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(population 9500), about 11km southeast of Stendal. Its location at the confluence of the Elbe and Tanger Rivers makes it even prettier, although it’s quieter still. The second home of Charles IV, the 14th-century king of Bohemia, it’s most notable for its surviving town walls, impressive towers and ruined castle. The Altstadt is a five-minute walk south of the Hauptbahnhof, along Albrechtstrasse. Turning right on Mauerstrasse and left on Notpforte takes you to the tourist office ( 223 93; www.tourismus-tangermuende.de; Markt 2; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat, 1-4pm Sun Nov-Mar).

Stendal is directly served by train from Magdeburg (€10.30, 40 minutes). The B188 and B189 (from Magdeburg) intersect in the south of town. Regional trains link Stendal and Tangermünde (€2.10; 12 minutes), as does the B188.

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EASTERN SAXONY-ANHALT

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DESSAU-ROSSLAU

0340 / pop 90,000

For Bauhaus junkies, Dessau represents the mother lode. Nowhere else in the world will you find a greater concentration of original 1920s Bauhaus structures than in this city on the Elbe River. Considered the ‘built manifesto of Bauhaus ideas’, Dessau was the home of the most influential design school of the 20th century during its most creative period from 1925 to 1932.

You could just stop off and see all major Bauhaus sights in the course of a day or stay a bit longer to explore the city’s four parks, which form part of the Gartenreich Dessau-Wörlitz (Garden Realm; ). Alas, the townscape itself is mostly defined by the grey concrete GDR-era aesthetic.

Note that, in 2007, Dessau merged with the smaller town of Rosslau across the Elbe, resulting in an official name change to Dessau-Rosslau.

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Orientation

The leading Bauhaus sights are west of the Hauptbahnhof, all within easy walking distance. The town centre lies southeast, about a 15-minute walk away. Pedestrianised Zerbster Strasse is the main drag, leading to the Markt, the town hall and a big shopping mall.

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Information

Bauhaus Stiftung (Bauhaus Foundation; 650 8250; www.bauhaus-dessau.de; Gropiusallee 38; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri) For info on, and tours of, Bauhaus buildings (also in English).

Internet cafe (Hauptbahnhof, 1st fl; per hr €2; 10am-10pm) Up the spiral stairs of the train station, to the right of the exit doors.

Post office (Kavalierstrasse 30-32; 8.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-12.30pm Sat).

Tourist office ( 204 1442, accommodation 220 3003; www.dessau-rosslau-tourismus.de; Zerbster Strasse 2c; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat Apr-Oct, 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat Nov-Mar).

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Sights

BAUHAUSGEBÄUDE

Across the world, many modernist masterpieces have fallen into ruin and, for a while, it looked as though a similar fate might befall the seminal Bauhausgebäude (Bauhaus Bldg; 650 8251; www.bauhaus-dessau.de; Gropiusallee 38; admission free; exhibition adult/concession €5/4; 10am-6pm). Fortunately, major restoration, completed in 2006, successfully staved off the wrecking ball.

If you consider the history of this school building, it’s almost impossible to overstate its significance. Two key pioneers of modern architecture, Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, served as its directors. Gropius claimed that the ultimate of all artistic endeavours was architecture, and this building was the first real-life example of his vision. It was revolutionary, bringing industrial construction techniques, such as curtain walling and wide spans, into the public domain and presaging untold buildings worldwide. The school also disseminated the movement’s ideals of functionality and minimalism. The tubular steel-frame chair and other enduring industrial designs were born here.

Yet, perhaps more impressive than all these innovations is how contemporary the building looks after more than 80 years. Cubist, concrete and mostly white, it has three interconnecting rectangular wings fronted by plate-glass windows. The grey southern