LOWER SAXONY
- Jan 18
- 5 min read
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 SAXONY: ICONIC LANDMARKS
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 SAXONY: COAT OF ARMS' HISTORY
Lower Saxony greets us at a gallop. But not just any gallop, but a strictly heraldic one. Its coat of arms features a galloping white horse on a red field. This steed even has an official name: "Saxon Horse" (Sachsenross). And yes, this is exactly the kind of heraldry where you need to be careful —parents show their child a coat of arms, and the child looks at it and suddenly says, "I want a horse!"
The horse has a storied history, usually associated with the legendary Widukind, the last leader of the Old Saxons in the 8th century and a stubborn opponent of Charlemagne. According to legend, Widukind rode a black horse before his baptism, and a white one afterward. Some claim he simply changed horses. Others say the horse miraculously "lightened" along with its owner. Whatever the case, the contrast is symbolic and memorable: darkness and light, paganism and Christianity, the past and the new era.
Even in the early Middle Ages, residents of the region were convinced that this was the ancient coat of arms of Saxony. And although the Duchy of Saxony didn't yet have a coat of arms, folk memory was preemptive. The Saxons generally had a special relationship with horses: respect for them dates back to prehistoric times. The horse was not just a means of transportation, but a symbol of power, strength, and freedom. It's no coincidence that the legendary Saxon leaders Hengist and Horsa (their names literally mean "stallion" and "horse") were considered the first rulers of the Saxons in Britain.
Our heroine officially entered heraldry in 1361, when the Dukes of Welf, one of the oldest European dynasties of Frankish origin, adopted it as their symbol. The reason was simple and entirely political: the Welfs wanted to emphasize their rights to the lands of old Saxony. The horse proved an ideal candidate — understandable, ancient, and "popular." Since the 17th century, it has been a familiar feature on the coats of arms of local state entities: from the Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg, commonly known as Hanover, to subsequent kingdoms, duchies, and provinces.
Interestingly, the Saxon horse was originally more of a regional than a dynastic symbol. It represented not so much the rulers as the land itself and its inhabitants. Its identity for Saxony is comparable to the blue and white Bavarian diamonds. It is therefore unsurprising that the Saxon horse has survived through the changing eras, dynasties, and forms of government.
When the federal state of Lower Saxony was formed in 1946, the white horse already symbolized approximately four-fifths of its territory. Initially, it was used unofficially, and after long and thorough discussions, it was approved by parliament in 1951. Since then, the coat of arms has been enshrined in the state constitution and is protected by law as strictly as a thoroughbred stallion in a good stable: changing its proportions, colors, and appearance is prohibited.
Yet the horse remains a remarkably vibrant image. It can be found on ancient coins, in folk art, and on various coats of arms in England, the Netherlands, and Germany — as a unique thread connecting eras and continents. So, what we see here isn't just a beautiful animal on a red background, but an example of a heraldic symbol that is simultaneously ancient, understandable, and truly beloved.
LOWER SAXONY: FUN FACTS
Of Baron Munchausen directly from his stories.
The Munchausen family is an ancient and respected family, known in Lower Saxony since the 12th century. The Cistercian monk on the family coat of arms is not a metaphor, but a direct reference to family legend. The family's progenitor, the knight Heino, a participant in the Crusades, allegedly lost almost all of his descendants in battle. Only one survived—he became a monk. To preserve the lineage, the monk was tactfully but firmly encouraged to return to secular life and actively continue the family line. Thus, the "monk's house" — Münchhausen in German — was born, and a monk with a staff permanently inhabited the coat of arms: a reminder that even fate can sometimes be persuaded.
The family's true fame, however, came not from the Crusades and wars, but from books. The baron's tales of incredible adventures were first published by an anonymous English author and later edited by Rudolf Erich Raspe. Karl Friedrich Hieronymus von Münchhausen himself, incidentally, considered these texts exaggerated—he simply enjoyed telling stories over dinner.
One little-known story recounts how, in his old age, Münchhausen was once late for dinner and calmly explained that a hare had crossed his path and he had to chase it. The guests ate tensely and silently for the rest of the meal, awaiting a spectacular sequel and finale that never came.
His hometown of Bodenwerder is proud of its native. The house where the baron was born, lived, and died is now the town hall and a museum. Monuments to Munchausen are scattered throughout the city, and his grave is also on display. And once a year, the "Baron" actually flies — a local resident rides on a cannonball, using a helicopter. Lower Saxony doesn't dispute the legends. It carefully maintains them.
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