LOWER SAXONIA
- Alex P
- Oct 9
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 10
Lower Saxony boasts a wide variety of natural landscapes, from the shores of the North Sea to the peaks of the Harz Mountains and the Lüneburg Heath.
LOWER SAXONIA: THE MOST INTERESTING
Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) is a state in northwestern Germany, with its capital city being Hanover. Occupying the northwestern part of the country, it is a major tourist destination.
Lower Saxony encompasses three natural areas: the Harz Mountains, the Weser Mountains, and the North German Plain. The latter is home to Germany's oldest nature park, the Lüneburg Heath. Weltvogelpark Walsrode, which is located there, is known as the world's largest bird park
The North Sea coast boasts numerous large tracts of heathland and marshland, as well as the picturesque East Frisian Islands. At low tide, you can also stroll along the Wadden Sea's shallows.
Not far from Hanover is one of the best film parks in the world - the "German Hollywood" Warner Brothers Movie World, which brings together famous film characters and often hosts film performances and masquerade shows.
LOWER SAXONIA: HISTORY OF THE COAT OF ARMS
This proud horse has its own heraldic name: "Saxon Steed." It is originally associated with the last king of the Old Saxons, Widukind, who lived in the 8th century. True, he had a black horse, but it is said that before his baptism, Widukind rode a black one, and after his baptism, he switched to a white one. There is even a theory that he didn't switch, but that the horse miraculously turned white.
Already in the Middle Ages, the inhabitants of Lower Saxony believed that this was the coat of arms of the ancient tribal duchy of Saxony, although this duchy did not yet have a coat of arms.
In 1361, the Welf dukes adopted the Saxon Steed as their heraldic symbol to emphasize their house's claim to dominance over the territory of old Saxony. Beginning in the 17th century, it appeared on the coat of arms of the Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg, or more commonly, the Electorate of Hanover (our hero is in the top row, in the midst, on the expanded coat of arms), as well as on the coats of arms of the kingdom, and later the province, of Hanover.
When Lower Saxony was founded in 1946, it became the coat of arms of the new state. Initially informal, it was then approved after lengthy debate in 1951.
LOWER SAXONIA: THE FUN FACTS
The white horse is not unique to Lower Saxony. Since its first appearance on seals and coats of arms, the "Saxon Steed" has been repeatedly used to express Anglo-Saxon identity and claims to political power. Two legendary Saxon tribal leaders, Hengist and Horsa, have often been cited, citing them as evidence that the horse was a symbol of power for the Saxons. They are considered the first Saxon rulers of the British Isles.
In general, the Saxons' respect for horses dates back to prehistoric times. The vast geographical distribution of the ancient Saxons allows the white horse to appear, as a link between eras, on many ancient coats of arms in England, the Netherlands, and Germany.
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