Goslar

What, Ram + Goat = Goslar? Not quite...! According to legend, Ramm, a knight to Henry's son Otto the Great, tied his horse to a tree, halfway up the Rammelsberg, to continue hunting in the undergrowth. In anticipation of the return of its owner, the horse scraped with its hoof in the ground laying open a ledge of silver so rich that it took over a millennium to mine. Hence the mountain and mine were called the Rammelsberg, after Otto's knight Ramm. As the wife of knight Ramm was called Gosa, they named the town Goslar in her honor.

Emperors, Dukes, and Townsfolk Essentially Goslar was a Free Imperial City, which was under direct control of the Emperor and there were no regional feudal overlords, who were in charge of the city until the end of the Thirty's Year War. Thus the citizens were largely left to their own devices, since the emperors had mostly better things to do than to sit in their Imperial Palace at Goslar. There were several other imperial palaces throughout the Holy Roman Empire, where the emperors held court. The only problem for the city's craftsmen was that their Free Imperial City ended right behind the city's walls. Unfortunately for them, the mine they depended upon, for the delivery of the ores, was immediately outside these very city walls. So they had to lease the rights to the mine from even such regional feudal overlords, the Dukes of Brunswick, who would have fancied it, if the city was theirs. This inevitably let to regular skirmishes between the Dukes and their men on the one side, and the burghers on the other side, which were not resolved until the end of the Thirty's Year War in 1642 AD with the Goslar Accord.

Goethe's Goslar Gothic Ghosts. With the onset of the Reformation in 1517 AD Goslar has escaped the interest of the emperor, and its riches declined so that Goethe, Germany's national polymath, writes in 1777 during his visit to Goslar: "Imperial City, which rots 'inside' and 'with' its privileges!"

This might be a reason why the Rammelsberg Mine and Town have been so uniquely preserved that they hold UNESCO World Heritage Status.

Goslar is the Harz region's festival town, culminating in the annual award of the "Imperial Ring" .

If you own a plane, a helicopter or even a flying saucer then you might wish to land at the club airport Salzgitter-Drütte in the immediate vicinity (24 miles) of Goslar or the Brunswick-Wolfsburg Airport. Maybe try the disused military airfield at Goslar itself, but don't get yourselves into troubles over this.

However, as a lesser mortal you need to take a plane into either

• Hanover International Airport (HAJ ^IATA) (65 miles)
• Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ ^IATA) (103 miles)

and make your way to Goslar by car or by train. Both airports are connected to the S-Bahn network of their respective cities from where you can take a train to Goslar. A further option is flying into Frankfurt Airport (FRA ^IATA) and taking the train from there

Goslar can best be accessed by regional trains from Hanover or Brunswick. In Hanover and Göttingen there is access to Germany's ICE (Inter City Express) network. Getting to other cities might require changes along the way, often in Hildesheim, Salzgitter or Kreiensen.

From Paris/London/Brussels/Cologne take the Autobahn A44/E331 to Kassel and take the A7/E45 in the direction Hamburg at the Kassel intersection. For further directions see below.

From Madrid/Rome/Vienna/Zurich/Munich/Frankfurt take the A7/E45 and leave it at either the intersection Seesen. Take the Bundesstraße B248 and then the Bundesstraße B82 to Goslar. If you wish to take the route via the Harz mountains, exit the A7/E45 at Northeim and take the Bundesstraße B241 via Osterode, Clausthal-Zellerfeld to Goslar.

Coming from Moscow/Warsaw/Prague/Berlin, take the A2/E39 to the intersection Braunschweig and head via the A395 in the direction of Bad Harzburg. At Vienenburg you leave the A395 and take the Bundesstraße B241 to Goslar.

Arriving from Amsterdam/Düsseldorf/Ruhr Basin take the A2/E39 to Hannover and at the Intersection Hannover leave the A2/E39 and take the A7/E45. For further directions, see below.

Coming from Copenhagen/Stockholm/Oslo/Hamburg/Bremen/Hanover you take the A7/E45 in the direction Frankfurt. You exit the autobahn at Derneburg-Salzgitter (63) and take the Bundesstraße B6 (mostly two-lane) to Goslar or you exit at Rhüden (66) and take the Bundesstraße B82 to Goslar.

