Home to one of ancient Germany’s greatest emperors, Otto the Great, Magdeburg today is a thriving city of industry, architecture, science, and art. It is also a resilient city, having risen from the ashes of a 12th century fire and the bombs that destroyed it during World War II. An essential inland port city, Magdeburg offers plenty of treasures that are not to be missed!

Magdeburg Cathedral: The Gothic Resting Place of Otto the Great and his Wife

The Magdeburg Cathedral was built over 1,000 years ago, and holds the distinction as Germany’s first gothic cathedral. Construction began in 937 when Otto the Great, German King and Holy Roman Emperor, built a monastery dedicated to St. Maurice and St. Catherine. 

Over the decades, the monastery grew into a cathedral as Otto the Great’s power accumulated. Otto and his wife Editha were buried here, where their tombs remain to this day. Visitors can look around the majestic building, admire the many pieces of art and sculptures, and even attend services, as the cathedral still functions as an active Protestant church.

Choose Your Own Adventure: The Museum Edition 

For science and technology fans, Magdeburg offers two excellent museums. The Jahrtausendturm is a six-story interactive wonder with more than 250 exhibits spanning the scientific and technological advancements of humankind over the past 6,000 years. It is located in one of the tallest wooden towers in the world, which reaches almost 200 feet tall. The Technikmuseum has amazing exhibits dedicated to industrial, agricultural, and aerospace history, among other technological evolutions, from 1847 to the 1980s. With more than 6,000 original and model objects, it is one of the largest collections in Germany. 

Art and architecture lovers will delight in the Magdeburg Art Museum. Housed in a former church that was built in the late 11th century, the Romanesque-style Church of Our Lady was a monastery until the mid 1600s and a school for a period of time after that. Despite suffering significant damage during World War II, the building has been largely restored. The museum opened in 1975 and is full of contemporary and international artworks, sculptures, paintings, and photographs. 

Magdeburg also offers the perfect opportunity to see two different types of history in one building that is split into two museums. At the Museum of Cultural History, discover the history of Magdeburg and Europe through art, military equipment, furniture and more. Additionally, one of the museum’s most famous statues, the Magdeburg Rider, can be found here. At the Museum of Natural History, visitors can learn about different habitats, biodiversity, and the Ice Age. The beloved, albeit poorly assembled, “Magdeburg Unicorn” can be found here and is certainly worth a look. 

Modern Whimsy in an Ancient Town: Visit the Grüne Zitadelle

The Grüne Zitadelle, or Green Citadel, was built in 2005 and designed by Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who believed in the close relationship between a building’s architecture and the health and happiness of its inhabitants. 

This thinking is reflected in the Green Citadel through its bright colors, whimsical design, and incorporation of natural elements like trees and ivy. Apart from being an architectural marvel, visitors can go inside and explore the numerous shops, restaurants, and theaters. There is even a hotel with over 40 colorfully decorated rooms that provides an excellent option for an interesting place to stay in Magdeburg. 

Get Outside: The Beautiful Stadtpark Rotehorn

Situated on an island in the Elbe River that runs through Magdeburg, Stadtpark Rotehorn is a beautiful English park and garden. It has been in use as a natural space since the 1800s when it was first used as a beach. 

Since then it has undergone developments and includes a town hall, temple, and lake. Visitors can go boating on the lake, go for runs in the park’s trails, and even enjoy a drink in the island’s beer gardens. Stadtpark Rotehorn is perfect for simply taking a short walk through or for spending an entire day.

Getting to Magdeburg

By car, Magdeburg is approximately 5.5 hours from Kaiserslautern and Stuttgart, and 4.5 hours from Wiesbaden. Check with Deutsche Bahn for train options. 

Featured image by Sina Ettmer Photography / Shutterstock.com