You’ll often come across the half-timbered masterpieces of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) in the Old Town quarters of historical towns like Celle, Wolfenbüttel or Hann. Münden, but also in rural areas such as the Wendland region.
These half-timbered houses are characterised by their visible wooden beams, which run horizontally, vertically and diagonally, and by the spaces between them, which are generally filled in with a mixture of straw and clay or brick. These natural materials bestow a unique character on these buildings and exude an atmosphere of tranquility and authenticity.
A must for fans of this half-timbered style is the Deutsche Fachwerkstraße (German Half-Timbered House Road), which winds its way through one thousand years of history over a distance of around 3,000 kilometres, from Hitzacker on the Elbe river to Meerburg on Lake Constance. In Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), the route leads ‘from the river Elbe to the Harz mountains – the most beautiful of the North’. Peaceful towns like Stade, Lüchow, Celle, Königslutter, Einbeck, Bad Essen and Nienhagen boast quite a collection of half-timbered houses – you’re sure to want to wander around and linger for a while. Whether by car, mobile home, motorbike or bicycle, the Deutsche Fachwerkstraße is a unique experience whatever the season.
You can find more information on the website of the German Half-Timbered House Road.