Cobbles and crowns
© Jochen Quast
Celle
The romantic Ducal Town
Traditional and yet modern – Celle combines
the two well. Almost 500 half-timbered houses
which have been extensively restored and
are under preservation order, form Europe’s
largest building ensemble of this kind. The Old
Town which includes the Ducal Palace and the
historical Hoppener House, one of the most
splendid half-timbered houses in the town, as
well as the New Town Hall, an imposing red
brick building dating from the 19th century,
bear witness to the past five centuries of Celle’s
colourful history.
Celle is vibrant
The picturesque setting of the 700-year-old
­ducal town is just one aspect. Around two
­million visitors each year also experience
a ­modern, forward-looking and vibrant
town with an international flair. People from
110 ­different countries live here and their
­individual cultures make a mark on the town.
A colourful mixture of museums, theatres,
music festivals, concerts, galleries and town
festivals highlights the diversity of Celle.
Celle was once one of the most significant
ducal seats in Lower Saxony. For almost three
­centuries it served as the permanent residence
of the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg from the
House of Guelph, Europe’s oldest dynasty.
The Palace, first mentioned in 1318, still bears
evidence of a medieval castle and of a baroque
court. In the 19th century it served as a summer
residence for the Hanoverian kings.
No matter what you choose, you’ll conclude:
Celle is worth a visit!
02 / 03
Cobbles and crowns
The romantic Ducal Town
04 / 05
Celle’s Old Town
is a typical example of a town which has been
systematically laid out from the very beginning.
Following the foundation of Celle in 1292 by
the Guelphic duke Otto the Strict, the town was
initially restricted to an area which covers the
following streets now known as: Kanzleistraße
and Schuhstraße in the north and Stechbahn
and Zöllnerstraße in the south. Both road
axes ran towards the castle whereas the main
dividing streets Poststraße and Markt ran from
the south to the River Aller in the north. The
Markt formed the original town centre with
the town hall and the church. The town was
surrounded by a fortified wall and a moat that
both offered protection. Under the reign of
Duke Ernest the ­Confessor Celle was extended
around 1530 s­ outhwards to what is nowadays
Südwall ­(Southern Wall). The town could be
entered by three gates: from the south-west
through Westceller Tor (West Celle Gate), from
the east through Altenceller Tor (Old Celle Gate)
and from the north through Hehlentor ­(Hehlen
Gate). All three were demolished around 1790.
Zöllnerstraße, once the approach street to
the castle and at that time an usually wide
thouroughfare, has now become a favourable
pedestrian shopping zone with many small
shops, cafes and ice-cream parlours. Neue
Straße (New Street), built around 1360, some
70 years after the foundation of Celle, has a
­remarkable number of protruding oriels from
which the residents could observe the hustle
and bustle of the medieval town below and
always keep well informed.
Celle’s half-timbered architecture
Half-timbered buildings dominate the Old Town. The oldest
houses with street-facing gables date from the late 15th century.
Houses with street-facing eaves of the 17th and 18th centuries
blend in but they often have transverse gables. Older houses with
passages leading to a courtyard suggest the residents were once
farming families. From 1600 onwards, either projecting oriels
were added to some of the houses (such as the town hall) or bay
windows which reached the ground. Often the storeys protrude.
More or less rich carving as well as inscriptions can be especially
seen on the storey beams whereby the type of ­ornamentation
reveals the age of the house. Towards the end of the 17th
­century the ornamention became simpler and then disappeared
­completely. In its place the half-timbered houses were daubed
with a grey coating following the example of baroque houses
which were erected at that time.
Underneath the daub, the
half-timbering remained
­largely hidden for two
­centuries. From the second half
of the 19th century, the townscape i­ncreasingly c­ hanged
by the addition of modern
buildings. In recent years however the half-timbered houses
have been renovated to return
them to the their original
­appearance. Coloured paint has
been applied which ­enables
the wooden ­construction and
the carvings to be more visible.
Art & culture
06 / 07
Celle Palace
1
The oldest building in Celle is
the palace. First mentioned in
1318 as a “castrum”, its oldest
section dates from the second
half of the 13th century. During
the following centuries this
­originally plain and simple
castle has been altered and
­extended to a magnificent
four-wing building in which
Renaissance and Baroque
­harmonise. From the 14th century until 1705, Celle was the
permanent residence of the
Guelphic dukes of the House of BrunswickLüneburg. The father of King Georg I. of Great
Britain and elector of Hanover has lived here,
as well as his wife Sophie Dorothea, which was
born here as the daughter of the last duke.
