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Halle: Land Saturated with Salt and Music

Cities

Halle is the most populous city of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. The historic city center has perfectly preserved here since the XVI century. In it you can see Europe's largest half-timbered house with a length of 101 meters! A holiday or a festival is held almost every month in Halle. And every year, in late May - early June, it attracts fans of the great composer George Frideric Handel at the music festival in his name.

In the Celtic language the name of the city of Halle means "a place rich in salt". The Celts settled here before the Christian era. A fortress was built to protect the borders of the Frankish Empire in the IX century during the reign of Charlemagne. The Holy Roman Emperor Otto II granted the new settlement the status of a city in 981.

Salt was mined in these places since immemorial time. Thanks to the rich deposits of salt, Halle became wealthy and in 1280 joined the Hanseatic League. However, today the city is best known not for salt but with its native, great composer George Frideric Handel, although he became famous in England, where he composed music for the royal court. To this day, Germany and the UK argue if he should be regarded as an English or German composer, despite the fact that all of his operas are in Italian! The monument to composer Georg Friedrich Handel decorates the main square of the city - the Market Square (Marktplatz). It is near the church, where young Handel played the organ during services.

The historic center in Halle is well preserved. The elegant building of the Gothic Church of Virgin Mary (Marienkirche), with four tall spiers of the XVI century, attracts the attention here. The fifth spire is the Baroque Red Tower of the XV-XVI centuries. That's why Halle in Germany is also called the "City of Five Towers." You should also pay attention to the enormous complex of the Baroque era -the Francke Foundations (Franckesche Stiftungen). It has its own Cabinet of Curiosities (Kunstkammer) in addition to its schools and institutes and the largest half-timbered house in Europe, called simply and eloquently - Mansion House (Lange Haus). Its length is 101 meters! The views of the city and surrounding area from the high towers of Moritzburg Castle please the eye. It houses the museum of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, with a large collection of artworks of the twentieth century. The views from the Burg Giebichenstein hill are no worse. The University of Art and Design is located at Burg Giebichenstein.

After exploring the city, you always want to eat. Speaking of traditions, river fish pretty seasoned with local salt has long been very popular in Halle. Fish has been the food both of the rich and the poor and the wealthy clergy. But of course, today the city's restaurants have much more varied menus. They offer homemade cheese (Bauernkäse), uncooked smoke sausage (Schlackwurst), jelly (Sülze), grilled sausages with sauerkraut (Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut), and beef brisket with horseradish (Rinderbrust in Meerrettichsoße). The simplest, and at the same time the most traditional snack in Halle is a sandwich with bacon (Fettbemme mit Schmalz). It is perfectly suited to the local beer. For dessert, a variety of pies (Küchen), including Christmas are offered here, which abound in the markets in December. You should also find and taste delicious plum puree (Pflaumenmus), eaten with bread.

There are many holidays in Halle, which bring together a huge number of guests. The music holidays are, of course, the most interesting of them. “Women in Jazz” is an international festival held in February, which brings together jazz stars from all over the world. May is the time of the festival of children's choirs (Internationales Kinderchorfestival «Fröhlich sein und singen»). In late May - early June, baroque music is everywhere in the city just like powdered wigs, camisoles, decollete and faces in patches. It is Handel Festival (Händel-Festspiele) - one of the most remarkable phenomena in the cultural and entertainment life of Halle. The Festival of Lights (Hallesches Laternenfest) is held in August, during which pop and rock band are played. The sky gets colored by fireworks, which are displayed from the Giebichenstein hill. The old amusement is revived here: Knights with poles and boats are competing in artfulness, trying to push each other into the water. In September, the Salt Festival (Salzfest) entertains locals and tourists at the country’s oldest salt mines and in the central streets of the city. The International Accordion Festival (Akkordeon Akut Festival) is held on October. The Music Day in November (Hallische Musiktage) actually lasts more than one day. At this time, you can watch modern works that have already become a world classic. December is the time of Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmarkt) with cakes, souvenirs and traditional Christmas trees.

Connoisseurs of history and music lovers and people who are interested in natural anomalies will find something to see in Halle. There is also what to do for those who would like just to relax and have fun. And, of course, all can find there cozy cafés and restaurants serving dishes of traditional German cuisine.