Uelzen Germany Lower Saxony
Frequently Asked Questions
Because this one was transformed to a concept by the Viennese artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, as part of the Hanover World Expo in 2000: golden columns with bulb-shaped capitals, multicoloured ceramics, curved lines that refuse the right angle.
A station conceived to reconcile architecture with nature: green roofs, brilliant mosaics, indoor fountains and windows every one of them different. Access is free, and you wander between the platforms and galleries hunting for hidden details.
On the Elbe lateral canal, close to the town. The station sits a few minutes from the centre, on the way to the old heart: the call is done comfortably on foot.
One of the deepest in Europe, with a drop of about 23 metres. Passing through is a highlight of the journey for many passengers, and it is worth going up on deck to see it rather than missing it from your cabin.
The Goldenes Schiff, a golden vessel suspended in St. Mary's church, built in the 13th century. It became the town's symbol over the centuries and, according to local legend, recalls old ties to river trade and to the Hanse, of which Uelzen was a member in the Middle Ages.
Classic northern Germany: brick gothic façades, half-timbered houses, well-kept squares. The old town hall and the former imperial post office complete the picture, carefully rebuilt after the destruction of 1945 in keeping with the old proportions.
The Hundertwasser station, free to enter, St. Mary's church and its golden ship, then the pedestrian zone along Lüneburger Strasse and Gudesstrasse. It is a relaxed programme: Uelzen does not have the monumental density of a major call, and it is best to know that.
Lüneburger Strasse and Gudesstrasse form the shopping artery, punctuated by fountains and sculptures. You will find bakeries selling the regional rye bread, old-fashioned café-patisseries and family shops that have held out against the chains.
A landscape of heather, junipers and blackface sheep that turns pink at the end of summer. Some excursion routes head for half-timbered villages or the region's old brick monasteries.
The euro, with cash useful in the family-run shops. At table, the rural identity shows on the plate: game, new potatoes and heather honey, along with the rye bread from the bakeries in the centre.
