Birthplace of Pope Clement II and state-recognized resort

The small hop and half-timbered town of Hornburg an der Ilse, birthplace of Pope Clement II, was built below the
castle around 1010 years ago. It is considered one of the most beautiful small towns in Northern Germany and its
old town with almost 400 half-timbered houses is a unique medieval gem that presents itself to its visitors like a
large open-air museum.
The efforts to preserve the old buildings were rewarded in 1978 when Hornburg became the national winner in the
“Urban Design and Monument Protection in Urban Development” competition. The old town of Hornburg has been
a listed building since 1988.
The city's outstanding buildings include the Catholic Pope Clement Memorial Church, the Neidhammelhaus (1563),
the hop store (1672), the water wheel of the 400-year-old Hagenmühle and many other buildings worth seeing.
Particularly noteworthy is the Via Romea pilgrimage route, also known as the “Romweg”, one of the most important
pilgrimage routes in Europe, which leads from Stade and Celle across the Harz Mountains to Rome. Abbot Albert
von Stade traveled this route in 1230 and described it with the stopover towns of Braunschweig, Hornburg and Werningerode. The small half-timbered town is also the founding place of the Rompilgerweg Abt Albert von Stade association.
The “Green Belt” around Hornburg is characterized by its well-developed cycling and hiking trails. With a total
length of 1,393 kilometers, the “Green Belt” is the first all-German nature conservation project that was launched
in November 1989. Cyclists can explore this fascinating and diverse landscape in the Harz foothills on a total of
six themed routes on signposted cycle paths, which lead along rivers, mountain ranges, viewpoints and, in
some cases, medieval towns with impressive historical buildings.