In 1714 George I. ascended the British throne
and the Guelphs became the sovereigns of
both empires for five generations and are still
the oldest existing royal line in Europe. Later
in the 19th century the castle served as the
summer residence of the Hanoverian kings. The
­palace which is integrated in the historical “Old
Town”, reflects in its construction phases the
­development from a castle to a ducal palace.
From all periods of use building structures
­remain: the medieval castle, the knights’ hall,
the baroque state chambers, the baroque
­theatre and the eastern wing, redesigned by
the court architect Georg Friedrich Laves
(1788–1864) from Hanover. The palace chapel
with its early Protestant fittings is important
­evidence for Renaissance art in northern
­Germany and can only be visited during a
­guided tour of the Guelph Palace, as well as
the palace kitchen which with its equipment
­bears witness to the 19th century. Thus the
­palace provides a chronicle of the ducal
­residence documented in stone.
Residence Museum in the Celle Palace
During a visit to the Residence Museum, learn more about the history of
the Palace and its inhabitants in an up-to-date presentation and find out
more about Europe’s oldest surviving dynasty, that of the Guelphs. Celle is
an example of the development of a typical ducal residence.
Tour of the Residence Museum without guide
Tue to Sun: 10am–5pm
Admission charge: adults €5, family card €8. Groups from 15 persons:
adults €3, pupils free, combination ticket for both Bomann Museum and
Residence Museum available. Free admission on Fridays.
Public tours of the Palace
April to October: Tue to Fri and Sun 11am, 1pm and 3 pm,
Sat 11am–3pm on the hour | November to March: Tue to Fri 11am and 3pm,
Sat & Sun 11am, 1pm, 3pm.
Admission charge includ. guided tour: adults €7, children and reduced rate
€5, family ticket €14, group tours by prior arrangement, please enquire for
thematic tours.
Schlossplatz 1 | D-29221 Celle | Tel. +49 (0)5141/12373
www.residenzmuseum.de | www. celle-fuehrungen.de
English
French
Spanish
Russian
Danish
Dutch
Swedish
Polish
06 / 07
Foreign language guided tours can be arranged.
We advise to do so a few days in advance for availability reasons.
Hanover’s Rulers on Great Britain’s Throne 1714–1837
Stuarts
Palatinate
Hanover
Frederick V † 1632
1619–20 King of Bohemia
(the “Winter King”)
George 1582–1641
1636 Duke of Calenberg
James I
Son of Mary Stuart
King of England 1603–1625
Charles I
Elizabeth
1625–1649
† 1662
Charles II
James II † 1701
Sophia
Ernest Augustus 1629–1698
George William 1624–1705
1660–1685
1685–1688
Deposed in 1688
1630–1714
Bishop of Osnabrück
1679 Duke of Calenberg
1692 Elector
1648 Duke of Calenberg
1665 Duke of Lüneburg
Anne
James III † 1766
„The Old Pretender“
George (Louis) I 1660–1727
Sophie Dorothea 1666–1726
1698 Elector
1714 King of Great Britain
Divorced in 1694
“Princess of Ahlden”
Charles Edward † 1788
George II 1683–1760
„The Young Pretender“
King 1727
OO Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach
Mary † 1695
OO Wilhelm III.
