The best cycling routes around Duderstadt

The path is marked as "cobblestone", but it is much more rideable!

A beautiful, easy-to-ride path

The Marktstraße is the central heart of Duderstadt's old town and significantly shapes the historic cityscape. Numerous well-preserved half-timbered houses from various centuries line the street, reflecting the town's economic and cultural importance in the Middle Ages. The historic old town as a whole is considered one of the best-preserved in Germany and comprises over 600 half-timbered buildings. Sights such as the town hall and the city wall particularly impressively showcase the town's medieval character. Today, history and modern life merge here, making the old town a popular destination for visitors.

Directly in front of the city wall lies the Stadtpark. Together with the ramparts, where lime trees and chestnut trees up to 300 years old grow, and the Bürgergärten (citizens' gardens), it forms a green ring around the old town. The idyllic Obertorteich, once also part of the sophisticated defensive systems, belongs to this as well. A footpath on the ramparts repeatedly offers beautiful views of the old town's houses.

The heart of the old town is the Obermarkt with the town hall, crowned by three turrets. Like many of today's listed buildings, the structure has been repeatedly added to and altered: Construction began around 1300, it was extended to the south in 1432, the half-timbered construction with the three towers was added in 1532, and only around 1674 was the town hall completed with a baroque external staircase. Also on the Obermarkt stands the St. Cyriakus Church, popularly known as the "Eichsfelder Dom". The Catholic house of worship, with its rich inventory and two imposing towers, was built between 1240 and 1490. This makes it one of the oldest buildings in Duderstadt. Source: https://www.ndr.de/ratgeber/reise/harz_suedniedersachsen/Duderstadt-Ausflug-ins-Mittelalter,duderstadt103.html

A special highlight of the municipality of Rhumspringe is the Rhumequelle. It springs from an idyllic location and is one of the largest and most water-rich karst springs in Europe.

Most of the bridges could be used for the cycle path, so cyclists and hikers have a green route with little gradient available. Only in Rhumspringe does the official route lead through the town – the most beautiful, but undeveloped viaduct on the route is left to one side.

The present parish church is at least the third church in Rüdershausen. The massive church, which survived the Thirty Years' War (1618-48) for another 200 years, may have been built at the end of the 15th century. When the old church was built, Rüdershausen had 200 inhabitants. By 1800, this number had already grown to 600, and by the time the current church was being built (1866), the village had 1,000 Catholics. The old church had become far too small for the growing congregation. This was in addition to the poor condition of the church, which had become dilapidated due to age and was now over 350 years old. To save costs, the parish council (established in 1849) initially decided to build a replica of the church in Nesselröden, which had been newly constructed in 1853. Ultimately, however, the architect Tochtermann in Hildesheim was commissioned to design a new church in Rüdershausen. The construction of the present-day church in Rüdershausen, designed by the architect Tochtermann from Hildesheim, was significantly influenced by the hardworking and skilled craftsmen of Rüdershausen. History tells us that the village actively participated in the rapid progress of the construction; many farmers, with their horse-drawn carts, worked day in and day out to transport the heavy stones from Ebergötzen and Herzberg (train station), in all kinds of weather. The parish itself raised the costs for the church, in addition to providing labor and draft animals. The church's builder, Dean Spieker, was unfortunately no longer in Rüdershausen at the time of the consecration. Thus, his successor, Dean Theodor Vollmer, as the new parish priest of Rüdershausen, was responsible for the church's consecration on May 3, 1874. Unfortunately, no contemporary accounts of the actual consecration ceremony of St. Andrew's Church have survived. Given the large number of local craftsmen and farmers involved in the construction of this magnificent church (the "Cathedral of the Eichsfeld"), the village of Rüdershausen could be proud of this successful building erected to the glory of God, and they duly celebrated and honored it. The church gradually acquired its present appearance in the following years. Source: https://www.sankt-sebastian-rhumspringe.de/kirchorte/st-andreas-ruedershausen/