Great history, quiet churches

Village churches, monasteries, cathedrals, castles and urban systems – Saxony-Anhalt has many historic monuments from the middle age. On the “Straße der Romanik” you get an insight into the epoch. The monastery “Unserer Lieben Frauen” at Magdeburg is your starting point and connection point between the north route and south route in Saxony-Anhalt. Make a time travel through the years 950 until 1250. First, follow the Elbe cycling path north. In Jerichow you find the Prämonstratenserstift which is a major work of romanesque architecture. At the Altmark circuit you cycle to Salzwedel with its St. Lorenzkirche from the 13th century which is considered as an architectural feature. After a series of churches and monasteries along the north route you reach Gardelegen where you can expect a gardendream. At the historic cathedral city Magdeburg your cycling where your tour starts ends your tour in the past.

Day 1: Individual arrival at Magdeburg
Welcome to Magdeburg which is the heart of the “Straße der Romanik”! The earliest evidence of this construction period is the monastery “Unserer Lieben Frauen” and nearby the gothic cathedral stretches into the sky. Inside it hides numerous romanesque treasures.

Day 2: Magdeburg – Tangermünde (about 68 km)
It goes north through the Herrenkrugpark towards Hohenwarthe - past Europe’s largest waterway crossing. From Rogätz magnificent lealandscapes extend. You reach Tangermünde which is the "jewel of the Altmark" and a charming former Hanseatic city.

Day 3: Around Tangdermünde (about 42 km)
You have time to explore the area around Tangermünde and especially worth seeing is the monastery Jerichow. Even the villages close to each other Groß- and Kleinwulkow, Briest, Melkow and Wust are worth seeing with their churches. Otto von Bismarck was born at Schönhausen and baptized in the baroque village church.

Day 4: Tangermünde- Havelberg (about 54 km)
You cycle through Storkau and Arneburg to Büttnershof where you have to take the ferry to Sandau. Worth seeing are the three-aisled churches St. Nikolaus and St. Laurentius. You continue to Havelberg which is situated in the east of the Elbe. Soon you will see the magnificent cathedral St. Marien above the city.

Day 5: Havelberg – Arendsee (about 60 km)
Your today's route takes you in the west of the Elbe from Havelberg to Werben. Here you should visit the Hungerturm and the Stadtkirche! You cycle further to Seehausen. We recommend a visit to the museum of tower clocks. Through the idyll you cycle up to Arendsee. Take up the romanesque thread at the churches of this city again! Try in the evening the fried whitefish from the sea.

Day 6: Arendsee – Diesdorf (about 55 km)
Roman treasures you pass today on your journey through the beautiful medieval town Salzwedel. Try the typical Baumkuchen (cake) before you cycle to Diesdorf! You find one of the “wrong” churches at Wallstawe. Its tower rises in the East instead of the West!

Day 7: Diesdorf – Gardelegen (about 55 km)
Today your first destinations are the church from the 12th Century
and the middle age at the open-air museum. Stone churches can be found at Rohrberg, Engersen and Wiepke. Soon you reach Gardelegen. A walk on the beautiful embankment which is a garden dream and leads around the old town let ends this lap very pleaasant.


Day 8: Gardelegen – Magdeburg (about 65 km)
On quiet roads you cycle to Haldensleben. At the historic old town is Europe’s only Roland who rides. The dam of the middleland channel leads you to Hohenwarthe from where you cycle on the same path back to Magdeburg from which you started.

Day 9: Magdeburg
At 11 o’clock, we invite you to city tour at Magdeburg. Afterwards individual departure or extension.

Reference: Please note that many churches are not open everytime. A Pre-registration is recommended!