of Orange
King of England
1689–1702
1665–1714
1702 Queen
Frederick Louis
1707–1751 “Prince of Wales”
OO Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
George III 1738–1820
08 / 09
1760 King
OO Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
George IV 1762–1830
Frederick † 1827
William IV 1765–1837
Edward † 1820
Ernest Augustus
Adolphus Frederick
1810 Regent
1820 King
OO Caroline of
Brunswick
Duke of York
1764–1801 Bishop of
Osnabrück
OO Friederike of
Prussia
1830 King
OO Adelheid of
Saxe-Meiningen
Duke of Kent
OO Louise Victoria of
Saxe-Coburg
1771–1851
Duke of Cumberland
1837–1851
King of Hanover
OO Friederike of
Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Victoria 1819–1901
George V 1819–1878
† 1850
Duke of Cambridge
1816 Gouvernor-General
of Hanover
1831–1837 Viceroy
OO Augusta of
Hesse-Kassel
1837 Queen of
Great Britain
OO Albert of
Saxe-Coburg
1851–1866
King of Hanover
OO Mary of
Saxe-Altenburg
© Bomann-Museum Celle
© Historisches Museum Hannover
Sophia Dorothea with her children
The princess from Celle would have become
the first British queen from the House of
Guelphs, but she remained the “Uncrowned
Queen”. Following the infamous Königsmarck affair and her subsequent divorce
she was expelled from the electoral court
and exiled to Ahlden. Her children how­
ever ascended to European thrones: George
Augustus as George II became King of Great
Britain in 1727, her daughter Sophia Dorothea
became queen in Prussia and was the mother
of Frederick the Great.
© Bomann Museum Celle
© The Royal Collection
Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II.
Residendial Museum
at Celle Palace
„Reif für die Insel“
State Exhibition of Lower
­Saxony in Hannover and
Celle 17 May to 5 October,
2014
The exhibition is dedicated
to the Guelph family‘s rise
to political power. After the
30-year war, the Duchy of
Braunschweig-Lüneburg
was splintered and had lost
a lot of its former influence
and importance. Though
about 65 years later, it was to
become a European power whose rulers bore the
royal crown of Britain. This
development was promoted systematically by the
ruling family by means of
marriages, wars and festivities. On the premises of the
residential palace, in original
historic locations, the city of
Celle offers a unique insight
into the beginnings of the
personal union as well as life
during those times.
Guided tours of the exhibition
available in many languages.
Schlossplatz 1 | D – 29221 Celle
Tel. +49 (0)5141/12373
www.residenzmuseum.de
08 / 09
George I, Elector of Hanover and
King of Great Britain
In the „Act of Settlement“ passed in 1701, Princess
Sophia of the Palatinate and widow of Elector Ernest
Augustus of Hanover, became heiress presumptive to
the English throne. Shortly after Sophia’s death in 1714
Queen Anne of Great Britain and Ireland also died,
­enabling in the same year Sophia’s eldest son George
Louis to ascend the British throne as King George I.
Art & culture
Bomann Museum –
Museum for cultural history
2
Situated directly opposite the Palace, the Bomann Museum
displays its collection depicting the everyday culture of eastern
Lower Saxony, Celle’s history as well as regional history. The
museum is noted for its impressive display of completely
furnished historical rooms. The museum also houses the
miniature collection of the Tansey Foundation as well as the
Eberhard Schlotter Foundation.
Opening hours
Tue to Sun: 10am–5pm
Admission charge: adults €5, groups from 15 persons €3,
family ticket €8, combined ticket for Residence, Bomann and
Art Museum €8, combined ticket for families €12, students
up to 14 free, no admission charge on Fridays.
Schlossplatz 7 | D - 29221 Celle
Tel. +49 (0)5141/12372 | www.bomann-museum.de
08 / 09
German
Celle Art Museum with
Robert Simon Collection
The world’s first 24-hour art museum, this museum
exhibits modern and contemporary art from the
Robert Simon Collection.
Opening hours
Tue to Sun: 10am–5pm, outside daily 5pm–10am
Admission charge: adults €5, groups from 15 persons €3,
family ticket €8, combined ticket for Residence, Bomann
and Art Museum €8, combined ticket for families €12,
teenagers up to 14 free, no admission charge on Fridays.
Schlossplatz 7 | D-29221 Celle
Tel. +49 (0)5141/12685 | www.kunst.celle.de
08 / 09
German
Art & culture
The town church
3
Whilst half-timbered houses flank the southern side of the
Stechbahn, the town church dominates the opposite side. Twice
daily a trumpeter climbs the 74.5-m-high tower of the 700-yearold church and plays a choral in all four directions, just as in
times gone by. The three-nave Gothic hall church was built at the
same time as the foundation of Celle, and as early as 1308 it was
consecrated by the Bishop of Hildesheim as St. Mary’s Church.
