Harztor

The rural municipality of Harztor is located in the middle of the charming southern Harz Mountains in northern Thuringia, is home to around 7476 inhabitants (as of 2021) and comprises the villages of Niedersachswerfen, Ilfeld with Sophienhof, Neustadt, Harzungen and Herrmannsacker. It is not for nothing that the municipality bears the name "Harztor", as it is popularly known as the gateway to the Harz Mountains, behind which the Harz Mountains rise steeply.

Location & journey

The district town of Nordhausen is just 7 kilometres away. From the west, it is a one-hour drive to Göttingen in Lower Saxony and from the east, the Halle/Leipzig region can be reached in the same time. Harztor is located at the junction of the B4 and B81 motorways, which run through the Harz Mountains towards Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. Coming from the east or west, Harztor can be reached via the A38 (Südharz motorway) via Nordhausen.

Origin

The comparatively young municipality was created not so long ago in 2012 through the merger of the municipalities of Ilfeld and Niedersachswerfen, which initially promoted the idea of a rural municipality on their own. In 2018, the municipalities of Herrmannsacker, Harzungen and Neustadt/Harz were finally incorporated.

Worth seeing

The Harz narrow-gauge railway puffs through Harztor almost twice a day, which every tourist should undoubtedly have seen during their holiday in the Harz Mountains. Nature lovers in particular will get their money's worth in the scenically attractive southern Harz region. As a climatic health resort, the town of Neustadt is particularly suitable for hikes of all levels of difficulty and offers many popular places to stop for refreshments in the picturesque town centre. The Ilfeld district of Sophienhof, which is considered the northernmost village in Thuringia and attracts numerous tourists year after year, is also worth a visit. If you like, you can also visit the local history museum on a trip to Ilfeld and learn about the history of Ilfeld and Wiegersdorf in a vivid way. Other nearby excursion destinations that you should definitely not miss include the Poppenberg Tower, which is also known colloquially as the "South Harz Eiffel Tower", or the Hohnstein castle ruins with their enormous historical value. After a long hike, the "Long Bench" in Harztor, which lives up to its name, invites you to linger. With a length of around 30.5 metres, it is probably the longest bench in the whole of Thuringia. Who will you enjoy the wonderful view with and let your mind wander?

Whether you're looking for relaxation, adventure or cultural highlights, the municipality of Harztor has something for everyone. Pay Harztor a visit and see for yourself!