Chunks for millions: Harz district is planning a tourism revolution!

Chunks for millions: Harz district is planning a tourism revolution!

The Harz district in Saxony-Anhalt has acquired the Brocken summit for three and a half million euros. This transaction includes two properties on the 1,142 meter high Brocken, which cover a total area of ​​almost 13,000 square meters. The district's goal is to promote tourism in the region and create new attractions to make the Brocken more attractive for visitors and locals. The purchase includes not only the Brocken Tower and the tourist hall, but also a weather house and a farm building. Before the sale, these properties belonged to Harzsparkasse and Norddeutsche Landesbank.

District Administrator Thomas Balcerowski described the purchase as a “historic moment” and emphasized that the district council had already approved the construction of a new multi-purpose hall in December 2022. This should offer space for up to 500 people and be used for conferences, concerts and theater performances. In addition to the new hall, renovations to the former Telekom building are also planned, including the creation of barrier-free access.

Redesign and extensions

The plans envisage that the new hall will be connected to the existing Goethe and Tourist Hall. These adjustments are intended not only to increase the attractiveness of the Brocken, but also to give a boost to local tourism. The district expects appropriate investments to have a positive impact on the Brocken Railway, which has secured around 250 jobs since it opened in 1899.

Another innovative step in the planning is the possible construction of a Hard Rock Café on the Brocken. This idea comes from a restaurateur from Wernigerode. District Administrator Balcerowski announced that he wanted to get in touch with the restaurant chain. However, the Hard Rock Café is not intended to displace the existing Brockenwirt, but rather to serve as an additional offering that could enrich the gastronomic experience at the Brocken.

Background and challenges

The Harz, Germany's northernmost low mountain range, attracts millions of tourists every year. However, the region has suffered from various challenges in recent years, such as tree death due to drought and bark beetle infestation. These problems have severely affected the attractiveness of the forest and its landscape. In addition, the Brocken was a restricted military area from 1961 to 1989 and was inaccessible to the public for decades, which influenced its tourism development in the past. In 1990 the eastern part of the Harz was placed under protection and in 2006 the Saxony-Anhalt part of the national park merged with the Lower Saxony part.

Although the purchase of the Brocken area was approved, there are also critical voices, such as those from the State Audit Office, who question the acquisition. Nevertheless, the district remains optimistic and believes in the positive effects of the planned measures on tourism and the local economy.

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