Discovering Gifhorn, a small Lower Saxony medieval town
At meinniedersachsen.de I applied for an Instawalk in Gifhorn and actually received an invitation. I think that is great and I am very happy! (Zum deutschen Blog.)
This blog post contains unpaid advertisement. This trip was paid by meinniedersachsen.de, but all I have written is my personal opinion. You´ll find affiliate links. If you buy a product through this link, you´ll not pay more, but I’ll get a small commission, that helps to go on with my blog.
I meet with the three other Instagramer (a “hello” at @aladiia, @bastihe1996 and @karstenkimbel) at the tourist information office Südheide Gifhorn at the market square, which is a co-sponsor, and we all receive a warm welcome by Jörn Pache (of Südheide, Gifhorn GmbH ).
For everyone, a packed bag is ready, with infos about Gifhorn and a snack. So let´s go!
In the city centre of Gifhorn
We are very lucky, because today Petrus lets the sun shine warmly, after all, it is September and the last days it has been raining and storming.
Today is Saturday and many market stalls line the main shopping area of the Lower Saxon city of Gifhorn with its approximately 42,000 inhabitants. So far, I have always only driven through the city, on my way to the highway near Braunschweig, so I’m curious what I will get to see.
First I have a look at St. Nicolai Church. It is an evangelical church from the 18th century, inside with lots of wood and the well-known Christian Father organ from 1748.
Directly opposite is the Old Town Hall with a lot of timberwork, it was built in 1562. Today there is a restaurant, the town hall has moved.
I walk along the market stalls on Steinweg, the central shopping street and discover other very nice old houses, many also with half-timbered. Some are home to shops, other cafes. Today many people sit in front of the cafes because of the wonderful sunshine and enjoy ice and coffee.
Gifhorn is almost 900 years old and was strategically located at the crossroads between the Old Salt Way ( Alte Salzstraße), which starts in my home town Lüneburg and ends in this direction in Braunschweig and the old Grain Way (Kornstraße), which leads from Celle to Magdeburg.
Gifhorn is situated at a river, the Aller. I am standing straight on the bridge that leads across the Aller. It is a small, leisurely river that flows through the city. Some lovers have attached love locks, the bridge club attached flower boxes on the bank. With the cackling ducks below and the lush vegetation on the banks, this is a truly idyllic picture!
A street artist makes good music, a bit further down the road there is a nice water fountain but then I have to turn around, because in Paulas Brasserie we all want to meet for lunch.
A table outside is just good for us and with burgers or Currywurst we all have a chat.
Along the Aller we walk together with full stomach
to the Mill Museum
I have been looking forward to it all morning, because I have often passed it by on my way to the highway.
Before we go to the open air museum, we pass the castle of the Welfen lineage. It is a pity that the time is too short to get a closer look or to visit the Historical Museum inside. So I must probably come again 😉
As the name Mill Museum suggests, you can see here 14 mills, some originals, some replicas from many countries of the world. From Greece as well as from Korea. There is as well an interesting ship mill floating in the mill lake.
Of course, I also look at the replicated Russian Orthodox wooden church. The icons inside are also replicas, but that doesn´t matter.
Unfortunately, the time is no longer enough for the Bell Palace, which is under the auspices of Mikhail Gorbachev and looks like a Russian monastery with these typical onion towers.
We spend the afternoon at the mills´ café with coffee and the best butter cake I have ever eaten.
Gifhorn has to offer even more treasures, but I will probably have to discover these during another visit.
I would like to thank the sponsors again! I really enjoyed this day, I met nice people and visited a beautiful city. Lower Saxony has many treasures to offer!
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