In Lower Saxony’s northeast, in the middle of the Lüneburg Heath you will find the city of Uelzen. The townscape is characterized by half-timbered facades and additionally impresses by buildings in North German brick Gothic style. In 2000 Uelzen gained particular fame when Friedensreich Hundertwasser designed its railway station.

Nevertheless, the traditional landmark of Uelzen is the "Golden Ship" which stands in the entrance area of Church St. Marien. Presumably it was brought to Uelzen during the time of the Hanseatic League.

Since the railroad was officially opened in 1924, Uelzen lies exactly at the junction of the two railway lines Hamburg-Hannover and Bremen-Berlin. Important is also the connection to the federal waterways by way of the Elbe Side Canal which was opened in 1976. Worth seeing are sluices I and II.

Uelzen is also called Uhlenköper city. As the legend goes, a citizen of Uelzen bought owls instead of blackcocks from a farmer:

Once a cunning farmer came to the city of Uelzen, in his luggage a bag of living content. He ran into a curious businessman who asked him what he was carrying in the bag. The farmer answered he had Baarftgaans (barefooted walker), but the businessman misunderstood him and thought it were bark cocks (blackcocks).Thus he paid the farmer a good price without even looking once in the bag. Back home he wanted to show his wife the newly acquired blackcocks, however,when he opened the bag three owls fluttered into the room causing all kinds of damage. Furious about what had happened, the businessman sued the farmer. To his defence the farmer argued, he had unequivocally sold "Baarftgaans" and no one could ever deny the fact that owls were barefoot. According to the legend the judge had such a good time due to the cunningly wit of the farmer that he acquitted him.

Hence, citizens of Uelzen are to the present day called "Uhlenköper", which means buyers of owls.

More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uelzen

Photo: Adrian Zenz/Shutterstock