Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [193]
NAUMBURG
03445 / pop 39,000
At the confluence of the Saale and Unstrut Rivers, today Naumburg sits again as pretty and picturesque as it had for 1000 years. Gone is the pall of heavy industry that hung over the town during the GDR era. Gone too is the stifling presence of the Soviet military that set up a garrison here after WWII. After much restoration and beautification, Naumburg is again ready for its close-up, proud to show off its handsome Altstadt with the striking Renaissance Rathaus and the Marientor double gateway and, most of all, its famous medieval cathedral. In late June, this normally sedate town goes wild during the Kirschfest (Cherry Festival; www.kirschfest.de), a celebration of food, drink, music, a parade and fireworks.
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Orientation & Information
The Hauptbahnhof is 1.5km northwest of the old town and the Markt, the central square and site of the tourist office ( 273 125; www.naumburg-tourismus.de; Markt 12; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat, 10am-1pm Sun Apr-Oct, 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat Nov-Mar). To get there, either board the Naumburger TouristenBahn, a GDR-era tram (€1.50) or walk along Rossbacher Strasse (keep bearing left and uphill) past the cathedral. There’s a post office at Heinrich-von-Stephan-Platz 6.
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Sights
DOM
The enormous Cathedral of Sts Peter & Paul ( 230 110; Domplatz 16-17; adult/concession/child €4/3/2; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun Mar-Oct, 10am-4pm Mon-Sat, noon-4pm Sun Nov-Feb) is a masterpiece of medieval architecture and a treasure trove of superb sculpture. Blueprints were drafted at a time when the Gothic was supplanting the Romanesque style. While the crypt and the east choir, for instance, feature elements of the latter, the famous west choir is a prime example from the early Gothic period. This is where you find the dozen monumental statues of the cathedral founders, including those of a regal-looking couple called Uta and Ekkehard. They are the work of the so-called Master of Naumburg, who also crafted the dizzying rood screen, which illustrates the Passion with almost excruciating realism.
The dome’s interior exudes a calming serenity achieved by soft light filtering in through superbly detailed stained-glass windows. The medieval ones were recently joined by ruby-red modern panes by Neo Rauch, one of the premier artists of the New Leipzig School. Look for them in the St Elisabeth Chapel, also home to one of the oldest statues of the saint, carved shortly after her canonisation in the early 13th century.
More riches await in the Domschatzgewölbe (cathedral treasury; adult/concession €2/1; open same hours as cathedral), where highlights include an altar painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder and a heart-wrenching 14th-century pietà.
NIETZSCHE HAUS
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) spent most of his childhood in this modest home ( 201 638; Weingarten 18; adult/concession €2.50/1; 2-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun Apr-Oct), acquired by his mother after the death of her husband. In 1890, she brought her son back here to nurse him as he was going slowly mad, allegedly as a result of syphilis. The exhibit consists mostly of photos, documents and reams of biographical text, and requires a lot of concentration, just like Nietzsche’s writings. The emphasis is more on the man and his life rather than his philosophy, controversial works or influence on later generations.
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Sleeping & Eating
Camping Blütengrund ( 261 144; www.campingnaumburg.de, in German; Blütengrund 6; adult/tent/car €5/4.65/2.40; year-round) This leafy, sport-orientated camp site, 1.5km northeast of Naumburg at the river confluence, has its own canoe and bicycle rentals. Don’t have your own tent? Sleep in a tipi in the Indian Village (adult/child €11/8).
DJH hostel ( 703 422; www.jugendherberge.de/jh/naumburg; Am Tennisplatz 9; dm under/over 27yr €12/15, s/d €18/30, breakfast €4.50, linen €3.50) Naumburg’s large and well-equipped hostel is 1.5km south of the town centre.
Hotel Garni