Königslutter am Elm wasn’t always the city as we know it today, as it was originally the village of Lutter, dating to the year 1150. Although archeology has determined the area to have been inhabited much longer before, it now encompasses 18 municipalities since 1974.
Some 50 years prior in 1924, Königslutter proper incorporated the village of Oberlutter into the city, with it brought the town a Benedictine monastery from the 12th century.
There are some nice sights to see here, especially since it lies on one famous German Route (more below).
The Parish Church of Peter and Paul was the monastic church of the monastery, donated by the Holy Roman Emperor Lothar in the early years of the 12th century. When Lothar III died in 1137, he was buried in the unfinished cathedral, as was his wife and several other family members. When the cathedral was finally completed it was richly decorated by an Italian stone-cutter, but the towers weren’t added until some time in the 1500’s.
Today, the cathedral is host to many musical concerts throughout the year.
For those of you wishing to learn more about daily life in Königslutter, the Urban History Museum is THE place. You’ll get a more in-depth history of the cathedral, the Emperor Lothar, crafts, and daily life in the city that’s over 900 years old.
For the more musically inclined, the town has its very own musical instrument museum (called Museum Mechanischer Musikinstrumente), most of which are still functional.
And, since the town’s history dates back much further than the Middle Ages, the Geo Park Center will educate you on plant and animal life in the region. The Geo Park Center is conveniently located between the town hall and town church.
As I mentioned, Königslutter is on the German Framework Road a.k.a. Deutsche Fachwerkstraße, a route of approximately 100 towns, famous for half-timbered houses, nature walks, festivals, food, and beer. Königslutter sits on this famous German route that goes from the River Elbe plains through the Harz Mountains.
