Esprit Hotel

Cyclists at the Händel House

by Nemorino

The corner house where Händel was born has been there since at least 1558, when it was first mentioned in a document, so the house was already well over a hundred years old when he was born there.

The Old Town of Halle was fortunately not seriously damaged in the Second World War, but some of the houses were allowed to deteriorate under the GDR regime and were then torn down in the 1980s to make room for new pre-fab buildings.

Parts of the Old Town still exist, however, and the Händel House is not the only building that has been restored in recent years.

Some of the streets of the Old Town are carfree and there are always lots of people riding past the Händel House on bicycles.

Photos: People on bicycles riding past the Händel House.

Giebichenstein Castle

by Kathrin_E

Giebichenstein is the older of Halle's two castles. The first mentioning dates back to the year 961. The oldest parts of the present building derives from the second half of the 12th century.
The castle served as residence of the Archbishops of Magdeburg until around 1500 when the Moritzburg was completed. Giebichenstein was abandoned and partly destroyed during the 30 Years War.

In 1906 the ruins of the upper castle were opened to the public. The gatehouse tower offers a great view of the Saale valley, the northern parts of the city and the surrounding landscape.

Opening hours: April to October Tues-Fri 10.00-17.00, Sat-Sun 10.00-18.00
Entrance fee: adults 2,10 €, kids and concessions 1,30 € - free entry on Thursdays

The buildings of the lower castle have been the seat of the School of Art and Design (Hochschule für Kunst und Design - Burg Giebichenstein) since 1921 .

Old Town: Rathausstraße and Jena'sches Stift

by Kathrin_E

Rathausstraße is another street in the old town that deserves attention because of its well restored historical houses. It is a mix of baroque and 19th/early 20th century architecture.

Most notable: the baroque house Rathausstraße 15, Jena'sches Fräuleinstift. This house belonged to the first curator of Halle University and high-ranking government official in Brandenburg and the Duchy of Magdeburg, Gottfried von Jena. In his will he created a foundation for unmarried noble ladies of calvinist faith, and from his death in 1703 until 1962 the house was inhabited by the foundation.
Have a look at the roof of the building - don't those windows look like eyes?

Around Marktplatz

by Russell_the_Wombat

We got a new camera which has a 'self portrait' function. This proved useful. Sitting on Mommy's outstretched hand is far less risky for me than sitting somewhere in a crowded square with too many "Hallunken" around.

Georg Friedrich Händel and me