Altmark, Cultural landscape in northern Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Altmark is a cultural landscape in northern Saxony-Anhalt that stretches across the districts of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel and Stendal. Forests and heathlands alternate with fields, while small towns lie along the Elbe and its tributaries.
King Otto I transferred the territory to Count Gero in 936 to secure the eastern borders of the realm. The designation Northern March later transformed into the name still used for this landscape today.
Towns carry names of Germanic and Slavic origin, while brick churches along the Romanesque Route stand between fields and meadows. Half-timbered farmhouses still shape village squares, where weekly markets and church festivals follow the rhythm of the seasons.
Regional trains connect Stendal and Salzwedel with surrounding villages, while the Bundesautobahn 14 eases access from larger cities. Many villages are best explored by bicycle, as the paths mostly run flat through fields and forests.
Nowhere else in Germany are so many Hanseatic towns found in such close proximity. The Arendsee forms the largest natural body of water in the entire landscape and attracts swimmers and sailors in summer.
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