Between 1676 and 1698 the structure received a barrel vault and
also a baroque appearance. Especially noteworthy are: the altar
from 1613, the monuments of the Guelph dukes (16th and 17th
centuries) in the presbytery, the gallery paintings (17th century)
and the baroque organ reconstructed in 1999 using the original
plans of 1687. A guided tour of the church including the ducal
crypt is possible by prior arrangement.
Church office:
Tel. +49 (0)5141/7735, [email protected]
Sexton:
Tel. +49 (0)5141/550345, [email protected]
Opening hours of the church
April to October: Tue to Sat 10am–6pm, Sun after the church
service until 2pm. No sightseeing during services or weddings.
Church tower climb:
April to October (during the winter by prior arrangement):
Tue to Sat 10am–11.45am and 2pm–4.45pm,
adults €1, children €0.50, family €2.50
10 / 11
Tour of the ducal crypt:
Mon and Thur 4pm, adults: €1.50, children €0.50
te
r
Riflemen’s Museum
a
D r. B r o c k m a n n , s t
ble
m
as
4
Founded in 1976 in the “Haus auf der
Stadtmauer”, this museum displays a unique
painting gallery of the chief champion
marksmen as well as a display of medals,
trophies, awards and documents from the
past centuries. Weapons are not on display.
Synagoge
Opening hours
April to October: Sun 10.30am–12.30pm,
free admission, group tours throughout
the year by prior arrangement.
Altencellertorstraße 1 | D - 29221 Celle
Tel. +49 (0)5141/84145 | Fax +49 (0)5141/24741
Every morning around
9.30am and every evening
around 5.30pm the tower
trumpeter plays a choral in
all four directions.
5
The synagogue, located at
Im Kreise No. 24, was built
around 1740 and is the oldest
surviving Jewish place of
worship in northern Germany.
Parts of the Thora shrine with
its lavish crowning date from
that time.
Opening hours
Tue to Thur and Sun:
12 noon–5pm, Fri 10am–3pm
Guided tours by prior
arrangement:
Touristinformation Celle
Markt 14 –16 | D - 29221 Celle
Tel. +49 (0)5141/12454
www.fuehrungen-celle.de
10 / 11
“The Celle Stud
Farm has had a lasting
impact on European
horse breeding.”
Interesting places to discover
French Garden
6
The French Garden can probably attribute its name to the
French gardener Perronet (from 1676) and later René Dahuron
(1690–1701) who were in the service of Duke George William
of Celle. Dahuron was responsible for creating the first
complete layout of a kitchen and leisure garden following
the tradition of the courtly baroque gardens of the early 17th
century. In 1705 Celle ceased to be a ducal residence. The
garden fell into neglect, but was for a short period revived
under the court gardener Krantz while the Danish queen
Caroline Mathilde was exiled in Celle. He built, among others,
a summer house for her by the pond and in 1784 after her
death had a memorial erected.
LAVES – Institute of Apiculture
In 1927, the Institute of
Apiculture was established in
order to improve bee-keeping
which was in decline due to the
reduction of heathland. Today
the institute, renamed LAVES –
Institute of Apiculture Celle,
is responsible for the training
and professional development
of beekeepers, provides a
regional advice and consulting
service as well as carrying
out varied scientific research
(chemical and biological honey
research, bee pathology, honey
flow research, the ecological
importance of honey and wild
bees and beekeeping).
A storage building dating
from 1607 and some parts of
the historical orangery from
1677 now house a permanent
exhibition with interesting
facts about beekeeping.
7
The exhibition can only be
accessed during a guided tour.
Opening hours
Visit to the Bee Garden
without a guide:
Mon to Thu 9am–12 noon and
2pm–3.30pm, Fri 9am–12 noon
Group tours (Mon to Fri) by
arrangement only:
Touristinformation Celle
Markt 14 –16 | D - 29221 Celle
Tel. +49 (0)5141/12454 or 12373
www.celle-fuehrungen.de
German
14 / 15
“Are we going
to see you at 8pm in the
Residenzhalle –
Schlosstheater
Celle?”
Elke
to
r)
S c h a e fer (s u b s cr i b e e l (a c
z
an d Tho m as Wen
r)
Medicinal Plant Garden Celle
Information boards and
individual references inform
the visitor about the plants and
how among many others, the
famous clergyman Kneipp or
the female mystic Hildegard
von Bingen made use of them.
Opening hours
March to October: daily 10am–6pm
From November onwards the garden may
close earlier depending on weather and
light conditions.
