Göttingen combines university history with green spaces for walks and relaxation. The Market Square and the Aula bring different chapters of the city's history to life, while Forum Wissen focuses on scientific collections. When planning your visit, you can complement these cultural highlights with paths around Kiessee Lake, in the city forest or around the Old Town.
Market Square and University History
The Old Town Hall and the Market Square in front of it form the center of Göttingen. The Gänseliesel statue has stood in front of the Town Hall since 1901 and is considered the city's unofficial landmark. The fountain no longer holds the original statue. Its location, long history and replacement with a replica put this familiar city symbol into context without overstating its official status.
The University Aula on Wilhelmsplatz was built between 1835 and 1837 in the neoclassical style. With its large ceremonial hall, it remains a central building of the University of Göttingen. The historic university jail is located in the Aula building. The walls of the individual cells are covered with chalk and charcoal drawings made by former student offenders. In this way, neoclassical architecture and traces of former student imprisonment come together in one building—two different ways of exploring university history.
Science and Changing Topics
Forum Wissen on the Göttingen Campus displays more than 1,400 objects from over 70 of the university's scientific collections. The exhibition brings together a range of collections; details of the collections on display may change over time. There are also temporary special exhibitions on current research topics. As this program may change too, it's worth checking the current exhibitions before your visit.
Green Spaces and Outdoor Activities
The Old Botanical Garden in central Göttingen was established in 1736 by Albrecht von Haller as a medicinal garden. Today, it is a green place to relax while exploring the city. Its greenhouses display numerous exotic plants alongside native flora. The garden thus combines its historical purpose with a look at a variety of plant life.
The Stadtwall was once a fortification and now forms a green promenade around Göttingen's Old Town. Its transformation from fortification to green path shapes its role today. The city forest on Hainberg offers further opportunities for walks, hikes and bike rides. A roughly 2.5-kilometer lakeside path runs along Göttingen's Kiessee Lake and is used year-round by walkers, recreational athletes and picnickers. Rowboats and pedal boats are listed as possible ways to explore the lake from the water; check in advance whether these boating options are currently available.
Exploring the City and Choosing Where to Stay
Many sights in central Göttingen are within walking distance of the train station or hotels in the Old Town. If you are choosing accommodation, the Old Town can therefore be a useful point of reference if you want to reach many central attractions on foot. Weender Straße offers a different focus: it is Göttingen's longest shopping and promenade street, making it a destination in its own right for a stroll through the city.
Guided tours also offer different approaches. The “Around the Gänseliesel” city tour provides additional information about Göttingen's sights and can be booked through the Tourist Information office or online. Göttingen Tourist Information also offers weekly changing city tours on a range of topics. As the offerings and program may change, check which tours are currently available before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Bad Grund (Harz), Duderstadt, Ebergötzen, Scheden, Fuhrbach, Hattorf Am Harz, Adelebsen, Rosdorf
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