Quedlinburg

To UNESCO, Quedlinburg epitomises the medieval European town with its architecture and deep historical links to the early German kingdom. The medieval townscape and plan are basically intact, and there are at least 1300 half-timbered houses to stroll past and admire. Many are fully restored in colour with dated personal names, mottoes, dedications and invocations.

The castle above the town has an attached abbey church that is a rare example of Romanesque style. Parts of the sandstone town wall, built from the 12th to 14th centuries, and some of the towers are preserved.

The four churches in the town - St Aegidii, St Nikolai, St Benedikti and St Blasii - are of early date but with some changes, while the Romanesque church St Wipertii just outside the town belonged to an early royal court.