Free entry. Guided group toursby prior
arrangement.
German
English
Swedish
Café KräuThaer:
March to October: Wed to Sun 2pm–6pm
November: Thu to Sun 2pm–6pm
Tel. +49 (0)5141/32425 | Fax +49 (0)5141/381870
KräuThaer shop:
Tue to Sun 2pm–6pm.
Wittinger Straße 76 | D - 29221 Celle
Tel. +49 (0)5141/208173 or 32425
[email protected]
Register:
Touristinformation Celle
Markt 14 –16 | D - 29221 Celle
Tel. +49 (0)5141/127666 | Fax 05141/127623
www.celle-fuehrungen.de
Public tour of the garden:
Without registration June to September,
always the first and third Saturday of the month.
Meeting point: main entrance in Wittinger
Straße. Begin: 2.30pm, fee: €2.50.
14 / 15
The Medicinal Plant Garden
offers a wealth of differing
medicinal plants. The grounds,
covering some 7,000 square
metres, invites visitors to stroll
amongst the fragrant plants
and to rest by a bubbling
spring.
8
Interesting places to discover
Stechbahn
Kalandgasse and
Old Latin School
9
A glimpse in the Kalandgasse reveals a romantic
alleyway. It is named after the Kaland Brotherhood, a medieval, half religious and half secular
order whose meeting house was to be found
here. On its site now stands the old Latin school.
The buildings were erected between 1601
and 1603 and the beams were decorated with
­elaborate carvings as well as with numerous
Bible verses in German and in Latin in goldplated characters which suggest the function of
the houses.
10
The Kalandgasse runs into
the Stechbahn with its former
court pharmacy. In front
of the latter is a horseshoe
embedded in the pavement.
According to the legend, Duke
Otto II fell off his horse during
a tournament held at the
Stechbahn and was killed. The
horseshoe with the year 1471
etched in stone is a ­reminder
of the duke’s death. This
­memorial site was ­mentioned
as early as in 1763.
The “Old Town Hall”
11
Celle’s traditional town hall, one of the oldest
buildings in the town, consists of two sections.
The older part rises above the council cellar
hall with its Gothic cross vaults. A bend in the
front facade marks the masonry seam of the
­extension added in 1580–81.
Lichtart Celle – Talking lamps
12
Five „talented“ lamps have “congregated” in the Old Town in order to tell visitors
fascinating, funny and informative tales about life in Celle. Visitors and local
residents alike can listen to stories about the former ducal residence and its
aristocratic occupants.
In operation: 10am–1pm and 3pm–6.30pm,
6.30pm–9.30pm (evening mode)
The oldest dated house
13
was built in 1526, at Heiliges Kreuz No. 26. Eye-catching is the
Gothic step-shaped frieze and the year carved in Gothic script.
Remains of the inner retaining wall
of the town wall 14
On top of it a half-timbered house dating from 1600,
partially renovated in 1975 which is now the Riflemen’s Museum
at Nordwall No. 29.
„Celle to touch“
15
16 / 17
can be found at the entrance to the Tourist Information.
Interesting places to discover
Hoppener Haus
16
At Postraße, corner Rundestraße stands the
Hoppener Haus from 1532, certainly the most
splendid of all half-timbered houses in the Old
Town. Six storeys project out above each other
in the gable. Girts and studs above the two
lower storeys display elaborate figure ­ornaments
which include persons of rank, planet gods,
Stechinellihaus
17
The building at Großer Plan
No. 14 was named after the
­ducal court agent and postmaster general Francesco
­Stechinelli (1640–1694) who
lived here from 1675. The
current building was ­erected
in 1795 in neo-classical
­architecture.
diabolical or foolish figures,
­mythical creatures and ­reptiles,
but also portraits which
­allegedly characterise the
­different social ranks. In the
gable itself, however, only the
joists have bold carvings.
Altes Reithaus
18
Of the outer buildings of the ducal palace, only the old ­stable
­building remains, located in Westcellertorstraße, corner
­Schlossplatz. The building with its carefully worked square stone
facade dates from 1664. The gable displays the coat of arms of
Celle’s last duke, George William.
