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Thale i Harz

25 May 2022 / 10 Comments

Thale in the Harz - among witches and devil walls

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Thale in the German Harz Mountains - this is where you come to experience dramatic nature, mixed with hints of witches and other frightening creatures. Welcome to a place of beauty and mystery!

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Thale in the Harz

Thale is a small German town that may not be very exciting in itself, but is a perfect starting point for several wonderful adventures in nature. From here you can get to the popular 'Hexentanzplatz', the beautiful 'Rosstrappe' and the spectacular 'Teufelsmauer'.

Thale is located in the Harz mountains, about 7 kilometres southwest of Magdeburg, in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt.

Hexentanzplatz - Witches' Dance Square

Many people choose between visiting "Rosstrappe" or "Hexentanzplatz", unless of course you decide to explore both. We chose Hexentanzplatz, which is perhaps the more touristy destination of the two.

Whichever you choose, you can start with a lift ride if you wish. The lifts to Rosstrappe and Hexentanzplatz run right next to each other. The lift up to Hexentanzplatz offers beautiful views, and once at the top you only have to walk a few hundred metres before the witches start to appear.

Why witches at Hexentanzplatz?

Hexentanzplatz is said to be an ancient Saxon cult site, where pagan celebrations were held to honour the forest and mountain goddesses, especially on the night of 1 May. The cult was later banned by the invading Christian Franks and, according to tradition, the practitioners were chased away by Saxons dressed as witches.

Today, you are greeted by a stone ring with figures: the witch, the devil and the devil's assistant. In addition, this place is now filled with statues, souvenirs and gadgets - all in the name of witches.

The witch's house

Also located at Hexentanzplatz is the Hexenhaus (Witch House). The house is upside down and surrounded by a witchy garden.

You can look at the house from the outside, but if you want to enter the house and garden you have to pay a fee (currently 5 euros/adult). Of course, it's most fun to go in here with children, but if you're a bit childish, like us, it's still a bit entertaining.

There are lots of different figures in the garden, such as the tree below, which regularly waves its branches and blinks its eyes.

When you enter the witch's house, you are greeted by loud laughter and a world where everything is upside down.

More to see and do at Hexentanzplatz

Hexentanzplatz is today a rather touristy place filled with restaurants and small shops selling witches in all forms.

There is also a zoo, a small art museum (pictured below) and a witch museum, which was closed when we were here. We understood that during May the witch museum was only open on weekends, while in summer it is open every day.

If you get a little bit away from the most touristy place, there is also plenty of nature to experience. There are several nice viewpoints and you will also find several hiking trails here.

Teufelsmauer - The Devil's Wall

We didn't do any longer walks around Hexentanzplatz, as we instead aimed to walk around Teufelsmauer (Devil's Wall). We started the walk in Thale, not far from Klostercamping Thale, and walked along the river Bode towards Nienstedt.

It was incredibly hot when we went on this walk, around 28 degrees and blazing sunshine. We were grateful to walk along the river and took the opportunity time and again to pour cold water over our heads and faces ...

Just before Nienstedt, the footpath turns uphill and stairs are used to reach the sight. No more cooling water!

Now the walk became more difficult, but also so much more interesting! This is where you come to, and walk along, the Teufelsmauer. There are four "ridges" and these are called Königsstein, Mittelstein, Am Schmalen Klink and Papenstein.

The rock formation is made of hard sandstone and runs from Bankenburg via Weddersleben and Rieder to Ballenstedt.

The formation was put under protection as early as 1833 and many myths have tried to explain the special 'ridge'.

From a geological perspective, these are hard layers exposed during the Cretaceous period, and the erosion of softer rock around them.

Hikers can enjoy a fantastic landscape. The walk is about 6 kilometres long and relatively easy. Just make sure you have comfortable shoes and water to drink!

Video from Thale in the Harz

Pitches and campsites in Thale

If you come by motorhome to Thale, there are several locations to choose from:

  • Klostercamping Thale, Wendhusenstrasse 3 (good location for Teufelsmauer)
  • Campsite Kleine Mühle, Wendhusenstrasse 3 (good location for Teufelsmauer)
  • Parking An der Hütte, An der Hütte (good location for Hexentanzplatz and Rosstrappe with lift)
  • Parking, Rosstrappe 1 (good location for Rosstrappe)

We stayed at Parking An der Hütte, which is a place with no services, but well located for Hexentanzplatz and Rosstrappe. When we were here, all the motorhomes were in a car park behind a fence, where it was free to park.

As we drove away, we saw that there were also places outside the fence, and that there was a payment machine there. We are not quite sure how it works in high season, but we liked the place and felt safe here.

More to see and do in Thale

More to see and do in Thale? Well, there are a few different museums. There is the "DDR Museum Thale" and the Hüttenmuseum. On the way up to the lifts there are also high-altitude tracks and playgrounds.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

When in Thale, you won't want to miss Germany's longest suspension bridge! It's also close to lovely towns like Quedlinburg, Blankenburg and Wernigerode. If you want to experience a big city, you can head to Magdeburg, which offers several interesting sights.

Have you visited Thale in the Harz?

Have you been to Thale? Did you meet the witches or walk along the Devil's Wall? Tell us about your experiences!

Facts about Thale

  • Country: Germany
  • Federal Republic of Germany: Saxony-Anhalt
  • Circle: Harz Mountains
  • Residents: More than 17 000 (2019)
  • Read more: You can find more information at resin info.

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25 May 2022 6:00
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2 Comments

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  1. BP says:

    Never heard of Thale. Must admit that I don't know much about former East Germany in general. It is really thanks to your posts that I am learning more.
    Guess it was lively until 30 April - at the witches' dancing place, that is;-)
    The rock formations are exciting. I was thinking of Hoburgen there.
    Oh what fantastic weather you have. Perfect timing:-)

    25 May 2022 - 20:08

    Reply

  2. Christian says:

    Wow what a cool place!

    26 May 2022 - 8:56

    Reply

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