Discover Schöningen

Schöningen lies on the eastern slope of the Elm. The city was first mentioned in 748 AD and is considered the oldest city in the former Duchy of Brunswick to be documented in written records. If you are looking for hotels in Schöningen, you can use the city’s history as a thread for your travel planning: the castle, town church, town hall and local history museum each offer a different focus; the Elmkreisel and disc golf add specific activities.

City History and Historic Buildings

The Guelph dukes of Brunswick built a castle in Schöningen in the 14th century, which later became the residence of the widows of the dukes of Brunswick. The castle’s construction by the dukes was thus followed by another historical role. St. Vincent’s Church and the neoclassical town hall also bear witness to Schöningen’s importance. Together, these buildings represent different aspects of the city’s history.

Museum and Activities in Schöningen

A guided tour of the Schöningen Local History Museum covers geology, prehistory and city history, as well as economic, agricultural and industrial history. It also offers insights into the lives of the town’s former middle classes. The range of topics thus extends from geology to various aspects of city and economic history. If the guided tour is an important part of your travel planning, check its availability in advance.

The first leg of the Elmkreisel starts at Burgplatz in Schöningen. Include current local information about conditions in your planning. Another activity offered in Schöningen is an introductory disc golf course or a mini-tournament. If you would like to take part, check availability before your trip.

More to Explore in the Wider Helmstedt Destination

In the wider Helmstedt destination, an archaeological highlight is the Schöningen Research Museum: visitors can see the Schöningen spears there, close to where they were found. They were left at the site about 300,000 years ago and discovered in 1994; excavations are still taking place there today. The spears, the find site and the ongoing excavations each provide a different point of reference in time.

In Königslutter, the Imperial Cathedral is one of the most impressive Romanesque buildings in Lower Saxony. The Imperial Cathedral, cloister and Kaiser Lothar’s Lime Tree in the former monastery courtyard together form a much-visited attraction. Guided tours at the Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments explain how the instruments work. Nearly all of them are functional and ready to be demonstrated, making the tour an experience for visitors of all ages.

The Juleum Novum in Helmstedt also brings together architectural and university history: the assembly hall of the former university was built as a palatial Renaissance building from 1592 to 1597. The District and University Museum in the Juleum displays a model of the city of Helmstedt around 1750 and original objects from the university era, including an astronomical disk, a globe and tableware from the university refectory. An architecture tour of Helmstedt presents 1,000 years of building history, from the Romanesque period to Historicism; check booking arrangements in advance.

The climb up the Juleum Tower involves 153 steps and takes place on the first Saturday of every month from April to October, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Check the current date before your trip. A treasury containing precious medieval church vestments is located in the former chapter house of St. Marienberg Monastery. Public tours of the monastery and church take place on the first Sunday of every month at 2 p.m. and are free of charge; it is also advisable to check the current date for these.

Discover more destinations: Brunsleberfeld, Büddenstedt, Jerxheim, Velpke, Söllingen, Mariental, Süpplingenburg, Lauingen.

Go to the wider travel overview: Helmstedt.