Hankensbüttel

Hankensbüttel is a town of 4500 people (2017) in Lower Saxony. For many visitors, its Otter Centre is the principal attraction to the town, bringing in 100,000 visitors a year, and hosting 60 special events through the year.

Understand
This article covers attractions and facilities for visitors in and around the villages of Hankensbüttel, Knesebeck and Wittingen in the district of Gifhorn.

History
Hankensbüttel historically belongs to the group of Büttel towns. The first mention comes from a document by Emperor Heinrich III from the year 1051, in which the place is mentioned as "Honengesbuthele". At that time, the Billunger family, followers of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, ruled the region. Located on important army and trade routes, there was a rapid development. As early as the 11th century, Hankensbüttel was the centre of an extensive parish and the seat of the episcopal court of the Diocese of Hildesheim.

During the Thirty Years' War, Hankensbüttel was in the marching area of ​​the fighting troops, at times the church was misused as an army camp and stable. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the place lived through the eventful history of the Hanoverian manor house. During the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), Hankensbüttel was under French rule, then part of the Kingdom of Westphalia (1807–1813), and from 1866 it belonged to Prussia.

Get in
Take a flight to Hamburg, Hannover or Berlin. Then take a high-speed train to Wolfsburg. From there, you may take a cab to Knesebeck. Alternatively, take the regional train to Knesebeck (via Braunschweig, Gifhorn), which might be a little bit slower.

Do
There are good opportunities in Knesebeck for hiking, jogging, hunting and horse-riding.

Budget

 * For pensions (rooming houses) and small rooms, try here.

Go next
Attractions in the region are the Lüneburger Heide and the town of Gifhorn, the Phaeno and Autostadt in Wolfsburg, the historic old towns of Celle and Lüneburg as well as the Museumsdorf Hösseringen near Uelzen.