If you find yourself on the A7 Autobahn between Hanover and Hamburg make sure you stop in the town of Bergen (Celle). What you’ll find here is nothing short of thought provoking; with a history spanning back to around 6000 years ago!
The oldest of any site here is known as the Sieben Steinhäuser, a group of five dolmen. Dolment are megalith (stone) tombs that have been found to date back to 4000 B.C., the time of the Stone Age.
When wanting to see the megalith be aware that its within a NATO military training facility so it’s only available for visits between 8am-6pm on weekends and holidays. There are also 45 younger Bronze Age Mounds on the edge of the forest.
There have been other prehistoric find in the area, most of which are now on permanent display at the Römstedthaus. Once an old barn from the 1660’s, it’s now a regional and local history museum with other exhibits of Bergen’s history.
There’s another place here in Bergen of historical significance, as the town was where the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp was located. It’s best to take a guided tour around this large facility so that you are able to fully understand the complex history of the place. There are many monuments throughout the facility dedicated to the 70,000 people who had lost their lives here.
If you who wish to see some lovely religious art then don’t miss St. Lambertus Church (built early 18th century). The center aisle is decorated with ornate stencil artwork using some sort of textile underneath to avoid cracking through the years.
If all this wandering around isn’t exercise enough, you can enjoy a jaunt along many hiking and biking trails throughout the countryside. There’s also a lush green nature park filled with many more trails to get to know Bergen even better.
Besides Bergen’s man-made history, its natural beauty alone make the trip here worth it.
