Göttingen is the place of fables, the Brothers Grimm worked as professors at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, and you can even find Sleeping Beauty’s castle nearby. We’ll be in Göttingen while my husband is at a conference and we’ll explore this land of castles and long ago tales.
Lisa Larrimore Ouellettd
Gänseliesel Fountain
Found in front of the city’s medieval town hall in the Marktplatz. Constructed in 1901, the fountain’s statue is a young girl with her geese and it has become an icon for the city. It harkens to the Brothers Grim fable called “The Goose Girl.”
She has become the “most kissed girl in the world.” Each year students who receive a Ph.D. are dressed up in flowers and streamers and paraded to the statue, where they climb up to Gänseliesel and give her a kiss for good luck.
Address: Markt, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall)
Construction began in 1270 but was completed in 1443. It was the city’s original town hall until 1978 and now serves at the Tourist Office. It has an open arcade, a Gothic heating system, and Great Hall. You can also see the coats of arms of other members of the Hanseatic League painted on the walls.
Hours: Monday- Friday, 9:30 am – 6 pm, Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm, closed Sunday.
Admission: Free
Address: 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Stadtisches Museum
You will find the history of the culture of Lower Saxony here including what life was like in 16th century Gottingen.
Hours: Tuesday- Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm, closed Sundays.
Admission: Adults 3 euros and children 1.50 euro.
Address: Ritterplan 7-8, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Synagogue Memorial
At Obere-Masch-Straße and Untere-Masch-Straße. Designed by Corrado Cagli in 1973. It is on the site of where a synagogue stood until 1938. The names of Göttingen’s Jews killed during the Holocaust are listed below an abstraction of the Star of David.
Address: Platz der Synagoge, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Half-Timbered Houses
Göttingen was not bombed during World War II so you can see many original half-timbered buildings. Including: 1549 Schrödersches House (Weender Str. 62), the 1497 house at Paulinerstr. 6, the 15th century Junkernschänke (corner of Jüdenstr. and Barfüßerstr.), the 1536 house on Barfüßerstr. (between Jüdenstr. and Weender Str.), and the 16th century house at Groner-Tor-Str. 28.
Alter Botanischer Garten (Old Botanical Garden)
The garden is home to an extensive scientific collection of plants – the oldest specimens date back up to 170 years. It was founded in 1736, almost the same date as the university, by Albrecht von Haller. The garden also includes a tropical greenhouse and an orangery.
Hours: Monday – Friday 8 am – 8 pm, Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10 am – 6 pm.
Address: Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Kassel
A huge Brothers Grimm Museum: Grimmwelt is found in Kassel. It is about 50 kilometers away or 20 minutes on the Inter-City Express (ICE) train line that runs throughout the day from Göttingen.
Grimmwelt Kassel
Showcases the works and life of the Brothers Grimm. The museum includes Fairytale World, the history of the German dictionary, and the life of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
NOTE: This year is the 200th anniversary of the Bremen Town Musicians, so there will be 52 Sunday fairy tale-tellers taking you into the world of the Brothers Grimm: in true style with a thick book, in a red velvet armchair under a cloth-shielded floor lamp and in the middle of the exhibition. The storytelling will be at 11:30 am these mornings until Dec. 29, 2019.
Hours: Tuesday- Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm. Closed Monday.
Admission: Adults 8 euros, Reduced/Children 6 euros and annual pass 35 euros.
Address: Weinbergstraße 21, 34117 Kassel, Germany
Schloss und Bergpark Wilhelmshohe (Wihelmshohe Palace and Palace Park)
The baroque park is made up of elegant lawns with a grand Schloss (palace) that has a Rembrandt collection.
Lowenburg (Lion Fortress) In the thick of the trees are the turrets of a fake medieval castle. The Lowenburg has a collection of medieval arms, weapons, and furniture.
The park also has an 18th-century statue of Hercules that crowns a large hill. Leading up to the statue are castle-like stairs. At 2:30 pm on Sundays and Wednesdays from mid-May through September, water gushes from a fountain beneath the statue rushes down a series of cascades to the foot of the hill, and ends its journey in a 175 foot high jet of water.
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10 am to 5 pm and closed Sundays. Some sites are closed in the winter months.
Admission: For information on admission prices for some of the sites: https://museum-kassel.de/en/visitor-information/opening-hours-and-ticket-prices
Address: 34131 Kassel, Germany
MORE BROTHERS GRIMM SIGHTS
Hanua
Brüder-Grimm-Denkmal (Brothers Grimm Memorial for their birthplace.)
Address: Am Markt, 63450 Hanau, Germany
Trendelburg
Hotel Burg TrendelBurg (Rapuzel’s Tower)
Address: Steinweg 1, 34388 Trendelburg, Germany
Steinau An Der Strass
Bruder Grimm Haus and Museum Steinau (Brothers Grimm Childhood Home)
Address: Brüder-Grimm-Straße 80, 36396 Steinau an der Straße, Germany
Dornroschenschloss (Sleeping Beauty’s Castle)
This castle has a stone exterior with colorful roses and a walled garden. You can take a scenic drive to see the hotel, but sadly the place is closed. Maybe a prince must kiss a princess once more for the castle to return to its former glory.
Address: Sababurg 12, 34369 Hofgeismar, Germany
Hamelin
Pied Piper Statue (Story of the Pied Piper Takes place in Hamelin)
Address: Osterstraße 15, 31785 Hameln, Germany
Museum Hamelin (Pied Pipe Theatre)
Address: Osterstraße 8B, 31785 Hameln, Germany
Bremen
Bremen Town Musicians Bronze Statue – Brothers Grimm tale – a donkey, dog, cat and rooster runaway because they have become old and their masters were going to dispose of them and in order to support themselves they headed to Bremen. The charming market square is also worth checking out while there.
Address: Schoppensteel 1, 28195 Bremen, Germany
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