Obernfeld: Church Art, Traditional Costume Dance and Local History Museum

Art and Traditional Costumes in Obernfeld

The interior of St. Blasius Church is richly decorated. Most of its furnishings date from the 18th century and include works by local artists. One notable work is the richly decorated Baroque high altar from 1728, created by sculptor Ernst Martin of Duderstadt. Together, the furnishings and the altar give the church a distinct art-historical character: alongside a single dated work is an ensemble whose design mostly belongs to the 18th century. The connection to local artists adds a local perspective to this chronological context.

The Obernfeld Local History Museum focuses on different themes. Its exhibition covers about 500 m². Historical clothing is on display in the textile section, where visitors can view various traditional costumes. A small sacred art section illustrates the religious life of the Eichsfeld region. Clothing and religious practice thus feature as distinct subjects, offering two ways to explore the region’s cultural history. This complement to the church art is especially appealing when choosing what to visit: the museum brings together textile artefacts and a distinct perspective on the religious life of the Eichsfeld region.

Since 1986, the Obernfeld traditional costume dance group has learned and performed numerous folk dances from different regions under its own direction. This adds a performative form of folk tradition to the objects in the church and museum. The dances do not come from just one region; the group has built up a varied repertoire. For travellers interested in tradition, this is another aspect of the town’s character alongside its church and museum. The three themes take different forms: sacred furnishings, historical clothing and an engagement with folk dance.

Göttingen: Science, Urban History and Gardens

In Göttingen, the Forum Wissen offers a distinct way to explore research and teaching. Its permanent exhibition, “Rooms of Knowledge,” covers 1,400 square metres and makes the processes through which knowledge is created easier to understand. Its twelve “Rooms of Knowledge” contain more than 1,400 objects from the collections of the University of Göttingen. In this way, a spacious exhibition setting and tangible collection objects come together around the question of how knowledge is created. Its focus differs from Obernfeld’s themes of traditional costumes, church art and the religious life of the Eichsfeld region.

The Göttingen Municipal Museum has been housed in the Hardenberger Hof, the last surviving aristocratic palace in Göttingen, since 1897. The exhibition “City. Power. Faith. Göttingen in the 16th Century” is on display there until further notice; check the current exhibition information before your trip. The museum offers guided tours of its permanent and temporary exhibitions for groups and school classes. Check the booking arrangements for a tour in advance. The building, exhibition theme and guided tour programme give Göttingen its own focus on urban history.

The Old Botanical Garden of Göttingen offers another perspective. It was founded in 1736 as a “hortus medicus,” or medicinal garden. Visitors can explore historic greenhouses, tropical vegetation in the rainforest house and the alpine garden. Its origins and the garden’s different areas combine historical context with specific botanical themes. In Göttingen, the range thus extends from university-based learning and urban history to the world of plants.

Discover More Destinations

Hann. Münden, Staufenberg, Ebergötzen, Bad Grund (Harz), Hattorf am Harz, Walkenried, Nienhagen, Duderstadt

Return to the overview of the wider region: Göttingen.