Hotel Alte Brennerei from 1641, scenically set near historic town hall & castle of Wernigerode, beer garden, Garni-Hotel Alt Wernigeröder Hof traditional hotel at excellent location for hiking. The Witches’ Trail The hotel is within walking distance of the historic town hall and the castle of Wernigerode. This means that we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you click on the links. The Hexentanzplatz (‘Witches’ Dance Floor’) is in a place called Thale, high up in the Harz mountains. It goes right across the network of visible roots among bare, upright trunks, sometimes broken and sometimes even completely turned over, displaying the enormous roots. The Harz Mountains Nature Park, located in Germany’s northernmost highlands, is a landscape of great diversity comprising broad upland plains and meadows, and wild and romantic wooded valleys. The German writer and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe referred to the witches in his work Faust. As a Booking.com affiliate partner, as an iVisa affiliate partner and as a World Nomads affiliate partner we earn from purchases made through our affiliate links. A tortuous hairpin road, which twists through the light green forest, is our access point to the small village Hohegeiss near Braunlage. Witches in the Harz Mountains. Future newsletters will then get through. The fairy tale legend about the Brocken witches absolutely still exists. The Harz Witches' Trail (German: Harzer Hexenstieg) is a footpath, just under 100 km long, in Germany that runs from Osterode through the Harz mountains and over its highest peak, the Brocken, to Thale. Even if it is a calm day, the bridge swings considerably when we walk over it, and we must hold firmly on to the railing! Brocken is the highest peak (1,142 m or 3,747 ft) of the Harz Mountain range and also of the entire Northern Germany. We are actually terribly near the border between the two German states Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt) and Lower Saxony (Nieder-Sachsen). Goethe, Heine, Herder, Klopstock and Fontane all walked along these paths and it inspired some of their writings. Harz Mountains Nature Park and Geopark – wild and rugged scenery . 2. Brocken with its enchanting hillsides, forests and rock formations is all ready for discovery. Daily breakfast buffet. Fortunately, with the abandoning of the mining, the underground perils of collapsing mining corridors finally came to an end. Thank you for subscribing. Titan RT suspension bridge. The Brothers Grimm, whose collection of fairy tales are still known and loved by every child today, spent a formative period of their lives as professors in Göttingen. The downside, at the time, was the danger involved in working there. When the Fabled Brocken Witches Dance in the Harz Mountains. Hunting for witches in Germany’s Harz mountains Wernigerode hosts one of the region’s biggest Walpurgis Night celebrations © Florian Trykowski/German National Tourist Board That night the Harz people participate in the occult event in the villages and towns, dressing like witches and devils and attempting to expel the witches with fireworks. Then read Things to Do in Berlin City – What Attractions to Visit in 3 Days? Straddling the former Iron Curtain border (now a green zone), the Harz National Park includes the fabled Brocken peak, highest point in northern Germany. One of the most famous hiking trails of the Harz region is the Harz Witches Trail. It starts in the medieval half-timbered town of Osterode, which lies between the barrier lake "Sösestausee", the mountain formation "Südharzer Karstgebirge" and the sunny valley "Lerbachtal" in the southern part of the Harz. Here, Quedlinburg, a dazzling medieval town … A series of leaflets are available on particular themes, helping you to get your bearings and find out more about the area. The path takes hikers through green forests, rocky gorges and medieval towns with half-timbered houses, and brings them face to face with the 1,000 year-old mining history at every turn. The Harz is known for its many famous fairytales and witch stories (Goethe, for instance, mentioned the highest mountain of the Harz, the "Brocken" in his work "Faust"), so don't be surprised to see witches strolling the streets of Goslar! Aug 4, 2017 - Explore Salem Witch House Witch's board "Brocken Witches", followed by 118 people on Pinterest. Germany ’s Harz Mountains have historically been associated with witches, spirits, and black magic, particularly the range’s highest peak, the Brocken. Quietly located on the edge of the Harz Mountains in the area of Wieda, this country-style hotel is set just 4.3 mi away from the Oderstausee lake. Click here to get a quote and buy your travel insurance. Back then the forest death across larger areas of Germany was believed to be due to acid rain and air pollution from the industries. Find the perfect harz witches stock photo. If you have found inspiration on our website, you can support our work by using our links. These sagas captivate because they are based in truths - and therefore, in many places in the Harz Mountains are almost tangible - albeit slightly embellished. One of the walking trails here is called the Cable car from Thale to the Hexentanzplatz / Witches' Dance Floor in the Harz mountains, Thale, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany Wernigerode, Germany - June 1,2017: A witch, traditional figures from the Harz mountains in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. 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