The Kaiserwanderweg in the Harz Mountains
Walk in the footsteps of the German emperors and kings along the Kaiserweg trail
This long-distance hiking trail runs for around 100 kilometres from Bad Harzburg via Walkenried and Nordhausen to Tilleda in the Kyffhäuser mountains. It mainly crosses the mountain ridges - from the northern Harz to the southern Harz. You pass through three federal states: Lower Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt. The Kaiserweg was named after Emperor Henry IV. He fled from the Harzburg castle in 1074 to seek refuge in the southern Harz monasteries and the small village of Tilleda. There are other additional paths, the so-called "Paths of German Emperors and Kings of the Middle Ages in the Harz Mountains".
From the Kaiserpfalz Goslar via Oker to Bad Harzburg as well as various paths in the eastern Harz Mountains. These additional paths are also labelled with the same logo, the imperial crown, but are not part of the actual Kaiserweg. The nature of the Kaiserweg is very varied and thus offers variety when hiking. As it was once used as a trade route, an easy route without major ascents and descents was chosen. The paths are very different, ranging from roads through towns to gravel paths, country lanes and sandy paths to narrow tracks.