Goslar is a popular destination for bikers who enjoy riding their bikes through the Harz mountains.

Bus services to and from Goslar are relatively frequent and efficient. The regional bus operator Brunswick Regional Transport RBB runs a website , which assists you with finding the relevant connection. In Goslar, their hub is in front of the central railway station. Here you also find a small travel centre, where staff can provide you with further advise. Essentially, the most frequent routes are between Goslar, Seesen, Harzburg-Spa, Salzgitter and Clausthal-Zellerfeld, with less frequent services to other destinations in the Upper Harz (lines 440, 450, 462, 831, 838, 841, 842, 850, 861, 879). The RegioBus lines are the express ones—the others are slow. The handy thing is that the RBB forms a partnership with other regional public transport operators, so that you only have to buy a single transferable ticket. Thus, there is no need to purchase a new one every time you change your train or bus.

• Regionalbus Braunschweig GmbH - Office Goslar, Hildesheimer St. 53. T: +49 5321 34310, F: +49 5321 343160, E: rbb.goslar@rbb-bus.de.

• Kaiserpfalz Imperial Palace. – built between 1040 and 1050. For more than 200 years German and European history was made here. Open: Apr - Oct: 10:00 - 17:00; Nov - Mar: 10:00 - 16:00, closed during special events. Admission: adults €7.50, children/youth €4.50. Kaiserbleek 6, ☏ +49 5321-311 9693 
• 🌍 Zwinger, Thomasstraße 2, ☏ +49 5321 43140, museum@goslarer-zwinger.de. Mar - Oct: 11:00-16:00. 25 Dec - 10 Jan: 10:00- 15:00. Guided-tours outside opening hours on appointment. The massive Zwinger Tower arrests the attention of those driving by. Pedestrians in the green belt park, as well, stop to gaze in awe. Built to protect the Rammelsberg and the east flank of the town up to the Broad Gate, it was one of the mightiest defences in Europe. Up to 1000 people could find safety in its four storeys in case of siege. Measuring 26 metres in diameter, the tower's lower walls are over 6 metres thick. Today it houses a private Museum of the Late Middle Ages where armour and weapons for knights and musketeers, instruments of torture as well as boors’ weapons from 1524 are on display. From the rooftop there is a good view across Goslar and toward the mountains. It also houses a restaurant and holiday flats. Adults: €2.50; children, students: €1.60.. 

• Town Hall and Hall of Homage, Markt 7, ☏ +49 5321 78060, tourist-information@goslar.de. Apr – Oct and Dec: M-F 11:00-15:00, Sa Sunholidays 10:00-16:00. During the rest of the year the Hall of Homage can be visited during the guided city tour One Thousand Steps through the Old Town (daily 10:00). Tickets at the Goslar Tourist Information.. Town Hall (Rathaus) – The Goslar Town Hall is, indeed, a building of the centuries: the east wing with the arcades opening onto the Market Square was begun in the middle of the 15th century and over the following 400 years the Town Hall was continually extended and enlarged. Today its overall impression is determined by the 16th-century additions: a period of great prosperity for Goslar, which, as a member of Hanseatic League and a Free Imperial City, profited from the flourishing mining industry. The Town Hall still serves its original purpose, housing the Lord Mayor’s Office and the hall where the Town Council still discuss the weal of the town under the beautiful star-studded wooden ceiling. Hall of Homage (Huldigungssaal) – The Hall of Homage was set up as a council chamber between 1505 and 1520. It is a unique jewel of late Gothic interior decoration: its walls, the ceiling and even the window alcoves are completely covered with wood panel paintings. Each painting is an artwork of quality, contributing to the overwhelming complete ensemble. Richly carved wood decorations surround each painting. After many years of restoration the room is now protected by complex environmental protection devices so that this masterpiece can be preserved for future generations. Adults €3.50. Groups €2.50, children/youth €1.50.. 

