“A miner never forgets his first mine,” says Dr Martin Wetzel, our guide at the Rammelsberg World Heritage Site, located near the city of Goslar in Lower Saxony, Germany. Rammelsberg is a former mine known for continuously mining non-ferrous metals like copper and lead for over a thousand years. The starting point of our two-and-a-half-hour guided tour is the miners’ changing room, where we see old uniforms hung from the ceiling – this was done for them to dry off as the mine was damp with dripping water.
Dr Wetzel, dressed in a miner’s uniform of dungarees and an overcoat, takes us to various locations, both aboveground and underground, within this UNESCO World Heritage Site. I learn about how the miners worked in the Harz Mountains, harnessing sustainable water energy via waterwheels for mining, the tunnels and shafts they used and how chunks of ore were processed.
The living museum and visitor mine is an interesting way to experience the world of mining, even Germany’s kings were enticed to Goslar because of the ore mined in Rammelsberg in the Middle Ages.
The next day, the imperial city of Goslar was beckoning, and I headed to its old town, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. From a hospital/chapel dating back to 1254, cobbled streets that opened to half timber houses, churches steeped in history, to remnants of the city defence walls and modern artworks by artists of international repute, the old town seamlessly blends the past with the present.
By the time I explore Goslar’s old town, it is late evening, and with all the walking, I am famished. I dine at Brauhaus Goslar, which is situated in a building built in 1720. The restaurant also functions as a guesthouse brewery, serving Gose beer, which originated from Goslar. The beer is made using malted wheat, coriander and salt.
The following day, a full-day excursion takes me to the Harz Mountains, where I take the Burgberg cable car to get to castle hill. The three minutes to get to the top of the hill go by rather quickly while enjoying views of the surrounding forest. I walk along the route that was used for centuries for trade and transport over the Harz Mountains, and my descent is through the forest, breathing in the fresh crisp mountain air. For the more adventurous, there is BaumSchwebeBahn, which is a flyline giving aerial views of oak and beech trees as you slowly float above them.
A must-do is the treetop walkway, where views of the forest are peppered with information about the region’s flora and fauna. There is also a wedding venue on the walkway, which is a big hit with couples who would like to get married against the backdrop of the Brocken mountain.
A well-rested night at Hotel Villa Saxer recharges me for the next day. Set amid yellow flowers and landscaped lawns, with expansive views of the city on one side, is Kaiserpfalz Goslar, which is the Imperial Palace of Goslar. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, this cultural landmark gives insights into the lives of emperors during the High Middle Ages. The Imperial Hall is a visual delight with murals depicting Charlemagne, and Henry III, IV and V.