Discover Walkenried

Walkenried is well suited to a trip that combines the history of the monastery, World Heritage and trails in the town and surrounding municipality, each offering a different perspective. The Cistercian Museum introduces visitors to the history of the medieval monastery; the World Heritage Information Centre presents the wider cultural landscape of the Western Harz, while circular trails and a seasonal guided walk offer further insights. The distinctions below will help you organise visits and activities according to your interests.

Walkenried Monastery: Circular Trail and Guided Tours

The Monastery Discovery Trail is a themed circular trail with 13 stations in Walkenried and around Walkenried Monastery. Illustrated information panels provide details about locations within the medieval monastery precinct. Check current trail conditions before setting out. During the main season, a guided walk is also offered along the trail. You can discover the Gothic monastery complex, including the church ruins, the fully preserved cloister and important historic buildings from the post-monastic period; advance registration is required.

The Cistercian Museum at Walkenried Monastery offers guided tours of the monastery and the exhibition. The focus is on the everyday life of the White Monks, as well as the origins, rise and crisis of the medieval Walkenried monastic enterprise. This historical focus distinguishes the museum tours from the walk along the Monastery Discovery Trail. If you plan to join a guided tour, check the current schedule and booking information in advance.

World Heritage and the Cultural Landscape of the Western Harz

The World Heritage Information Centre in Walkenried offers a free exhibition, with some interactive displays, about the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Mines of Rammelsberg, Historic Town of Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management System.” It is the first of three information centres for this World Heritage Site. A 3D landscape model and a video projection illustrate the changes to the 3,000-year-old cultural landscape of the Western Harz. The focus here is on the cultural landscape and how it has changed, while the museum tours in Walkenried cover the history of the monastic enterprise and the lives of the White Monks. Check the information centre’s current opening details before your visit.

Monastery Market and Hiking Options

The Monastery Market is another option, tied to specific editions of the event. The 2026 edition was scheduled for 26 and 27 September in the monastery forecourt in Walkenried. At a scheduled edition, religious communities from Germany and other European countries offer handicrafts and products from their workshops, kitchens, gardens and cellars. These include beer, spirits, jewellery, soaps and ceramics. If you plan to visit the Monastery Market, check the dates for the edition announced at the time.

When considering hiking options, it is worth checking the scope of each one. The Walkenried municipality’s collection of routes includes circular trails around its districts, as well as sections of the long-distance Harzer Grenzweg, Harzer Baudensteig and Karstwanderweg trails. The municipality also has three Nordic walking routes for different fitness levels. These municipality-wide options differ from the Monastery Discovery Trail, with its 13 stations in Walkenried and around the monastery: the municipal route collection also includes circular trails around the districts and sections of long-distance trails that cross the region.

A Distinctive Focus Within the Wider Göttingen Destination

The wider Göttingen destination offers a distinctive focus on culture and landscape. The Forum Wissen provides insights into ongoing research and teaching. Its permanent exhibition, “Spaces of Knowledge,” covers 1,400 square metres; more than 1,400 objects from the collections of the University of Göttingen are displayed in twelve rooms. The exhibition makes it possible to trace the processes through which knowledge is created. The Old Botanical Garden in Göttingen offers a different perspective: it was founded in 1736 as a “hortus medicus,” or medicinal garden. There you can explore historic greenhouses, tropical vegetation in the rainforest house and the alpine garden.

Discover more destinations: Wieda, Zorge, Bad Grund (Harz), Fuhrbach, Bovenden, Hattorf Am Harz, Brochthausen, Gieboldehausen

Return to the overview of the wider destination: Göttingen.