10 reasons to love Saxony-Anhalt

This magical park landscape was one of the first and finest English gardens in Germany. Dating back to the 18th century and located between the city of Dessau and the town of Wörlitz, it combines nature, architecture and art. The gardens are also home to the famous Wörlitz castle and the entire ensemble has UNESCO World Heritage site status.

The small town of Quedlinburg is located north of the Harz mountains. It is famous for its magnificent cathedral perched on a hill that can be seen from miles around. The historic town center with its cobbled streets and 2,000 half-timbered houses is like an open-air museum taking you back in time.

The state capital, Magdeburg, has a famous cathedral as well. In addition to its medieval city, Magdeburg has some fine examples of modern architecture. The Green Citadel was one of the final projects by Austrian architect Friedrich Hundertwasser and was completed in 2005, several years after his death.

This is the largest city in Saxony-Anhalt. The famous composer Georg Friedrich Handel was born here in 1685. The city on the River Saale failed in its attempt to be renamed "Handelstadt," however it does celebrate its famous prodigy with a monument to the composer. Tourists can also visit the house where he was born, which is now a museum.

According to legend, witches come to the Harz Mountains every year on the last day of April to dance through the night, thereby driving the winter away. German author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe immortalized this legend in his famous tragedy Faust. Nowadays people dress up as witches and party in various locations in the Harz region.

The River Elbe flows right through Saxony-Anhalt. This largely unspoiled stretch of the river is home to many endangered species of animals and plants. UNESCO named the Middle Elbe a Biosphere Reserve in 1997. The bike path beside the river is popular with visitors and locals alike.

The Bauhaus school of architecture, art and design was founded in Weimar by Walter Gropius in 1919. But in 1925 it moved to Dessau and the building from that year remains a prime example of modern architecture. Visitors can visit the Bauhaus workshops and spend the night here.

In 1517, reformist Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg. In it, he attacked the sale of indulgences and papal abuses. Luther’s protest is widely regarded as the initial catalyst for the Protestant Reformation. Today the city is home to a bronze statue of Luther, who sternly watches visitors and locals as they pass by.

The Saale-Unstrut region is one of Germany's lesser-known wine-growing areas. It is home to the nation's most northern vineyards and looks back on a 1,000 year history of wine production. It now boasts around 60 vineyards dedicated to improving the fine wines from the region, such as Silvaner, Pinot gris and Blauer Portugieser.

Strip mining left scars on the Saxony-Anhalt's landscapes. But creative minds have turned some of them into tourist attractions, such as Ferropolis, or the city of iron. Opened in 2005, this industrial cultural site regularly hosts a number of concerts and festivals, especially during the summer months. It features huge excavators left over from more than 100 years of industrial heritage.