This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Göttingen.
Göttingen is a town in the state of Lower Saxony in Germany, particularly known for its old university. Located on the Leine River, right in the center of Germany, Göttingen is easily reachable by buses and trains. With a little over one hundred thousand residents, the town is among the largest in the state, although it is not exactly a popular tourist spot. Nevertheless, if you care to take a visit, you might come across some pretty interesting sights.
Göttingen was first mentioned as a village in the tenth century and received a status of town around the year twelve hundred. Therefore the town has quite a lot of history, but the main turning point came centuries later, when King George II of Great Britan founded the University of Göttingen in the eighteenth century. Along with that came different traditions -- one of the most famous is kissing of the Goose Girl (Gänseliesel) statue when the students receive their doctorate degrees. The statue can be found on the main square, outside the old town hall, and is also known as "the most kissed girl in the world."
If churches are your thing, don't miss Jacobikirche and Johanniskirche, however, there are also plenty of others that may be interesting to see. Some other points of interests well worth visiting are the Auditorium, Big Mill, Bismark Tower, Municipal Museum, Navel, Plesse Castle, and Old Botanical Garden, just to name a few.
As far as Göttingen hostel options go, there are a few good choices with varying locations in the heart of town as well as the outskirts of town. It is worth mentioning that the Tourist Information in the old town hall sells a special one-day and three-day GöCard, which allows you free rides on the city buses, as well as reduced admission to various attractions.
Written by local enthusiast for Göttingen hostels
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