• Kaiserworth – The main building of the Town Hall had not long been completed when the cloth merchants built their guildhall in its immediate proximity in 1494. For nearly 200 years the Hotel Kaiserworth has been at home here.
• St. Anne’s House, St. Annenhaus, ☏ +49 5321 39870. Tu - Th 14:00-16:00. Just five minutes away from the Market Square, between the Glockengießer Straße and the Abzucht stream, is Goslar’s oldest unaltered half-timbered house. This almshouse was founded in 1488 and contains portions of a Romanesque stone “Kemenate” with a medieval kitchen, the large one-room hall, and a chapel. Of particular note is the Baroque altar by Jobst Heinrich Lessen and the artfully-worked Margarete Tapestry from the 15th century with 32 illustrations of the life of the martyred saint. 

• 🌍 Claus Chapel, ☏ +49 5321 22464, +49 5321 22566. Opening hours: Viewing and guided tours on request. This small Romanesque hall church from the 12th century was incorporated in the town fortifications and served as a gate chapel. From 1537 onwards it was the miners' hospice chapel, replacing their former church in the Bergdorp village, which had been destroyed. The miners passed through the Claus Gate going to and coming from mines and the chapel served for hundreds of years for prayer and church services. The Frankenberg Parish had the pulpit rights and obtained the chapel from the mine administration in 1969. In 1988 following the last shift in the mines the miners visited the chapel for the last time. Today it is used regularly by the Frankenberg parish congregation for prayer and church services. 
• 🌍 Frankenberg Church, Frankenberger Plan 4, ☏ +49 5321 22464, +49 5321 22566. Apr-Oct: 09:00-18:00; Nov-Mar by appointment. Guided tours on request. The Frankenberg Church of St. Peter and Paul Church was built in the 12th century as a three-aisled, cruciform, pillared basilica with a flat ceiling. It stands on the highest point in the west of town. The steeples were part of the town wall. The existence of the church is documented for 1108 and beginning in 1234 it was also used for the nuns of the neighbouring St. Mary Magdalena Convent. Around 1240 the roof was vaulted, in the 14th and 15th centuries Gothic alterations of the choir and the southerly transept are recorded, in 1783 the badly deteriorated steeples were removed and the Baroque tower roof added, and in 1873/80 extensive restoration of the interior and exterior was carried out. The Frankenberg Church was the parish church of miners who lived in close proximity to the mines in the Frankenberg Quarter. The bell inscriptions and the Mining Thanksgiving festival on Sunday before Ash Wednesday are reminiscent of this. 
• 🌍 Market Church St. Cosmas and Damian, Evangelisch-Lutherische Marktkirche in Goslar, Kaiserbleek 5, ☏ +49 5321 22922. Daily Apr-Oct: 10:00-17:00; Nov-Mar: 10:00-16:00. Guided tours: M 12:30-15:30PM. Short service: May-Oct Tu F 11:30-11:45. North Steeple opening hours: daily 11:00-17:00. The Goslar Market Church, first mentioned in 1151, was built as a smaller copy of the Imperial Church, which no longer exists, in the form of a triple-aisled, pillared basilica with two spires in the west. In the 14th and 15th centuries the choir was enlarged and an additional nave was added on both sides. Today it not only attracts attention through its central location on the Market Square but also because of its very high unmatched steeples, which assist in orientation and provide attractive views from various points in the Old Town. Of special note are the nine medieval stained glass windows from the first third of the 13th century, the old library, the bronze baptismal font from 1573, the remnant of a Late Gothic mural from around 1440 and the wooden Baroque altar from 1659. The North steeple of the Market Church has been made accessible for a view over the town. 

