The Helm Reservoir Berga-Kelbra EU Special Protection Area is bordered to the north by the railway line and the town of Berga. Berga is considered one of the oldest settlements in the Golden Meadow. The combination of a protected area and local history gives you two specific themes to explore as you plan your trip.
Berga: Settlement History and Trades
The first documentary mention of the town dates back to 985. In the High Middle Ages, the present-day town developed from Oberberga, Unterberga and Topfstedt. The three names provide a specific reference point for its early history.
Until the Reformation, Berga was the seat of an archpriest and the centre of two Sedes districts in the Helmegau. Local noble families founded manor estates. In the late 19th century, Berga had a brickworks and numerous button-making businesses.
The Helm Reservoir, Birdlife and Landscape
The Helm Reservoir has been an internationally important wetland since 1978. Around 50 bird species regularly breed in the protected area, and about 25 do so irregularly. These approximate figures may change as further surveys are carried out. If you are interested in birdlife and wetlands, this offers a specific nature-focused theme to include in your trip planning.
On the reservoir’s southeastern shore, on the Saxony-Anhalt side, there is a bathing beach and a restaurant. If you plan to visit these facilities, check beforehand whether they are currently open for use.
The Rosperwenda Cherry Hills also continue to shape the landscape. Rosperwenda, a district of Berga, has a centuries-old fruit-growing tradition.
Hikes by Destination and Length
Hiking information varies depending on the destination and length. A well-maintained hiking trail runs along the slope of the Schabeleite to Heimkehle. A hike of around eleven kilometres to Heimkehle passes through Berga and via Berga-Kelbra station. Another hike follows the Thyra to Bösenrode.
The approximate distance helps you estimate how much time to allow for the day. Before setting out, check the current trail signs and conditions.
Historic Transport Routes and Getting There
A new road was built from 1826 as the Halle-Kassel Caussee; it is today’s L 151. In 1877, Berga gained a railway connection via Berga/Kelbra station. If you plan to travel by train today, check the current timetable.
Regional Overview: Mansfeld-SĂĽdharz
The wider travel destination of Mansfeld-SĂĽdharz offers more cultural and hiking themes. The Luther sites in Eisleben include the houses where Martin Luther was born and died. In Klostermansfeld, St. Marien is part of the Romanesque Road cultural route. The church was probably built around 1140 as a three-aisled Romanesque basilica belonging to a Benedictine monastery; 1170 is regarded as its official founding year. The estimated construction period and the official founding year are different chronological reference points. In the Mansfeld-SĂĽdharz region, the long-distance Luther Trail network runs for more than 81 kilometres past important Reformation sites.
The Questenberg Festival is celebrated in Questenberg every year at Pentecost and is understood as a continuation of a Germanic solstice cult believed to date back thousands of years. Check the current programme before including the event in your travel plans.
Discover more destinations: Kelbra, Helbra, Klostermansfeld, Hergisdorf, Allstedt, Gerbstedt, Wimmelburg, Hettstedt
See the wider travel overview: Mansfeld-SĂĽdharz.
