Top 15 Must-Do Activities in Magdeburg, Germany

Among the most ancient cities in the eastern federal states of Germany, Magdeburg boasts a history spanning 1,200 years, previously forming part of the Hanseatic League of merchant cities. In the 10th century, Magdeburg served as the residence for Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, whose tomb is located within the magnificent cathedral. This structure represents the first example of Gothic architecture in Germany, deserving up to half a day of exploration for enthusiasts of Medieval art.

Magdeburg is recognized as the second greenest city in Germany. Despite enduring multiple wars, it has been meticulously reconstructed on each occasion. Presently, modern marvels can be discovered in Magdeburg, including a 60-meter wooden tower erected to commemorate the millennium, the final work of architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, alongside Europe’s largest canal underbridge.

Let us delve into the noteworthy attractions in Magdeburg:

1. Magdeburg Cathedral

The current form of Magdeburg Cathedral reflects developments from the 13th century, initiated under the worldly Prince Archbishop, Albert I of Käfernburg, who embraced the emerging French Gothic style.

Spanning 300 years, the cathedral’s construction involved significant trial and error, as initial architects lacked a frame of reference for Gothic design.

Its scale is remarkable, stretching 120 meters in length with towers standing at 100 meters high, and even after centuries of conflict and plunder, it retains a vast array of artistic treasures.

Notable features include the exceptional 13th-century carvings depicting the five wise and five foolish virgins at the entrance to the northern transept.

Additional impressive artworks include the 13th-century “Royal Couple” sculpture located within the sixteen-sided chapel, the tomb of 10th-century Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, repurposed ancient Roman pillars in the apse, and a baptismal font crafted from Egyptian porphyry, potentially several millennia old.

2. Kloster Unser Lieben Frauen

This 11th-century Romanesque monastery serves as an inspiring backdrop for a contemporary art museum.

Established in the atmospheric barrel-vaulted north wing in 1975, the exhibitions primarily focus on sculpture, photography, and video art.

While most works date post-1945, there exists an assortment from antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Baroque period, showcasing pieces by Maillol, Rodin, and Wilhelm Lehmbruck.

The complex stands as one of Saxony-Anhalt’s most celebrated monuments, composed of a basilica, cloister, convent, and school, constructed between the 11th and 13th centuries.

3. Jahrtausendturm

This building, designed in the shape of an irregular cone, is situated in Elbauenpark and was constructed for the new millennium. Standing at 60 meters, it is among the tallest wooden structures globally.

Inside, five floors exhibit the evolution of science over 6,000 years of human history.

As you ascend through each level, you advance through time, beginning at the ground floor with Ancient Egyptian mathematics, progressing through Medieval medicine, Renaissance mechanics, and significant inventions such as the telescope and the printing press.

The fourth floor showcases discoveries from the Early Modern Age, like electricity, stellar parallax, and radio, while the fifth floor focuses on contemporary scientific advancements.

Reaching the top, after climbing 243 steps or traversing 450 meters up the exterior ramp, visitors are rewarded with a scenic viewpoint.

4. Rotehorn Park

As the largest park within the city, Rotehorn Park occupies most of the Werder river island on the Elbe and is recognized as one of Germany’s most picturesque English landscape parks.

The park is accessible via two tram lines originating from the city center.

Historically undeveloped for hundreds of years, the park was established in the 1870s, with its area expanded to its current 200 hectares in 1898.

For those with an appreciation for 20th-century architecture, the Stadthalle, constructed in the Bauhaus style for the German Theatre Exhibition in 1927, is noteworthy. Additionally, the Albinmüller-Turm, a 60-meter lookout tower, was also designed for that exhibition.

From Tuesday to Sunday, during the summer months, visitors can rent rowboats on the tranquil Adolf-Mittag-See, situated at the park’s center.

5. Johanniskirche

Originally financed by the city’s merchants circa the 10th century, the Johanniskirche is no longer a consecrated place of worship; instead, it has been repurposed as a concert hall, museum, and convention center.

From January to June 2014, it also served as the meeting place for Saxony-Anhalt’s State Parliament.

The Johanniskirche has undergone destruction and reconstruction no fewer than four times: first due to Medieval fires, subsequently during the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century, and lastly following the devastation of World War II.

Visitors may access the church daily, excluding Mondays, to view the nave, which has been transformed into an impressive open space.

An observation platform at 52 meters can be reached by climbing 277 steps up the south tower.

6. Grüne Zitadelle von Magdeburg

Situated at the northwest corner of Domplatz (Cathedral Square), the Green Citadel presents a whimsical arrangement of irregularly striped towers, evoking the feel of a medieval castle submerged underwater.

This unique establishment is the creation of renowned architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser and was his final project before his passing in 2000. The structure employs vibrant ceramic tiles and serves as a mixed-use development featuring shops, a café, restaurant, theatre, hotel, children’s playground, and residential spaces.

The name “green” is attributed to the extensive vegetation incorporated within the citadel, reflecting Hundertwasser’s commitment to environmentalism.

The site boasts trees in the courtyard and is topped with a grassy roof.

Guided tours are available, offering insights and anecdotes about the citadel along with a glimpse into its upper floors.

7. Kanalbrücke Magdeburg (Water Bridge)

Upon its completion in 2003, this navigable aqueduct enabled access from Berlin’s inland waterways to Germany’s inland ports on the Rhine and Ruhr to the west.

The Magdeburg Water Bridge had been anticipated for over a century; however, earlier plans fell through due to warfare and Germany’s division.

