Aschersleben – Gateway to the Harz

The centuries-old history of Aschersleben, the oldest town in Saxony-Anhalt, reflects the happy and unhappy circumstances of times gone by. The town was founded between the 3rd and 5th centuries of our era. The name first appears as Ascegereslebe around 753 in a list of donations from the monastery of Fulda. Around the turn of the millennium, Aschersleben belonged to the county of the Ascanians. In 1266 the town charter was obtained, and in 1322 the town passed to the diocese of Halberstadt. Under this rule, Aschersleben acquired the Blutbahn in 1399 (imperial feud, fiduciary service for land loans, own jurisdiction) and the office of mayor in 1428. Wealthy and strengthened by town alliances, the town was able to buy important rights from the bishops. In 1443, this development reached its climax with the so-called Burgkaufbrief. The town was free and its membership of the Hanseatic League contributed to its economic success. Brown coal deposits discovered in 1828 provided the impetus for a developing industry. Today, the town has a population of around 27,000. Great efforts are being made to preserve the historic buildings and harmonise them with modern new buildings.

At the old castle

The Alte Burg is the city’s local recreation area. In addition to the zoo, there are several other attractions here. Planetarium and nature trail, the castle meadow and the Luisenblick at the foot of the castle hill enrich the offer. From here, you can start a hike into the idyllic Einetal valley on well-maintained paths.

Zoo

In the centre of the ‘Alte Burg’ recreational area is the Aschersleben Zoo.
Aschersleben Zoo. The ten-hectare, hilly forest park offers an extensive
with an extensive stock of deciduous trees and the extensive
and recreation. Since its opening as a municipal facility in 1973, the zoo has developed into one of the most attractive zoos in Saxony-Anhalt. Around 120 animal species are presented to visitors. ‘Just go for a walk’

St. Stephani‘s Church

St. Stephani‘s Church is the Protestant town church in the centre of Aschersleben. Construction of the church began in 1406 (west building) and was completed in 1507. Yellow Quedlinburg sandstone and grey sandstone from the Aschersleben Stephanskuhlen caves were used. There are extensions to the north, east and south of the choir. The 84 metre high stair tower and the 2nd floor of the north extension show Renaissance forms. St. Stephani‘s Church is home to noteworthy artefacts from the history of art: A bronze baptismal font from 1464, a Renaissance organ loft, a pew on the north side of the choir (late Renaissance). Of the two planned towers, only the south tower was completed. In 2007, the town celebrated the 500th anniversary of the church.

The city wall

After the destruction of the Ascanian seat by
Henry the Lion, it was bitterly necessary to prevent the secular
and ecclesiastical powers. In 1322
the citizens of the town were granted the right to surround their town
wall around their town. In 1466, an eight metre high wall with a circumference of 2.3 km connected 51 watch and defence towers. The oldest town in Saxony-Anhalt still has large parts of its 14th and 16th century fortifications. The approximately two-kilometre-long city wall ring, which is lined by a green promenade, surrounds the entire city centre.
Aschersleben is proud that 15 of the 51 defence and watchtowers have been preserved. The towers have become a landmark for Aschersleben. They should therefore not be missing from the town’s coat of arms or its modern logo. The Rondell is the mightiest fortification tower, which was built between 1505 and 1583. Its walls measure up to four metres. The half-timbered tower dates back to 1846.

Museum Aschersleben

From 1798 to 1935, the museum building was the lodge house of the Aschersleben Freemasons. This tradition, which goes back over 200 years, has been continued since 1993 with the reopening of the old traditional lodge ‘Zu den drei Kleeblättern’. Lodge work is once again being carried out in the reconstructed temple. Exhibitions not only provide information on the history of the lodge, but also on the history of the town, mining in the Lower Harz and a mineral cabinet.

Der Johannesturm

The tower is the only surviving gatehouse of the city wall. The imposing structure was built in 1380. Not far from it is the SCHMALEN HEINRICH, built in 1442. The walk through the Promenadenring is a walk through Aschersleben. Here you go on a discovery tour along the town wall – Elisabethzwinger, Wassertor Mill, Liebenwahn Tower, to name but a few.

Bestehornhaus

The town owes the Volkshaus to a foundation set up by the Bestehorn family in 1908, which was intended to be a meeting place for all sections of the population. The building is a cultural centre with a library, stage, club rooms and a large hall with a restaurant.

City Hall

The Aschersleben city hall combines 16th and 19th century architecture. The south wing, the bay window on the north wing and the gable wall of the east wing were built in 1517/18. A mixture of Gothic and Renaissance forms can be found on the east bay and the stair tower. The fortified main tower, apart from the dome, is older and has remained unchanged. The Ratskeller still contains the old cross vaults. The fireplace from the meeting room, an interesting work of art-historical sculpture dated 1591, is back in its old position after the renovation of the city hall in 1996. It shows the biblical figure of King Solomon settling a dispute between two mothers over a child.

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