Centered around a UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town, Quedlinburg is a picture-perfect medieval town that lies just north of the Harz Mountains. Its historic streets are lined with half-timbered houses dating back to the 14th century, while late-19th and early-20th century Jugendstil buildings fringe the Old Town. It’s considered one of the best preserved medieval and Renaissance towns in Europe, having luckily escaped any major damage during the Allied bombings of World War II.

Quedlinburg clusters around a large square that’s home to the Rathaus and a number of impressive architectural landmarks. Follow the street that leads north from the Markt to admire some of Quedlinburg’s most beautiful half-timbered houses. Be sure to visit what is believed to be the oldest half-timbered house in Germany, which now functions as a museum detailing Quedlinburg’s distinctive Fachwerk style of architecture.

The town is watched over by the Quedlinburg Castle, which is dominated by the thousand-year-old Romanesque collegiate church of St. Servatius. It’s here that the tomb of 10th-century German king Henry I is housed, together with the Treasures of Quedlinburg. In addition to religious artworks, this collection in-cludes swords, golden chests and religious manuscripts, together with the oldest tapestry in Northern Europe. Take time to explore the Schlossmuseum to gain a better insight into the history of the castle and get up close to some of its ancient artifacts.

Quedlinburg was also home to the great German lyric poet, Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, whose former home has been transformed into a museum detailing his life and work. You can learn about the highly expressive poetry he created around themes that explored life’s small pleasures and the beauty of nature.