Once all of Saxony was one of the largest principalities in Germany. She received the name from the tribe of the Saxons who lived at the mouths of the Weser and Elbe rivers. The famous Meissen porcelain and lace are produced in this land. At one time, the electors (princes) spared no expense and turned Dresden (the capital of Saxony) into a delightful example of architectural grandeur. Many magnificent paintings and other works of art are concentrated in fairy-tale castles and galleries.
The article provides information only about a part of these rich territories of Germany - Lower Saxony. Here are the sights of an amazing land, famous for its fast rivers and majestic mountain ranges.
General information
This wonderful land is located in the northeastern territory of the state. Looking at all this beauty, it is impossible to believe that much of this region was destroyed during the war. In the lowerSaxony has many museums, ancient castles and palaces, restored and open to the public.
Gas, oil, lignite, rock and potash s alt, and iron ore are mined here. The main industrial sectors are shipbuilding, automotive (Volkswagen), instrumentation and fishing. In terms of area, Lower Saxony is in 2nd place after Bavaria (47,618 sq. km).
Geography
In the north, the federal state borders on the islands of the North Sea (East Frisian Islands) and Schleswig-Holstein, on Mecklenburg (Vorpommern) it borders on the northeast, on North Rhine-Westphalia in the southwest, on the Netherlands in the west, with Thuringia in the southeast, with Hesse in the south and with Saxony-Anh alt in the east. The border with the Netherlands is approximately 190 km long.
The territory of Lower Saxony includes 3 natural areas: the Harz (mountain range), the mountains near the Weser River, the North German Plain and the Lüneburg Heath. The latter is Germany's oldest natural park.
Lower Saxony
More than 9% of the inhabitants of all Germany live here, which is 8 million people (according to 2009 data). In terms of population, this region ranks fourth among the 16 German federal states.
64% of the total area is given over to agriculture. Cereals, sugar beets, carrots, asparagus, cabbage and lettuce are grown here. The indigenous people are mainly Saxons and Frisians. The administrative center is Hannover.
On thisfederal land, which is one of the German scientific centers, KF Gauss invented the telegraph. Both the creator of the gramophone, Emil Beliner, and the inventor of the color television system, W alter Bruch, lived in these places. Also in the city of Göttingen there is a world-famous university with a rich library. For tourists, these places are attractive with numerous natural and architectural attractions.
Capital
Hannover is surprisingly multifaceted. This is a very cozy green city. It houses a wonderful international exhibition center, as well as a center for sports and cultural events. Of great interest is the New Town Hall, which is based on 6026 oak piles.
There are many sights worth seeing here. These are Lake Maschsee (length 2.4 km), the "blue eye" of Hannover, and Herrenhausen-Gerten (park), and the zoo, and the Wilhelm Busch Museum.
Further in the article, a few more major cities and their unique history are briefly described.
Cities
Braunschweig is located 65 kilometers from Hannover. Duke Henry the Lion (life from 1129 to 1195), who fell in love with this city, founded his residence here. The charm of this area is given by the alternation of old and new: traditional old buildings side by side with new modern buildings. Everywhere you can find traces of the former rulers of Germany, for example, the bronze Castle Lion, cast in 1166 at the behest of Henry (a symbol of his power), as well as the Cathedral of St. Blaise, wheregothic and romanticism are combined.
The third largest city in Lower Saxony (Germany) is Osnabrück. It is located in the southeastern part of the federal state. The historical center of the city is represented by ancient buildings: the old town hall with the so-called Peace Hall, medieval streets, as well as the market square, which is the most beautiful monument of medieval urban architecture. Museums attract attention: cultural and historical, industrial culture, natural history.
Göttingen is located between the Weser and the Harz. It is the cultural and economic center of the southern part of Lower Saxony. This city is known for the fact that within the walls of the University. George August learned more than 40 future winners of the famous Nobel Prize. The city is the center of aviation and cosmonautics. This old town shows tourists its historic streets and half-timbered houses, medieval churches and town halls. A beautiful symbol of the city is the fountain "Girl with geese", located in front of the town hall. There is a very curious custom here - this girl (her name is Liesel) must be kissed by every new Ph. D. of the university.
Attractions
Numerous natural and artificial parks of Lower Saxony, amazingly beautiful natural landscapes, the East Frisian islands off the coast of the North Sea - all this attracts many tourists and just lovers of sea recreation. Hannover hosts the world's largest trade fairs every year.
Onthese lands are full of ancient castles and town halls.
- Hünnefeld Castle. The original building was erected in the 12th century. It is located near Ippenburg Castle. In a more modern form, it was rebuilt in 1614, and at the same time a huge park was laid out around it. The castle is now in private ownership, and therefore its visits are possible with some schedule restrictions.
- Bückeburg Palace is located in a small town of the same name. It is surrounded by a picturesque park. The palace was built in the fourteenth century and served as the residence of the princes of Schaumburg-Lippe, who owned a small principality (340 square meters) on the territory of Lower Saxony. The last prince of this family abdicated in 1918. The palace was inherited by the descendants of this glorious German family, and today it is partially open for tourist excursions.
- Evenburg Castle in the small town of Leer was built in the middle of the 17th century for a colonel who was the commander of a Dutch regiment. The castle is named after his wife, Eva. In the middle of the 19th century, the castle was destroyed, after which it was rebuilt, but in a pseudo-Gothic style. However, it was again destroyed during World War II. After a lengthy restoration, only in 2006 was the building returned to its former neo-Gothic image of the 19th century. It now houses a grammar teacher college and the East Frisian Academy. A magnificent park has been erected around Evenburg.
It is impossible to describe all the castles and palaces of Saxony, there are a lot of them here. For example, these are Hamelschenburg Castle (built in 1618), Hardenberg Palace and Castle (1101), Ethelsen Palace (1887), Ippenburg Castle (XIV century), Stadthagen Castle (1224) and others.
In conclusion, a little about nature
The federal state described in the article is the only region in the country that has its own sea coast and mountains. The famous watts shallows (a unique habitat for various species of animals and plants), which are listed by UNESCO, are located on the German coast of the North Sea. Located in the south of the Harz (mountain range), it is actively used for sports and tourism purposes. Significant navigable rivers in Lower Saxony are Elbe, Weser and Aller.
It should also be noted that in addition to the above reservoirs, the Mittellandkanal was laid on the territory of the earth in the 19th century, which connected two seas - the North and the B altic. Germany used it quite actively during the years of both world wars. The canal was used to transfer warships to the North Sea and back.
Tourism is well developed in the Frisian Islands today.
