Braunschweig with its approximately 250.000 inhabitants is the biggest city in the area between Hanover and Berlin and the centre of the region Eastern Lower Saxony. As a modern large city with a long history of traditions the Lion City has a lot to offer: historical sights and authentic districts, post-modern architecture, top-class research and innovative companies, a lively cultural scene, a broad spectrum of sport and leisure activities as well as lavish parks and nature areas for recreational purposes.
Glory of the Guelphs and stronghold of the Hanseatic League
Braunschweig’s history is closely linked with that of the Guelphs. The Guelph Duke, Henry the Lion, declared Braunschweig his residence in the 12th century and developed it into one of the most important centres of commerce in Germany. In the year 1209 Braunschweig became the centre of Europe when it was named Emperor’s City ‘urbs regia’ under the German-Roman Guelph Emperor Otto IV., son of Henry the Lion. It turned into the setting of one of the most exciting episodes of the Middle Ages, the long lasting fight for the throne between the Staufers and the Guelphs.
It is mainly the impressive historical buildings that shape the town picture today and that remind us of the lively and over thousand-year long history of the Lion City. Besides Dankwarderode Castle, St. Blasii Cathedral and the picturesque half-timbered buildings around St. Magni Church, it is the Lion Statue, even today heraldic animal of the city, which demonstrates the rich history of Braunschweig. The group of buildings around Altstadtmarkt (old town market square) with the Gothic Altstadtrathaus (old town hall) as well as the Gewandhaus (old cloth hall) of the drapers still bear witness to the city’s heyday as a member of the Hanseatic League. The Braunschweiger Mumme, a light to strong alcoholic beer depending on the type of brewing, was an international medieval export hit no. 1 due to its long storage life. Even today, after more than 600 years, this traditional beverage is still being drunk in Braunschweig.
The recently rebuilt Residential Palace with its elaborately reconstructed facade documents Braunschweig’s role as the residence of the Guelphs. This building was restored using many of the original parts of the historical Guelph Palace that was initially constructed between 1833 and 1841.The refurbished quadriga on the roof of the palace is known as one of the largest of its kind in Europe. The Residential Palace serves also as the newly combined headquarters for several of the city’s cultural departments and reflects Braunschweig’s appreciation of its lively and varied art- and cultural scene.
Sciences, Art and Culture - City of Clever Minds
Braunschweig has a great history of clever minds: Carl Friedrich Gauß, Agnes Pockel, Richard Dedekind and Heinrich Büssing have their roots here and are an important part of the image of this modern city of science. More than 15.000 people in over 250 companies in the high tech sector and in 27 research institutions live and work in Braunschweig and secure the future potential of the region. Amongst others there are the Helmholtz-Zentrum for the research of infectious diseases, the ‘Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt’ (German Centre for Aerospace), the second largest research airport in Europe and the world’s biggest chip development centre of the company INTEL. Over 16.000 students study at the Technical University, the technical colleges and the University of Art. According to the EU Eurostat office Braunschweig has the highest percentage of employees in research and development in the whole of Germany and is even the leading region in Europe in terms of expenditure as a share of GDP in those sectors (Eurostat, 2009). A creative environment, inter-disciplinary co-operation and networking between science and commerce are the matrix for outstanding innovations – and in Braunschweig the normal way of life. The Association for the Promotion of Science and Humanities in Germany was also impressed by the amount of science and research in the Lion City and awarded Braunschweig the title of Germany’s ‘City of Science’ in the year 2007. This dialogue between sciences, economy, cultural institutions and the population, that was started then, now continues in the ‘Haus der Wissenschaft’ (House of Sciences). This co-operation between research institutions and commerce and their combined networking help to create synergies for new innovations.
Big cultural names like Louis Spohr, Wilhelm Raabe, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing and Till Eulenspiegel have lived here and with them Braunschweig has developed into a lively cultural city. Braunschweig’s heart has always beaten for the arts: the Herzog Anton Ulrich – Museum was opened in 1754 and was the first public museum in Germany and one of the first in Europe. 100 years later the art and natural science departments were being separated and the Natural History Museum was founded. From October 2011 onwards wale skeletons are going to live in the museum when the special exhibition ‘Wonderful Wales’ is being shown for the first time in Germany after visiting France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
An active art and cultural scene influences life in Braunschweig. The ‘Hochschule für Bildende Künste’ , the only university of art in Lower Saxony and the second largest one in Germany, always generates new creative potential. Today the State Theatre, private theatre and artist groups, the villa ‘Salve Hospes’ of the cultural institute plus further classical and avant-garde houses and museums as well as exclusive events like the Burgplatz Open Air, the festival of old music ‘Soli deo Gloria’ and the CityJazzNight provide further impulses. The international ‘filmfest Braunschweig’ that celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2011 inspires more than 25.000 film lovers every year. Lovers of short films are attracted to the ‘home-made film’ festival ‘durchgedreht 24’.
This year Braunschweig honours the 100th Anniversary of the death of a sportive mastermind: Konrad Koch who was a teacher in Braunschweig is known to be the pioneer for soccer in Germany. In the year 1874 he played soccer with his pupils – for the first time on the European continent. Later on he developed soccer rules on which today’s rules are still based and founded the first German soccer club.
Beautiful shopping - beautiful Braunschweig
Braunschweig is the leading shopping city of this region. With its big city atmosphere and short routes the attractive city centre offers a wide spectrum of shopping opportunities and welcoming catering. The large number of owner-managed speciality shops promises high quality. Modern chain stores in the medieval streets and squares of the pedestrian precinct, shopping arcades and shopping malls complete the offer. Weekly markets offer fresh produce from the area in a charming setting. One of the most popular markets in Germany is the Braunschweig Christmas Market with its catering and handicraft stalls around the cathedral. Events like the ‘Moonlightshopping’, ‘Shopping until Midnight’ include lively entertainment and turn your shopping trip in Braunschweig into a very special experience.
Moving Braunschweig
Braunschweig has a lot to offer for sport enthusiasts. The city regularly hosts national as well as international championships in various events. The Braunschweiger Tanz-Sport-Club was able to bring the World Championship title in formation ballroom dancing to Braunschweig seven times already. The ‘Löwen Classics’ horse show and the ATP Tennis Tournament offer international top-class sport. The soccer players of the ‘Eintracht Braunschweig’ and the American football players of the ‘Braunschweig Lions’ attract thousands of enthusiastic spectators and are as much part of the sporting highlights as the league basketball team ‘New York Phantoms Braunschweig’. A very special sport for the people in Braunschweig and their ‘clownish’ visitors is the ‘Schoduvel’: as one of the largest carnival processions in Germany it turns the city into one happy family with a tradition that goes back over 700 years.
Recreation in Nature
Glorious parks that surround the historical city centre like a ring and go back more than 300 years, lakes close to the city and the European Bird Sanctuary Riddagshausen all offer a high quality of life and recreational opportunities in and around this city. You can also circle nearly the whole city centre in a boat on the river Oker. With its closeness to the ‘Lüneburger Heide’ (heath area) and to the Harz Mountains Braunschweig is the ideal starting point for excursions into this remarkable nature region.