Discover archaeology, museums and river routes in the Salzland District

Archaeological traces, castle museums and river routes sit side by side in the Salzland District. A special starting point for discoveries is the Pömmelte Ring Sanctuary: the site reconstructs a ritual site more than 4,000 years old and reveals its unusual shape.

Archaeology, museums and castles

The 115-metre site consists of wooden palisade rings, pits and ramparts. It can be viewed from a nine-metre-high observation platform. The Ring Sanctuary is freely accessible year-round, except during certain events. Free parking and accessible toilets are also available. If your visit coincides with an event, take this exception into account when planning.

The Romanesque Road also shapes the cultural offering: the Salzland District is represented on the route by six stops in five towns. In Staßfurt, the town and mining museum presents local history as well as salt extraction and the potash industry. Archaeological evidence and industrial history are thus presented as distinct themes.

The impressive Egeln moated castle houses a museum of prehistory and early history. Castle festivals, markets and cultural events are also held there regularly; check the dates of individual events separately. Plötzkau Castle houses a museum covering various topics in several rooms and the tower.

Cycling routes and landscapes

The Three Rivers Cycle Route is a day trip of around 36 kilometres between Ilberstedt and Hohenerxleben. It follows the Bode, Saale and Wipper rivers. In the central part of the Salzland District, the route takes in river landscapes with forests and meadows as well as elevated arable land with far-reaching views. Riverside stretches and open countryside are both part of the route.

The Bode Cycle Route crosses the Salzland District for about 51 kilometres, passing through floodplain landscapes, historic towns and charming villages. A quieter floodplain landscape of meadows, hedgerows and old oaks accompanies the route to the Rothenförde weir, built in 1889. The distances provide a concrete point of reference: the Three Rivers Cycle Route is around 36 kilometres long, compared with the roughly 51-kilometre crossing of the Salzland District on the Bode Cycle Route.

The Saale Cycle Route runs through the Salzland District between Rothenburg in the Saale District and Barby. There, it takes in a tranquil river landscape of woodland and meadows. Another way to experience the Saale is the nature trail, around two kilometres long, in the floodplain forest complex below Plötzkau Castle.

The EL-SA Tour passes through a sparsely populated part of the Salzland District, which has the largest contiguous forest areas. Part of the route passes through the area belonging to the town of Barby. The routes described therefore differ not only in length but also in landscape: floodplains and rivers contrast with open elevated land and contiguous forest areas.

Plan your stay

When looking for a hotel, the focus of your itinerary can provide a starting point: archaeological and museum visits on the one hand, and cycling and walking routes along the rivers on the other. Base your choice on the excursions you have planned rather than assuming a particular location or facilities for your accommodation. If a castle festival or market in Egeln is part of your travel plans, check the specific date; at Pömmelte, the stated exception to year-round free access applies during certain events.

Discover more destinations: Aschersleben, Bernburg, Hecklingen, Schönebeck, Welsleben, Staßfurt, Calbe, Nienburg, Barby, Egeln, Könnern, Seeland, Plötzkau, Baalberge, Wolmirsleben.

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