• World Cultural Heritage Rammelsberg Museum and Visitors' Mine Works, Bergtal 19. 09:00-18:00 daily. Different prices for different tours above and underground. Few buildings (baths, workshops, warehouses) and underground corridors accessible. Attractions include a ride in old miners' underground train and mining tools showing. Guides speak a few languages. 
• 🌍 Goslar Museum, Königsstraße 1, ☏ +49 5321 43394. Nov-Mar: 10:00-16:00; Apr-Oct: 10:00-17:00, closed Mondays. In the prebendary house from 1514 extensive exhibits covering the history and art history of the town as well as the geology and mineralogy of the region can be viewed. Outstanding objects: the famed Krodo Altar (early 12th century), the Goslar Evangeliar (13th century), a collection of over 1000 coins bearing the Goslar mint stamp, the miners’ tankard from 1477 and the original Market Fountain eagle from the 14 th century. Further exhibits cover the life of everyday people over the last 10 centuries. A fascinating trip back in time. Admission for individuals: adult €4 (including Tin Figure Museum: €6); children or youth €2 (€3.50); family card for both museums €9 (€12.50); for groups of 10 persons or more: adult €3, child or youth €1.50. 
• Tin Figure Museum (Zinnfiguren Museum), Klapperhagen 1, ☏ +49 5321 25889. Nov-Mar: 10:00-16:00; Apr-Oct: 10:00-17:00, closed Mondays. In the beautiful historical building of „Lohmühle“ (early 16th century) – set in romantic Klapperhagen – you will find the Goslar-Museum of tin-figures. The museum was founded by a group of sponsors in 1985. Experts and connoisseurs of the scene call it the most beautiful museum of its kind in Germany. Main subject of interest is the representation of the 1000 years of history of mining as well as the historical events of the region in general. The tin-figures are use as means of demonstration of these events and situations. Through presentation of historical information in the form of diorama (it´s a scene), that depict fragments of characteristic situations, the visitor gets the chance to approach the cultural-historical facts and situations on a “personal” level. On two floors the presentation shows about 100 diorama and more than 10,000 hand-painted tin-figures. Besides the possibility of looking at the tin-figures our museum offers the opportunity to get inside information about the practical part of making the figures at our workshop. Offering the opportunity to make as well as paint a figure by yourself is part of the main concept of the museum. Also for the collector of tin-figures there is a wide range of tin-figures for sale which are partly produced in our own workshop. Admission for individuals: adult €4 (including Goslar Museum: €6), children or youth €2 (€3.50), family card for both museums €9 (€12.50); for groups of 10 persons or more: adult €3, child or youth €1.50. 
• 🌍 Mönchehaus-Museum Goslar, Rosentorstraße 27, ☏ +49 5321 29570, info@moenchehaus.de. Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 10:00-13:00, closed Mondays. The Mönchehaus Museum is a renowned museum of modern art. Works of artists of international acclaim, such as Joseph Beuys, Max Ernst, Georg Baselitz and Eduardo Chilida, are on display in the rooms of the citizen farmer’s house from 1528 and the adjoining half- timbered buildings, the stone- vaulted cellars and the sculpture garden. Changing exhibits of works of different artists can be viewed in the three storeys of the 1528 house. Every year the town of Goslar presents the internationally acclaimed art award, the "Kaiser Ring", and the accompanying exhibit of works of the recipient opens at the Mönchehaus. Adults €5.00, children and young people €1.50, for groups of 10 or more: adults €4.00, children and young people €1.00. 

• Asia Bistro, Fischemäker St. 14, T: +49 5321 3949300. Chinese food at budget prices.
• Aigner , Erkelenzdamm 110, T: +49 5321 6759, German dishes. Open M-Sa 11:00 - 23:00,
• Bistro Tomate, Stapelner St. 8, T: +49 5321 683886. Currywurst (curried sausage), salads, beer.
• Döner-King, Höhlenweg 2, in Goslar Oker, T: +49 5321 65003. 4.5 km to the east of the town's centre. Typical Turkish next door kebab shop.
• La Piazza, Schlesische St. 50, T: +49 5321 1452, Italian dishes, weekdays lunch time is half price. Open Daily 12:00 - 23:00.
• Lil-Café, Markt St. 15, T: +49 5321 42178. Chips, cappuccino, salads.
• Petit , Reinhardtstraße 57, T: +49 5321 9016, French cuisine, weekdays lunch time is half price. Open M-Sa 11:00 - 23:00.
• Pubblico , Frankfurter St. 105, T: +49 5321 26180, Italian dishes. Open daily from 12:00 - 24:00.
• Shiva, Kant St. 96, T: +49 5321 765, Indian restaurant, family friendly, children's meal for €4.95. Daily 12:00 - 23:00.
• Kasimir's Döner Ecke, Danziger St. 8. in Goslar Jürgenohl, 1 mile north of the town's centre. Nice and clean Turkish kebab shop.