Haesler-Haus (1930–31)
19
in Magnusstraße. Outstanding Bauhaus architecture,
built by Otto Haesler (1880–1962) as the lodging for
the headmaster of the nearby grammar school.
It now houses the “Galerie im Haesler-Haus”.
„By the
first ­sunlight, the River
­Aller ­reveals its
­characteristic
magic.”
Otto Haesler residential estate, Italienischer Garten
a
n
18 / 19
H an
s - Fr ie d r ic h N
fi s
öl k e ,
he
rm
Lower Saxon
State Stud 20
It was founded by King George II of Great
Britain and Elector of Hanover. The Hanoverian
stallions on the farm are the fathers of many
internationally renowned horses. An outstanding event are the annual stallion parades
which take place during the last two weekends
of September and the first weekend in October.
Tickets are available from the office at the
State Stud.
Opening hours
Mon to Fri: 8.30am–5pm, Sat: 8.30am –11.30am
From mid-February to mid-July visits not
possible. Guided tours by prior arrangement.
Free entry.
18 / 19
Niedersächsisches Landgestüt
Spörckenstraße 10 | D - 29221 Celle
Tel. +49 (0)5141/92940
www.landgestuetcelle.de
Celle’s history
Celle’s Glockenspiel
20 / 21
Three times a day the
sound of the glockenspiel
can be heard. At 11 am,
1pm and 5pm, five fi
­ gures
­appear at the western
facade of business ­premises
in ­Zöllnerstraße, corner
­Poststraße. They are ­carved
from wood and portray
­characters from local history.
To be seen are:
21
Hermann Löns – Heath poet
(1866–1914) Whilst hiking in the Heath he
often visited the old ducal town of Celle. Löns
is regarded as the most prominent poet of the
Luneburg Heath who observed flora and fauna
as a hunter and an artist and described both,
embedded in atmospheric pictures, in serious,
but also in cheerful animal and hunting stories.
Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty – Poet
(1748–1776) Although he only spent his
youth at Celle’s grammar school, he has
become an i­ntegral part of the town’s ­history.
His ­sentimental, melancholy poems are
­characterised by a subtle lyrical perception.
Queen Caroline Mathilde of Denmark
(1751–1775) She was a sister of King George III of
Great Britain. In 1766 she married King Christian
VII of Denmark. Following an affair with the
physician and Danish Minister of State Johann
Friedrich Struensee, she was divorced and from
1772 until her death in 1775 lived in exile in the
Celle Palace. A memorial in the French Garden is
a reminder to the queen whose remains rest in
the ducal crypt beneath the town church.
Guelphic Duke Ernest the Confessor
(1497–1546) Following his academic years in
Wittenberg, he ruled the duchy jointly with
his brother Otto from 1527. He became one
of the most resolute Protestant rulers and in
1530 he signed, jointly with his brother Francis,
A brief historical overview
[1248] Celle (today Altencelle)
is referred to as a town for the
first time
[1292] The Guelphic duke
Otto the Strict of BrunswickLuneburg relocates the town
to its present site
[1378] Celle becomes the
residence of the dukes of
Luneburg
[1527–1530] The Reformation is
adopted in the duchy by Duke
Ernest the Confessor, Celle is
extended
the Augsburg ­Confession
which paved the way for the
­Reformation in Celle. Also in
1530, the town was extended
for the first time.
Guelphic Duke Otto the Strict
(1266–1330) At Whitsun
in 1292, he granted ­Celle
the town privilege and
­encouraged the resettlement
of the citizens of Old Celle to
New Celle. In 1301 he ­granted
Celle, in the Low German
­language, a new town charter.
