Goslar

candid Germany tips

 

Why Goslar
is special

Part of Goslar is a well-preserved medieval town where emperors made history and great quantities of silver were mined.

Goslar
tips & insights

Mining town

Silver and other ores were mined locally for over a thousand years, dating back to the 900s and perhaps long before. The mines ceased operating only recently, in 1988. Goslar minted some of the silver into coins. They were broadly accepted throughout medieval Europe.

Tours

You can tour the famous Rammelsberg mines. You put on mining attire before going underground. You learn how the metals were dug and hauled out. You see massive underground water wheels once used for transporting workers and ore - and for pumping out flooded shafts and tunnels.

Optical illusion

Even though the Rammelsberg mining buildings are now defunct, they create an optical illusion when seen from Goslar below. They appear to be stacked one upon the other.

Once a political center

During the town's heyday, some emperors resided here - and Holy Roman Empire bigwigs assembled in Goslar to decide state affairs.

Witch hunts

Goslar wasn't perfect. It had a penchant for exposing witches and burning them at the stake.

  

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