Grosser Burgberg

Harz Mountains


It takes just over half an hour to walk from town, or a zippy three-minute ride on the Burgberg-Seilbahn, to reach the top of this humble peak (483m), which boasts the ruins of an 11th-century fortress built by Heinrich IV. Once at the top you can stroll around the fortress ruins or set out on longer hikes or mountain-bike rides.

Year-round, avid hikers can elect to pick up the Kaiserweg trail from the fortress ruins, and continue onwards to Torfhaus and the Brocken. If snow conditions are good, it’s possible to ski cross-country to/from Torfhaus, where there are numerous equipment-hire facilities.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Harz Mountains attractions

1. Brockenhaus

5.38 MILES

The Brockenhaus, at the summit of the Brocken, has a cafe, interactive displays and a viewing platform. From May to October, rangers conduct one-hour…

2. Museum im Zwinger

6.17 MILES

A 16th-century tower holding a collection of such late-medieval delights as torture implements, coats of armour and weapons used during the Peasant Wars.

3. Rammelsberg Museum & Besucherbergwerk

6.3 MILES

The shafts and buildings of this 1000-year-old mine are now a museum and Unesco World Heritage Site. Admission to the mine includes a German-language tour…

4. Goslarer Museum

6.34 MILES

This museum offers a good overview of the natural and cultural history of Goslar and the Harz. One room contains the treasures from the former Goslar Dom …

5. Zinnfiguren-Museum

6.37 MILES

This beautifully presented little museum boasts a colourful collection of painted pewter figures and depicts scenes of daily life in Goslar from the…

6. Domvorhalle

6.38 MILES

The Domvorhalle is all that remains of the once-magnificent St Simon and St Jude Cathedral. Within it you can see the 11th-century Kaiserstuhl, the throne…

7. Rathaus

6.43 MILES

The impressive late-Gothic Rathaus is most beautiful at night, when light shining through its stained-glass windows illuminates the stone-patterned town…