• Altdeutsche Stuben/Teutonic Lodge Goslar's most traditional restaurant in the Old Watchtower of Achtermann Hotel. Local and international cuisine. Rosentor St. 20. T: +49 5321 70000-V. Opening hours: 12:00-15:00 and 18:00 - late.
• Restaurant Aubergine, ☏ +49 5321 42136. Markt St. 4. Novel, vegetarian, Mediterranean and Persian cuisine. Highly acclaimed (Michelin Guide) restaurant with a nice ambience for the gourmet. 
• Restaurant Sahara, Markt St. 16, T: +49 5321 381955. Maghrebinian, Arab and Moroccan Dishes. Excellent barbecues. Try the delicious couscous.
• Restaurant Worthmühle, ☏ +49 5321 43402. Worth St. 4. Known for its excellent game dishes directly from the Harz Mountains. Located in a cosy old mill at the river Gose in the town centre. 
• Zum Lindenhof/Limetree Yard, Schützenallee 1, T: +49 5321 1777. Local and regional cuisine. Ideal venue for groups and parties. With 12 lane bowling alley and meeting rooms attached.

• Trattoria Da Enzo, ☏ +49 5321 23223. Bäckerster. 18. The finest Italian meals in town. Top tip for authentic Sicilian cuisine. 
• Restaurant Gosequell, ☏ +49 5321 34050. An der Gose 23, in the chefs' guildhall. Enjoy the locally brewed beer. Organic dishes. Best trout in town. 

• Campingplatz Sennhütte, Clausthaler St. 28, ☏ +49 5321 22498. Camping site in the vicinity of the town centre. Clean. 
• Campingplatz Am Kreuzeck, 2570 Kreuzeck 5, Hahnenklee, ☏ +49 5325 238564, fax: +49 5325 3392, kreuzeck@aol.com. Suited for caravans. ca. 250 places. High up in the Upper Harz in the village of Hahnenklee, ca. 8 km to the south of Goslar. Quiet. 

• YHA Hostel Goslar (Jugendherberge Goslar), Rammelsberger St. 25, ☏ +49 5321 22240, fax: +49 5321 41376, jh-goslar@djh-hannover.de. The YHA hostel can be found at the southwestern edge of Goslar on a hill overlooking the town. Its slate roof and half timbered façade make the building instantly recognisable. Membership of the International Youth Hostel Association is required. There are 163 beds, each room has 2 - 8 beds and a washing facility. The rooms in the annex have 12 beds and are suited for visitors with disabilities. 

There are more than 20 private pensions and room rentals as well as almost 100 holiday apartments catering to this price range in Goslar. It is best to contact the Tourist Information or see the official website for details.

• Zwinger, Thomasstraße 2, ☏ +49 5322 554944, fax: +49 5322 554945. A real castle to sleep in! With a selection of beautiful rooms. Two people per room: €58, three people per room: €63, there are other options available. 
• Haus am Steinberg, Zeppelinstr. 1 (From the station: on foot about 15 to 20 minutes. By taxi 5 minutes), ☏ +49 5321 75880, fax: +49 5321 758813. They offer 13 double rooms and 21 single rooms with shower and toilet. Seminar rooms of various sizes with modern media equipment waiting for you. 
• Gästehaus Möller, Schieferweg 6, ☏ +49 5321 23098, fax: +49 5321 317462. Total 27 beds, of those 5 single rooms, 11 double rooms. starting at €22. 
• Haus Lieselotte, Langeliethstr. 1, Hahnenklee, ☏ +49 5325 2348, info@hauslieselotte.de. Family Guesthouse in Hahnenklee-Bockswiese. Equipment: parking lot, TV room, garden/park at the house, discount for children, quiet location near the forest. A total of 8 beds, 2 singles, 3 doubles. 

• Hotel Achtermann, Rosento St. 20r, ☏ +49 5321 70000, fax: +49 5321 7000999, info@der-achtermann.de. Situated near the central railway station. Has a conference centre attached. 
• Hotel Kaiserworth****, Markt 3, ☏ +49 5321 7090, fax: +49 5321 709345. At the historical market place directly in the centre. Has also an excellent restaurant, the "Worth", and a confectionery with delicious cream cakes... yummy yummy! 
• Hotel Niedersächsischer Hof****, Klubgartenstr. 1-2, ☏ +49 5321 3160, fax: +49 5321 316444, niedersaechsischer-hof@t-online.de. Opposite the central railway station.