This aqueduct channels the Mittelland Canal over the River Elbe and spans nearly a kilometer in length.

Construction commenced in 1998, with total expenses exceeding €500 million for this engineering feat.

A path adjacent to the canal allows for exploration, making it an inspiring sight for enthusiasts of modern engineering.

8. Alter Markt

Located between Breiter Weg and Jakobstraße, the city’s marketplace has been in existence since the 12th century under Bishop Wichmann von Seeburg’s oversight.

This square sustained significant damage first during the Thirty Years’ War and subsequently in World War II, resulting in predominantly modern structures encompassing its periphery.

However, at the eastern end stands the recently renovated town hall, which has occupied this site in various forms since the 13th century.

In front of the town hall, the Roland statue, a ubiquitous symbol in German town squares, represents Magdeburg’s quest for independence.

The primary attraction of Alter Markt lies in its market stalls, offering seasonal fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products, baked goods, homewares, handicrafts, and freshly made snacks.

9. Magdeburger Reiter

Positioned on the east side of Alter Markt, directly in front of the town hall, an equestrian statue has been in place since at least 1240. It is traditionally believed to represent Otto I, entombed at Magdeburg Cathedral.

He is flanked by two allegorical maidens, one bearing a shield emblazoned with the Holy Roman imperial eagle, while the other holds a pennon.

The ensemble is crafted from sandstone sourced from Bernburg to the south and was subsequently gilded, placing it under its current Baroque-style canopy in the 17th century.

Due to its age, the present Magdeburger Reiter is a copy; the original resides within the cultural history museum that follows.

10. Kulturhistorisches Museum Magdeburg

The Magdeburger Reiter is presented in the Kaiser-Otto-Saal in its original un-gilded form.

Considering the era when the statues were created, the realism is impressive, and the work is regarded as one of the most distinguished of its time.

Within the same room, artifacts from the Ottonic crypt can be found, alongside a tripartite mural illustrating scenes from Otto I’s life created by artist Arthur Kampf between 1905 and 1906. This is merely a glimpse of the museum’s extensive offerings, which encompass thousands of exhibits. These include textiles, handicrafts, prints, furniture, military regalia, and coins, in addition to fascinating medieval artifacts uncovered in the city.

The archaeology sections feature hundreds of thousands of finds documenting 200,000 years of human history, extending beyond Magdeburg to France, Italy, Hungary, and Czechia.

11. Faunenbrunnen

Iconic within Magdeburg, the Faunenbrunnen was installed on Leiterstraße during the construction of the city’s pedestrian precinct.

Historically, Leiterstraße marked the boundary between the secular town and the episcopal quarter of Magdeburg.

The fountain, designed by local sculptor Heinrich Apel, was modeled in 1976 and later cast in Lauchhammer and Rostock.

Comprising a large bronze cauldron, with a circumference of 3.2 meters, the fountain features 22 figures, including fauns, sirens, and various animals such as snakes, cats, dogs, and turtles, in addition to two women, a man, and boys engaged in play-fighting.

Officially inaugurated in 1986, the fountain was also depicted on GDR stamps in 1989.

12. Herrenkrugpark

Located on the right bank of the Elbe, this park has drawn visitors since the 17th century when an inn known as Herrenkrug was established by the riverside.

In the 1820s, noted Prussian landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné was commissioned to design this manorial park, which is the landscape visitors enjoy today.

Visitors will encounter monuments from the 19th century, including a cast-iron lion from 1845 and a substantial ball sundial dated 1818. Additionally, the park features an extraordinary diversity of tree species, including a Japanese larch, Swedish whitebeam, American sweetgum, Iberian oak, Norway maple, among countless others.

13. Otto-von-Guericke-Museum

Set amid parkland on the Elbe, an octagonal defensive tower over 20 meters in height dates back to the 13th century.

This tower bore witness to significant military conflicts during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Today, this structure, along with a modern annex, houses a museum dedicated to the 17th-century physicist Otto-von-Guericke, whose pioneering experiments concerning air pressure significantly advanced the understanding of vacuums in physics.

The museum conveys insights into Guericke’s life and his contributions to science.

Historic rooms display period furniture and documents, while his experiments are re-enacted using both antique and contemporary apparatus.

14. Magdeburg Zoo

Established in 1950, the city’s zoo has undergone extensive renovations since German reunification.

Home to over 200 species within a well-managed natural landscape of 16 hectares, this attraction is especially renowned for its immersive habitats.

Visitors have the unique opportunity to walk among various species, including mantled guerezas (a small monkey species), lemurs, owls, and Australian parakeets.

A savannah enclosure encompassing 20,000 square meters is dedicated to larger species such as zebras and giraffes, complete with panoramic platforms facilitating close encounters with the giraffes.

Daily feeding sessions for the park’s penguins and African elephants are also popular among visitors.

15. Elberadweg

In one of Europe’s most environmentally friendly cities, cycling emerges as the preferred mode of transport.

Similar to numerous German cities, Magdeburg features broad, accommodating cycle lanes conducive to safe family rides.

Being located on the Elbe, Magdeburg connects to Germany’s largest and most frequented cycling network.

The Elberadweg extends nearly 1,000 kilometers, commencing in Prague and concluding at the Elbe’s mouth in Cuxhaven along the North Sea.

For those inclined toward adventure, a ride to Dessau-Roßlau or Tangermünde, achievable in roughly three hours, offers the chance to traverse through woodlands and fields, passing medieval towers and villages, with various restaurants and beer gardens available for breaks along the way.