[1570–1579] A Renaissance
gable is added to the town hall
[1670–1680] The ducal castle
is converted into a baroque
palace and a theatre is installed
(1674)
[1705] Death of the last duke
of Celle. The town ceases to be
a ducal residence
[1710] A prison, ­workhouse and
mental asylum is ­established
(today a penal institution)
[1711] Celle becomes the
seat of the Supreme Court of
­Appeals, the highest court
in the Electorate of Hanover
(today the Regional Court of
Appeals)
[1869] The four suburbs of
Blumlage, Hehlentor, Neuen­
häusen and Neustadt are
­incorporated into the town of
Celle
[1872] A large infantry barracks
next to the former ducal game
park is completed. It now
­houses the New Town Hall
[1735] The Hanoverian Stud
Farm is established in Celle
[1885] Celle becomes an urban
district town
[around 1740] Celle’s
­Jewish community builds a
­synagogue in the suburb of
Blumlage
[1909] The municipal hall
“Union” is opened, nowadays
a congress centre (“Congress
Union”)
[1772–1775] The Danish queen
Caroline Mathilde is exiled to
the Celle Palace following the
famous “Struensee Affair”
[1945] On 12 April the town
surrenders peacefully to the
Allied forces
[1845] The railway line from
Lehrte to Celle is opened
by King Ernest Augustus of
Hanover and Duke William of
Brunswick
[1866] Following the defeat
at the battle of Langensalza,
the Kingdom of Hanover is
annexed by the Prussians. Celle
becomes a Prussian provincial
town
[1954] The State Social Welfare
Tribunal is established in Celle
[1957] The Mobil Oil company
(now Exxon) erects Celle’s first
high-rise building
[1973] Nine surrounding
­villages are incorporated into
Celle. Celle loses its status as
an urban district town
[1977] Celle becomes a “large
independent town”
20 / 21
[993] First documented as
“Kellu” (today Altencelle) in a
boundary document issued
by order of Emperor Otto III
Tips for day & night
Orchid Centre Wichmann
Guided town tours
Mon to Fri 10am–6pm, Sat 10am–30pm,
Sun 10am–12 noon
Tannholzweg 1–3 | D - 29229 Celle
Tel. 05141/93720
www.wichmann-orchideen.de
22
Celler Badeland & Saunaland
Public town tours without prior registration:
May to October: Sat to Thur 11am, Fri 4.30pm | November and April:
Sat and Sun 11am | 1 December to the 4th Advent: daily 11am
Charge: €5 p.p., duration ca. 90 minutes
Meeting point: the bridge in front of the Palace
Foreign language guided tours can be arranged.
We advise to do so a few days in advance for availability reasons.
German
French
Spanish
Italian
English
Danish
Dutch
Plattdeutsch (Low German)
Russian
Swedish
Polish
24
Mon 9.30am–6.30pm, Tue, Thur & Fri
6am–10pm, Wed 6am–5.30pm, Sat 8am–7pm,
Sun 8am–6pm
www.celler-badeland.de
Waggon tour of the town
25
Departure: Großer Plan, corner Bergstraße,
next to Karstadt department store,
duration: ca. 35 minutes, April to October:
daily 10am–6pm, also Sat and Sun.
Müller’s Express (mini train)
26
Registration for groups: Touristinformation Celle
Markt 14–16 | D - 29221 Celle | Tel. +49 (0)5141/12454 | www. celle-fuehrungen.de
April: at the weekend, May to October: daily
10am–5pm, on the hour from the bridge in
front of the Palace
River Aller cruise
Boat hire AllerLeih
27
Regular boat trips starting from the Celle
harbour (Hafenstraße), route: Celle – Boye –
Stedden – Winsen (Aller) – Bannetze and return.
Boarding and deboarding from all landing
stages. Bicycles transported by prior registration.
22 / 23
23
End-April to mid-October:
Sun, Tue & Thur: 1pm, return: 7.30pm,
Wed: 1pm, return 5.30pm
www.celler-schifffahrt.de
28
Hire of kayaks, canoes, rowing boats and
paddle boats by the hour
Price: €4–10.
April: depending on the weather,
May: 10.30am–6pm,
June to September: 10am–7.30pm
Proprietor: Christian Wäsche | Fritzenwiese 49
Tel. +49 (0)5141/9939216
www.allerleih-celle.de
Performance venues
Schlosstheater Celle
Regular season from September to June
www.schlosstheater-celle.de
KUNST UND BÜHNE
Cabaret
Regular season from September to April
www.celle.de
Congress Union Celle
Changing events/Touring theatres
www.congress-union-celle.de
CD Kaserne Celle
Changing events/Touring theatres
www.cd-kaserne.de
22 / 23
© Jochen Quast
Further information:
www. celle-veranstaltungen.de
www. celle.travel
Tips for day & night
24 / 25
The Autostadt in Wolfsburg
The Autostadt is a special place focusing on
the many different aspects of mobility. As one
of Germany‘s most popular tourist destinations, this automotive theme park attracts
up to two million visitors each year. Situated
­adjacent to the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, the 28-hectare park serves as a new car
delivery centre, a cultural and event ­location,
and an ­extracurricular learning ­centre. Archi­
tecture, ­design and nature create a ­framework
for a ­variety of unique attractions.
