Discover Burg: Half-timbered houses, industrial history and trails

Burg combines historic buildings and industry with exhibitions, parks and cycling routes. If you are looking for a hotel in Burg, knowing what the town has to offer can help you plan your stay: its attractions range from half-timbered houses and local history to former industries, as well as cycling and waterways. The following places and activities show the variety of themes you can discover in Burg and the surrounding area.

Half-timbered houses, towers and crafts

The Gerberwohnhaus is one of Burg’s oldest surviving half-timbered buildings and dates from the 15th or 16th century. The town’s historic heritage also includes six towers, two Romanesque buildings on the Romanesque Road, historic parks and industrial sites connected with tanning, shoemaking and brewing. The Berliner Torturm dates from the second town wall, built around 1400, and is one of the last remaining of the roughly 30 defensive and watchtowers that once stood here. The Hexenturm has also survived; it dates back to the town’s 11th-century fortifications.

The Old Town to Bismarck Tower tour takes about 90 minutes. Depending on the weather, it may include a climb to the Bismarck Tower’s viewing platform. As the tour’s availability and weather-dependent access may change, it is best to check dates and access arrangements in advance.

The Historic Tannery offers guided visits, during which machines, tools and finished products illustrate the tanning process. Check the visit arrangements in advance, as they may change. The soap-making exhibition displays office furnishings, production equipment and soap products, and is considered unique in Germany. Another exhibition is devoted to the history of the Burg shoe factory: it explores the development of shoe fashion and industrial shoe production. Machines illustrate the process from developing a design to producing the finished shoe.

Exhibitions offering different perspectives

The Tin Figure Cabinet offers a broad historical perspective: the exhibition covers 160 square metres and presents historical scenes from antiquity to modern times. One specific episode in history is represented by a 4.35-metre-long diorama featuring around 800 figures. It depicts Napoleon’s retreat from the 1812 French invasion of Russia. The wide range of themes and this particular historical scene offer different points of interest for visitors.

Parks and nature near Burg

The historic, listed Goethepark covers about 8.7 hectares and forms a green corridor between the railway station and the town centre. Burg’s Weinberg is considered the town’s highest point and oldest site. These two places offer different connections to the town: Goethepark links the station and centre, while Weinberg is associated with elevation and history.

The Bürgerholz, about eight kilometres from Burg, has a nature trail and a fitness trail. Within the Bürgerholz lies a nature reserve of around 580 hectares, part of a 920-hectare forest area. It serves as a breeding ground for cranes and black storks. The area therefore features both designated trails and a protected habitat for these bird species.

Cycling routes and waterways

Burg lies on the 75-kilometre Tangermünde–Magdeburg section of the Elbe Cycle Route. The Telegraph Cycle Route, which is more than 800 kilometres long, also passes through Burg. It follows the former Prussian optical telegraph line between Berlin and Koblenz. The stated distances refer to different scales: for the Elbe Cycle Route, they describe a named section; for the Telegraph Cycle Route, they describe a route of more than 800 kilometres. The Elbe Cycle Route reaches Burg via the Elbe-Havel Cycle Route; the nearest access point is the Hohenwarthe information centre in Möser.

Lake Niegripper See is connected to the Elbe-Havel Canal and is used by anglers and people travelling by water. The lake area has a bathing beach with separate zones for swimmers and non-swimmers, a dog beach, showers and toilets. Facilities and access may change; check the current conditions before your visit. This makes it easy to distinguish between the lake’s different uses—from fishing and water-based travel to swimming—when planning your visit.

More activities

The Alpakahof Zu Den Drei Linden offers alpaca cuddling, walks and courses on caring for and handling the animals. Visits must be arranged in advance; check the current arrangements when planning. This offers a different kind of experience from Burg’s exhibitions and historic buildings, so you can consider it as a separate focus for your visit.

Discover more destinations: Möser, Genthin, Biederitz, Elbe-Parey, Gommern, Möckern, Jerichow

Return to the main travel overview: Jerichower Land.