Schöningen

Schöningen is a town of about 11,000 inhabitants (2019) in the district of Helmstedt in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is near the border with Saxony-Anhalt, on the southeastern rim of the Elm hill range.

Understand
In archaeology, Schöningen is famous for four ancient wooden spears found in an opencast mine near the town. The spears are about 400,000 years old, making them the world's oldest human-made wooden artifacts, as well as the oldest weapons, ever found. Three of them were probably manufactured as projectile weapons, because the weight and tapered point is at the front of the spear making it fly straight in flight, similar to the design of a modern javelin. The fourth spear is shorter with points at both ends and is thought to be a thrusting spear or a throwing stick (Bamford & Henderson 2003). They were found in combination with the remains of about 20 wild horses, whose bones contain numerous butchery marks, including one pelvis that still had a spear sticking out of it. This is considered proof that early humans were active hunters with specialized tool kits.

The first historical mentioning of the Saxon settlement in the Royal Frankish Annals dates back to 747, when the Carolingian Pepin the Short stayed here during the conflict with his half-brother Grifo. Schöningen was the site of a Königspfalz of Pepin's son Charlemagne and later of the Ottonian dynasty. Saint Willigis, Archbishop of Mainz from 975, was probably born at Schöningen about 940.

From the 14th century it was held by the Welf dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg, who granted Schöningen town privileges in 1332. About 1350 Duke Magnus the Pious had a castle built here to secure the nearby border with the Bishopric of Halberstadt. In its current form, it was created in 1974 by joining the municipalities of Esbeck, Hoiersdorf, and Schöningen. Schöningen is a stop on the German Framework Road.

By plane

 * Airport Hannover-Langenhagen (, 101km)
 * Magdeburg-Cochstedt International (CSO, 53 km)
 * Leipzig/Halle (, 168 km)
 * Frankfurt Airport (, 380 km)

By train
Inter City to Helmstedt. KVG Coach to Schöningen.

By car
A2 to Helmstedt. Exit 63-Helmstedt-Ost. Right on to B1 (Traffic sign : Braunschweig/​Königslutter/​Helmstedt/​Schöningen). Left on to B244. Distance to Schöningen 9.7 km.

Get around
Car Rental Bicycle Rental

Do

 * City Hall overlooks the town square, the place of Schöningen’s weekly market (Wednesdays and Saturdays 08:00-12:00). Here’s a great opportunity to buy some delicious fruits & veggies, colourful flowers, and wonderful souvenirs for your journey home.
 * So much of Schöningen is best explored outside. Right on the edge of the forest is a wonderful golf course. Though, if you’re not so inclined to play the links, there’s always the pool & sauna to relax in. Though, that might be a better idea to do after you’ve gone out and done the hiking & biking thing through the Lower Saxon countryside.
 * St. Lawrence - a different golf club. Well above the visible church of St. Lawrence on the edge of the Elms extend the fairways of the Golf and Country Club St. Lawrence, one of which has beautiful views in the Magdeburg region up to the resin. The difference from other golf clubs is' That certain something of St. Lawrence, "a blend of the unique location of the place, nestled in the beautiful countryside, near its namesake, the ancient monastery of good St. Lawrence, whose cobblestone manor and the underlying park-like Gutsgarten. For this purpose, the listed, hundreds of years ago from Elmkalkstein built farm buildings, where there is now also the cozy clubhouse. In this particular setting puts it, what is rarely found today: sports, culture, history and landscape that are close together.
 * Elm Lappwald Nature Park bicycle tours.

Go next

 * Elm Lappwald
 * Königslutter
 * Helmstedt
 * Oschersleben
 * Halberstadt
 * Wolfenbüttel