29
Artworks and films stimulate discussion,
­research stations ­invite visitors to participate,
and events open up new horizons.
The Autostadt is an exciting destination all
year round. Water shows in summer make it
the perfect destination for a short holiday,
and the unique atmosphere in winter features
a ­traditional Christmas market and colourful
ice shows.
Opening hours
Open year-round: 9:00–18:00 h
(restaurants until 22:00 h)
Closed: 24 and 31 December
Day tickets/Two-day tickets:
Adults: €15/22 | Discounted: €12/18
Children/teens (6–17 years), students: €6/9
Family ticket (two adults and all children
up to 17 years old): €38/57
For group bookings of 15 or more people,
call +49 (0) 5361 401946
History in a modern age
The ZeitHaus museum in the Autostadt takes
visitors on a fascinating journey into the 125year history of motorcars. Some 100 milestones
of automotive history presented on four
levels include cars in their original condition,
brilliantly restored models and authentically
reconstructed vehicles. Instead of being limited
to Volkswagen Group products, the world‘s
most-frequently visited automotive museum
presents more than 50 different brands.
Guided tours:
Overview tour (60 minutes): €5
Discovery tour and
theme-based tours (120 minutes): €11
(Guided tours are available in
16 different languages)
Distance from Celle to Wolfsburg:
65 km, 1 hour travel time
Autostadt GmbH
Stadtbrücke | 38440 Wolfsburg | Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 5361 400 | www.autostadt.de
24 / 25
Nestled into the Autostadt park and lagoon
landscape, eight pavilions showcase
Volkswagen Group brands and portray their
philosophies on aesthetic and architectural
levels. Autostadt visitors can test their
driving skills on the SafetyTraining course
or All-TerrainTrack.
Impressum
Published by:
Celle Tourismus und
Marketing GmbH
Markt 14 –16
D - 29221 Celle
Tel. +49 (0)5141/1212
Fax +49 (0)5141/12459
[email protected]
www.celle.travel
Concept:
Christina Jung
Layout:
Buchholz Grafik-Design
www.buchholz-grafik.de
Photographs:
Jochen Quast
Thomas Weidner
Torsten Volkmer
(page 3 – Barocktail 2008).
Acknowledgments to our
partners for providing the
picture material
Without claim of completeness.
All information has been gathered
with great care and was correct at
the time of printing. We accept no
responsibility for printing errors or
changes after going to press.
Information as of August 2013.
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65 km
Autostadt
29 in Wolfsburg
20
1 Ducal Palace
8 Medicinal Plant Garden Celle
15 „Celle to touch“
22 Guided town tours
2 Bomann Museum
9 Kalandgasse and Old Latin School
16 Hoppener Haus
23 Orchid Centre Wichmann
3 The town Church
10 Stechbahn
17 Stechinellihaus
24 Celler Badeland & Saunaland
4 Riflemen’s Museum
11 The “Old Town Hall”
18 Altes Reithaus
25 Waggon tour of the town
5 Synagoge
12 Lichtart Celle – Talking lamps
19 Haesler-Haus
26 Müller’s Express (mini train)
6 French Garden
13 The oldest dated house
20 Lower Saxon State Stud
27 River Aller cruise
7 LAVES – Institute of Apiculture
14 Remains of the inner retaining wall
21 Celle’s Glockenspiel
28 Boat hire AllerLeih
of the town wall
29 Autostadt in Wolfsburg
Nominal charge: €1
Hamburg (120 km)
A7
Bremen
Lüneburg
(110 km)
(90 km)
Berlin
Lüneburg Heath
A27
(280 km)
Celle Tourismus und Marketing GmbH
Markt 14–16 | D - 29221 Celle
Tel. +49 (0)5141/1212
Fax +49 (0)5141/12459
[email protected]
www.celle.travel
www.facebook.com/celletourismus
A7
Hanover
Celle
Autostadt
in Wolfsburg
(65 km)
(40 km)
Frankfurt am Main
(380 km)
Brunswick (60 km)