Wernigerode: Parks, Miniatures and Local History

Bürgerpark and Miniatures

Wernigerode’s Bürgerpark features themed gardens, playgrounds, animal enclosures, a park restaurant and ponds. Its miniature park, “Kleiner Harz,” offers a different perspective: it features around 60 buildings of cultural and historical interest from the Harz, set in a miniature landscape. Within the same park, landscaped gardens and water features are thus juxtaposed with a scaled-down depiction of regional architectural heritage. If you are travelling with children, you can make playgrounds and animal enclosures part of your park visit.

Homes, Natural Phenomena and Technology

The Kleinstes Haus Museum in Wernigerode shows what living conditions in this house were like in the past. It offers a glimpse into how people lived in earlier times. The Harz Planetarium offers explanations and experiments on topics including the sun’s path, the phases of the moon and how clouds form. While the museum focuses on past living conditions, the planetarium explores natural phenomena through explanations and experiments.

The HSB steam locomotive workshop offers a technical perspective. During major inspections, you can watch steam locomotives being dismantled into individual parts from a gallery; the history of the HSB is also covered. The workshop’s outdoor area includes an adventure playground for children. Before visiting, check the current visitor arrangements.

Castle Railway and Guided Tours

The Wernigerode Castle Railway runs to Wernigerode Castle. During the journey, drivers provide information about sights along the route. The castle destination is therefore accompanied by commentary on what you see along the way. The Wernigerode Tourist Information Office offers daily public town tours for individual visitors, as well as tours for groups and themed tours, including a brewmaster tour and an evening tour. If a particular tour is important to your plans, check the latest booking details in advance.

The Wider Harz Destination

The wider Harz destination offers its own range of themes. The UNESCO Global Geopark Harz–Braunschweiger Land–Ostfalen includes the Harz; its visitor facilities include geopark information centres, adventure trails, show mines, erratic boulder gardens and museums. The Harz National Park has eight visitor centres and national park houses offering information about the park, hiking tips, exhibitions and film screenings. The national park also offers guided hikes and excursions with rangers, experts, national park guides and national park forest guides. Check the latest dates for specific tours. The Upper Harz Water Management System has also been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since August 2010.

Discover more destinations: Benzingerode, Schierke, Northern Harz, Tanne, Ilsenburg, Blankenburg Am Harz and Oberharz Am Brocken.

Return to the main travel overview: Harz.