Salzgitter is an independent city in southeast Lower Saxony, Germany, located between Hildesheim and Braunschweig. Together with Wolfsburg and Braunschweig, Salzgitter is one of the seven Oberzentren of Lower Saxony (roughly equivalent to a metropolitan area). With 110,000 inhabitants and 224 km², its area is the largest in Lower Saxony and one of the largest in Germany. Salzgitter is located in a bride dell coated with loess, between the Oderwald Forest and the Salzgitter-Höhenzug ("Salzgitter Hills"). The city stretches up to 24 km from north to south and up to 19 km from east to west. The highest point is the hill Hamberg (275 m), located northwest of Salzgitter-Bad.
How to Get There:
The nearest major airport is Hannover (56 km). Braunschweig Airport (26 km) is a regional airport for Salzgitter. Salzgitter is very well connected by road, with both Autobahns and German highways connecting it. In the north of Salzgitter, the Autobahn from Braunschweig links to the interchange Salzgitter. East from Salzgitter, there is an Autobahn from Braunschweig to Goslar, which can be reached from Salzgitter by four interchanges. Moreover, two Bundes straßen (German highways) go through Salzgitter. There are as many as six railway stations in Salzgitter, connecting it in every direction.
What to See:
The main shopping street of the young city is in the borough of Lebenstedt, and the central business district is in the borough of Salzgitter-Bad. Also worth a visit are the Old Town; Thermalsolbad ("hot-springs brine bath"); Protestant church St. Mariae Jacobi; Catholic church St. Marien; Bismarck Tower (look-out); Tilly house, "Beamtensiedlung" (from 1930, dwellings of the employees of the smelting works) and Salzgitter-Thiede: Convent Steterburg, ladies' convent founded in 1003; there are still buildings from the 11th century.
Pilgrimage church in Salzgitter-Engerode, chapel built in 1236, one of Lower-Saxony's oldest pilgrimage churches with frescos laid open; Wasserburg (castle), Salzgitter-Gebhardshagen, nearly 1000 years old; Franzosenbrücke ("French bridge", stone arch bridge over the river Innerste near Salzgitter-Hohenrode; Salzgitter-Lichtenberg: Castle ruins, once built by Henry the Lion, destroyed in 1552 and laid open again in the 1950s; Baroque church built in 1694, including a precious organ; crucifix from the workshop of Bishop Bernward of Hildesheim (around 1000) and a large castle park (Schlosspark)
Where to Eat:
Pizzeria da Claudia "Zum Bus"; Gluck Auf Deele; Blickpunkt; Fredenberg Schanke and Hopfenspeicher are names to remember.
Hotels:
Salzgitter has over a dozen hotels. Hotel am See and Hotel Harsshof are high-end hotels; Golfhotel,Hotel Ratskeller and Waldhotel Burgberg are mid-range while Hotel Kaiserquelle Salzgitter and Golden Tulip Hotel Salzgitter are 2-star hotels.
