Magdeburg Audio Tours

Magdeburg Hauptbahnhof has frequent ICE and regional train connections to Berlin (about one hour) and Hanover. The station is about a fifteen-minute walk from the cathedral and old market. Trams cross the city comprehensively. From the old market, most central sights including the Gruene Zitadelle are within a ten-minute walk.

The Gruene Zitadelle (Green Citadel), completed in 2005, is the last major project designed by the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser before his death in 2000. It has no straight lines, gold-tipped onion domes, uneven floors, and trees growing from the roof. It contains apartments, shops, a hotel, and is open to the public for guided tours.

The central area is largely flat, sitting on the western bank of the Elbe, and is well suited to walking. The main tram network connects the station to the cathedral, old market, and riverfront without requiring much climbing. Some older residential streets have cobblestones but the central pedestrian zone is smooth.

Magdeburg is in Saxony-Anhalt, where regional specialities include Salz wurst (salt sausage), various forms of pickled vegetables, and hearty potato dishes. The city has a growing independent restaurant scene around the Hasselbachplatz square, which is lively in the evenings and has outdoor seating in summer.