offered by the privately run Late Middle Ages Museum in the Zwinger. Its exhibits include armour for knights and musketeers, torture devices and weapons used by peasants in 1524. Alongside mining, the stories and objects associated with other historical subjects are also in view.

Guided Tours and Digital Insights

Guided city tours are available in Goslar, offering a way to experience the town’s history. At the Imperial Palace, there are public hall tours as well as special, themed and school-group tours. The formats differ in focus and intended audience. Check with local visitor information services in advance for current dates and details of the tours on offer.

A digital city tour complements these options with 360° views, interactive scenes and audio content. It offers another way to explore Goslar. Which format suits you better depends on whether you prefer an in-person guided tour or a digital experience; the two options present the town in different ways.

Green Spaces and Other Places in the Destination

Goslar’s former ramparts have been transformed into gardens and parks and now form a green belt around the town. This change links the former fortifications with today’s green spaces. This means that, alongside half-timbered houses, museums and mining history, the transformation of the townscape is another distinct aspect to explore.

The wider Goslar destination also includes themes specifically associated with other places. Bad Harzburg borders directly on Harz National Park. From there, themed hiking trails pass, among other places, lynx and wildcat enclosures and the Radau Waterfall, and continue to the Brocken. The Harz Treetop Walk is also in Bad Harzburg: since 2015, it has offered an accessible experience above the Kaltes Tal, is more than 1,000 metres long and up to 26 metres high, and provides insights into nature and geology.

Langelsheim is another place with its own connection to the wider Goslar destination. In the Goslar district, the Innerste Dam serves residents and tourists as a local recreation area. During their holiday, overnight guests in the Harz may be able to use HATIX free of charge if they pay the current visitor’s tax in a participating location. Check participation and network coverage before travelling. This helps keep regional offers and their respective conditions clearly distinct when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Hahnenklee, Langelsheim, Lutter am Barenberge, Bad Harzburg, Altenau, Seesen, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Vienenburg.

Go to the overview of destinations: Goslar.