Bad Suderode

The Ölbergshöhe in the Harz Mountains of central Germany is a mountain spur, 320.6 metres (1,052 ft) above sea level, of the Ramberg ridge near Bad Suderode in the Saxony-Anhalt county of Harz.

Gernrode Abbey (German: Stift Gernrode) was a house of secular canonesses (Frauenstift) in Gernrode in what is now Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Gernrode was founded in 959 and was disestablished in the seventeenth century. In the Middle Ages the abbey was an Imperial abbey had the status of imperial immediacy (German: Reichunmittelbarkeit) and an Imperial State. In the early modern period, the abbey was part of the Upper Saxon Circle.

Saint Cyriakus (German: Stiftskirche St. Cyriakus, pronounced [ˈʃtɪftsˌkɪʁçə zaŋkt tsyˈʁi̯aːkʊs]) is a medieval church in Gernrode, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is one of the few surviving examples of Ottonian architecture, built in 959/960–965 by Margrave Gero, although it was restored in the 19th century. From its foundation until 1614, Saint Cyriakus was the collegiate church of the Abbey of Gernrode, also founded by Margrave Gero. The church and the abbey became Protestant in the mid-sixteenth century, and the church is now used by the Protestant community of Gernrode. The church is part of the tourist route "Romanesque Road", as it is an important example of an Ottonian church which inspired later, fully Romanesque, churches and cathedrals.: 92 

Gernrode/Harz was a Verwaltungsgemeinschaft ("collective municipality") in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft was Gernrode. Between 1 January 2011 and 19 February 2013 it was disbanded as its members temporarily became part of the town Quedlinburg. It was finally disbanded in January 2014. The Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Gernrode/Harz consisted of the following municipalities: Bad Suderode Gernrode Rieder

Gernrode (German pronunciation: [ɡɛʁnˈʁoːdə] (listen)) is a historic town and former municipality in the Harz District, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2014, it has been part of Quedlinburg. It was the seat of the former Verwaltungsgemeinschaft ("municipal association") of Gernrode/Harz. First mentioned in 961, Gernrode received the privilege to bear its own coat of arms and seal, commonly regarded as town privileges. The town is best known for the Ottonian church of Saint Cyriakus, the collegiate church of a former Imperial chapter of nuns, and as the start of the narrow gauge Selke Valley Railway.

The Stecklenburg is a ruined medieval castle in the East Harz in Germany, located on a small rise only a few hundred metres away from the village of Stecklenberg (in the borough of Thale) in the district of Harz in Saxony-Anhalt. The castle was built in the 11th century by the Stackelbergs on the remains of an older one. In the 12th century it was destroyed in a battle, but later rebuilt. Its new owners in 1281 were the abbey in Halberstadt. Stecklenburg was occupied until the beginning of the 18th century. After then, several of the castle buildings, such as the brewery and the castle chapel, were demolished. It fell into total ruin and was used as a quarry. Before it was completely destroyed it was placed under a protection order following an objection by the senior forester of Thale, who then worked on the preservation of the castle. Today the ruins of Stecklenburg are a protected monument and a popular tourist destination. All that is left of the castle are a few walls from the living quarters and the remains of the keep. The ruins of Lauenburg Castle are located only a few hundred metres away from the Stecklenburg, further up the Ramberg hill.

Stecklenberg is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 23 November 2009, it is part of the town Thale.

The Lauenburg is a ruined medieval castle in the East Harz in central Germany situated on an elevation southwest of the village of Stecklenberg (in the borough of Thale) in Harz district in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany). The castle was built in the High Middle Ages. The ruins of the Lauenburg stand on a foothill of the Ramberg massif above the village of Stecklenberg. It was built by Henry IV and first mentioned in the records in 1164. The construction of the two-part castle with its inner and outer wards (Vorburg and Hauptburg) probably took up to ten years. The two halves of the castle are separated by a massive defensive ditch (a neck ditch or Halsgraben), hewn out of the rock. The purpose of this impressive fortification with a total length of more than 350 metres was the protection of Quedlinburg and the nearby military roads. In 1180 the Lauenburg was captured by Frederick I (Barbarossa) during a series of warlike conflicts. Later robber barons resided in the castle for periods of time, until it was destroyed in the 14th century. Today the main castle is badly run-down. Only a few remnants of the towers and the outer walls are still left. The only structure in the entire fortification that has withstood the ravages of time and history relatively well is the keep of the outer ward. Its ruins can be seen from a long way off. The Lauenburg has a checkpoint (no. 187) in the network of hiking trails that form the Harzer Wandernadel. It is on the path by the entrance to the inn that is situated between the two parts of the castle.

Neinstedt is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, in the Harz area. Since 1 January 2009, it is part of the town Thale. It has a station on the Magdeburg–Thale railway.

The Teufelsmauer (Devil's Wall) is a rock formation made of hard sandstones of the Upper Cretaceous in the northern part of the Harz Foreland in central Germany. This wall of rock runs from Blankenburg (Harz) via Weddersleben and Rieder to Ballenstedt. The most prominent individual rocks of the Teufelsmauer have their own names. The Teufelsmauer near Weddersleben is also called the Adlersklippen ("Eagle Crags"). Many legends and myths have been woven in order to try to explain the unusual rock formation. It was placed under protection as early as 1833 and, in 1852, by the head of the district authority in order to prevent quarrying of the much sought-after sandstone. The Teufelsmauer near Weddersleben has been protected since 1935 as a nature reserve and is thus one of the oldest nature reserves in Germany.

Weddersleben is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, in the Harz area. Since 1 January 2009, it is part of the town Thale. The village is well known for being located adjacent to the famed natural rock formation known as the Teufelsmauer, or "Devil's Wall" in English. Surrounding forest area has numerous paths for biking and hiking, making it a popular tourist destination for nature seekers. Among the many natural formations in the area, the Bode River flows by the edges of the village.

The Bremer Teich ("Bremer Pond") is an historic reservoir that lies south of the two villages of Bad Suderode and Gernrode in the Harz Mountains of Germany, and is used as a recreation area (natural swimming pool and camp site). It impounds the Bremer Graben, an artificial channel fed by water from the Bode and the Saale. The water reservoir was built in the 18th century in the Lower Harz (Saxony-Anhalt). It has an area of ca. 4 ha. The pond is located on the Romanesque Road and the North Harz Cycleway. The pond was originally called the Hirschteich ("Stag Pond"). It was laid out in 1796 and was actually intended to trap deer. In 1696, in the area around the pond, the last bear was killed by the Anhalt prince, Victo Amadeus, whilst he was par force hunting. To commemorate this event the Bear Monument (Bärendenkmal) was erected in 1900. The Bremer Teich owes its name to the engineer, Bremer, who built the dam. The dam is an earth barrage with internal compaction (Innenverdichtung) In 1968 this was further reinforced by and the pond became the Bremer Dammteich. A youth hostel, camp site and restaurant have been built by the pond. The Bremer Teich is no. 196 in the system of hiking checkpoints in the Harzer Wandernadel.