Naumburg – cathedral city, castles and vineyards
Mayors reveal their insider tips in the deutschland.de series “My city”. Part 24: Mayor Bernward Küper talks about Naumburg.
Mr Küper, what is special about your city?
We have noted everything that is special about our city and our region in our current application for inclusion on the UNESCO world heritage list. No other place has so many important medieval architectural monuments concentrated in such a small area. Apart from this, we are also Europe’s northernmost wine-growing area, and we have a world famous cathedral with 13th-century statues of its founders Uta and Ekkehard.
What do you see when you look out of your office window?
I can see our wonderful marketplace, St. Wenceslas Gothic Church and the “Little Castle” on the square. Everything is beautifully preserved and forms an impressive ensemble that invariably enchants visitors to the city.
Where in your city do you most like to spend your time?
I really enjoy being surrounded by nature, especially along the rivers Saale and Unstrut. There are lots of excellent opportunities to discover Naumburg and the surrounding areas by bike. One of my favourite areas is the municipal Max Klinger Vineyard where the Herzer winery ‘pays its rent’ with natural products.
Which of your city’s personalities do you value most?
I find I can only really value the people who I have had the pleasure of knowing personally. The person who springs to mind is Naumburg’s honorary citizen and the former dean of the cathedrals of Merseburg and Naumburg and the collegiate chapter at Zeitz, Count Georg von Zech-Burkersroda. He is a very charismatic individual who, together with us, organized the national exhibition “The Naumburg Master – Sculptor and Architect in the Europe of Cathedrals”.
What would you like to show tourists?
The Klosterbrüder association and the Pawis family of winegrowers have created an especially beautiful place in Zscheiplitz near Freyburg (Unstrut). It has a wonderful, peaceful atmosphere and is still very much a secluded insider tip.
Where can visitors best get to know the people of your city?
Ah, most definitely at the Hussite Cherry Festival which always takes place on the last weekend in June. It attracts tens of thousands of visitors as well as many former inhabitants of the city who return to Naumburg to celebrate one of the largest popular festivals in Central Germany. The climax is the historical parade which is staged on the Saturday with 1,500 participants.
And where do you most like to spend your vacations?
In the winter I like to spend my holidays in the Defereggen Valley in East Tyrol, where there are not too many tourists. And in the summer I either go to the island of Rügen on the Baltic Coast, or to Southern Europe, especially France. I really love being in the Alps or the Pyrenees
