Bad Harzburg

Bad Harzburg is a town on the northern slope of the Oberharz mountains in Lower Saxony, stretching for several kilometers along wooded hills. Streets run from the lower town center upward to villa districts and cure facilities scattered among pines and deciduous trees.

An emperor built a fortification on Burgberg in the 11th century, whose wall remains are visible today on the wooded summit. Discovery of mineral springs in the 19th century transformed the small village into a recognized health resort.

The name reflects the salt springs that gave the settlement its spa designation in the 19th century. Visitors today see locals walking forest trails as part of daily wellness routines, with many residents using the outdoor Kneipp basins built into public parks.

The railway station sits centrally and allows arrivals from larger cities within a few hours. Cure houses and public thermal baths are mostly within walking distance from the center, with paths through wooded slopes leading to different facilities.

The Burgberg cable car rises from the town to the wooded summit, where an observation tower stands beside the old wall remains. From up there, visitors see the flat North German Plain stretching to the horizon.