City of Lions: Brunswick!

Brunswick or in German, Braunschweig is a gorgeous city, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. The city is at the north part of the Harz mountains. The town's original name of Brunswick is a combination of the name Bruno -who was a Saxon count- and wik, a place where merchants rested and stored their goods. The city gained a high importance during the era of Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria. After Paris and Ghent, Brunswick is considered one of the most tumultuous cities of Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe.

You can reach Brunswick from Hannover Airport and then use a train. The city center is not that big, it can be easily explored on foot but of course, the public transportation is also available.

It is a fact that this city is known for its lions! So, if you don't see the famous landmark of the city, The Brunswick Lion, you can't say that you visited Brunswick! The Brunswick Lion or known as Castle Lion's replica is located in the Burgplatz. You can find the original of Brunswick Lion on display in Dankwarderode Castle. This monument was made between 1164 and 1176 and it has a legend! After the death of Henry the Lion in 1195, the duke became a subject of a famous folktale. According to the tale, when Henry was on the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he witnessed a fight between a lion and a dragon. He, of course, picked the side of the lion, and together they slew the dragon. After this, the lion became a faithful company of Henry. After his death, the lion grieved in Henry's grave instead of eating and sleeping. The people of Brunswick were so touched by its loyalty, that's why they decided to erect the statue in the lion's honor.

Brunswick Palace is another important place in Brunswick. This palace is in the city center and used as a residence of the Brunswick dukes from 1753 till 1918. The palace was built in 1718 but sadly the building had several damages. In 1830, the original palace was burned down and a second palace was built in 1841. After that, during the Second World War, the city and this palace were demolished in air raids. The rebuilt palace was opened to the public with equestrian statues on 6 May 2007. It is definitely worth a visit!

And of course the most colorful landmark of the city, The Rizzi House! The Happy Rizzi House or just Rizzi House is a contemporary art building in Braunschweig, designed by the American artist James Rizzi and Konrad Kloster. The building is decorated with pop art paintings. The most common motifs on the façade are the cheerful faces, hearts, eyes, stars, and birds! The Rizzi House was also voted one of the 100 most beautiful buildings in Germany by the Hörzu magazine readers. You can find this lovely building in Ackerhof.

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