Lüneburg, Medieval Hanseatic town in Lower Saxony, Germany
Lüneburg is a town in Lower Saxony at the northeastern edge of Lüneburg Heath. The old center contains more than a thousand preserved medieval structures, including brick and timber-frame gabled houses along narrow streets.
The salt works brought wealth from the 10th century until the 20th century and made the town an important member of the Hanseatic League. Salt trade connected it with other towns around the Baltic Sea and shaped the architecture of merchant houses.
The name comes from an Old Saxon term for the river, and salt workers once developed their own vocabulary around the brine springs. Today, residents walk through narrow lanes between brick buildings and gather in the market square near the old town hall.
The tourist office at the market square provides information about walking routes through the old town lanes and buildings. The center is compact and easy to explore on foot, with most sites close together.
The ground still sinks today because of centuries of salt extraction, so many houses lean and form unusual angles. The tilt of some gables is clearly visible from outside and gives the streets a crooked profile.
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