At Forum Wissen, visitors gain insights into ongoing research and teaching. The permanent exhibition “Rooms of Knowledge” spans 1,400 square metres and makes the processes by which knowledge is created easier to understand. Its twelve rooms contain more than 1,400 objects from the University of Göttingen’s collections. The exhibition and forum therefore focus both on scientific work and on how knowledge is created and communicated.
City History Between the Town Hall, Assembly Hall and Theatre
The Old Town Hall was built in 1270 and served as a centre for council and court meetings as well as for trade. Its former role thus brought public decision-making and economic life together in one place. On the market square stands the Gänseliesel, Göttingen’s landmark since 1901. After earning their doctorates, students visit the statue in Göttingen city centre, kiss it and adorn the fountain with flowers.
The assembly hall of the University of Göttingen is also part of the city’s history: it is a key university building and an example of neoclassical architecture. The assembly hall contains the Karzer, the historic university prison. A view of the assembly hall and the Karzer thus brings together an architectural example and a tangible part of the university’s history.
A distinct theatre history begins with the Theatre am Wall: it opened on 30 September 1890 with Friedrich Schiller’s “William Tell” as a three-division theatre. Since 1950/51, it has been called the Deutsches Theater Göttingen. The main auditorium has 488 seats in the stalls and across three tiers, and is considered an architectural gem of the city. These details give the theatre a place in Göttingen’s architectural and cultural history without focusing solely on its current programme.
Botanical Gardens and Green Paths
The Old Botanical Garden of Göttingen was founded in 1736 as a “hortus medicus,” or medicinal garden. Visitors can explore its historic greenhouses, tropical vegetation in the rainforest house and the alpine garden. The Forest Botanical Garden covers about 40 hectares and is home to more than 2,000 tree and shrub species from different parts of the world. The approximate area and the number of species give two concrete measures of the garden’s scale.
For outdoor activities, the city forest on Hainberg offers opportunities for walking, hiking and cycling. The wildlife enclosure at Kehr is home to wild boar and fallow deer; a three-kilometre circular trail runs around the enclosure. Göttingen’s historic city wall is now continuously planted and offers a route for walking around the Old Town. The approximately three-kilometre avenue connects the Old Botanical Garden, Albani Cemetery and Cheltenham Park. When planning, it is worth keeping the different distances distinct: the three kilometres refer to the avenue, while the circular trail forms a separate route around the wildlife enclosure.
Explore the City on Foot or by Bike
Those who want to explore Göttingen by theme can choose from weekly changing guided walks and city tours covering more than 40 topics. The tours are offered on foot or by bike. The options range from exploring green paths independently to joining guided walks with changing themes. Check the current schedule and tour availability before your trip.
The city’s history is also at the heart of the Municipal Museum of Göttingen. Until further notice, it is showing the exhibition “City. Power. Faith. Göttingen in the 16th Century.” Check before your visit whether the exhibition is still running. The museum offers groups and school classes guided tours of its permanent exhibitions and the special exhibitions currently on display; check the booking arrangements in advance.
Discover more destinations: Göttingen, Staufenberg, Gieboldehausen, Fuhrbach, Duderstadt, Hann. Münden, Friedland, Nienhagen, Dankelshausen, Scheden, Gleichen, Adelebsen, Brochthausen, Rosdorf, Ebergötzen, Dransfeld, Walkenried, Hattorf am Harz, Seeburg, Bovenden, Obernfeld and Bad Grund (Harz).
For the wider travel overview: Lower Saxony.
