Duderstadt, Medieval Hanseatic city in Göttingen district, Germany.
Duderstadt is a town in Göttingen district, known for its preserved old quarter with more than 500 half-timbered houses. Market Street connects two towers, the Westerturm with its tilted roof and the Obertor at the opposite end of the center.
The settlement was first mentioned in written records in 929 and grew under the archbishops of Mainz into a trade hub between Thuringia and Lower Saxony. During the 15th and 16th centuries the town flourished as a member of the Hanseatic League, which financed the construction of fortifications and many townhouses.
The name refers to an old ford across the Brehme river, which served travelers crossing the area. Today the old town still reflects its Catholic Eichsfeld heritage through local celebrations and processions.
The old town can be explored easily on foot, as most sights lie within the historic wall ring. A walk along the former fortifications offers a good overview of the medieval core's extent.
The Westerturm leans more than one meter to the side, making it one of the most tilted towers in Germany. Despite this lean, it has continued to serve as a viewing point for centuries.
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