Walpurgishalle auf dem Hexentanzplatz Thale

Description

The Walpurgishalle is a temple-like structure built in the Old Germanic style. It towers high above the Bode Valley, on the legendary Hexentanzplatz. You can reach it either after a short hike, by car, bus, or cable car— offering breathtaking views. 
From the gable of this impressive building, Wotan—the father of the gods, also known as Odin—gazes down at visitors with one eye. Learn more about the legend of Wotan on a guided tour, or rent an audio guide on site and explore the time-honored halls on your own. 
The Walpurgishalle was built based on the vision of Harz painter Hermann Hendrich (1854–1931), who had dedicated himself to depicting German legends and fairy tales. He wanted to create a place to present his series of paintings on Walpurgis Night, based on Goethe’s “Faust”. This place was not meant to be a simple gallery, but rather a work of art in the Old Germanic style that captured the mystical atmosphere of the Harz Mountains.

Hendrich approached the renowned Berlin architect Bernhard Sehring—who is particularly known for his Art Nouveau buildings and the “Theater des Westens”—with his idea. Sehring submitted a design in his characteristic, log-cabin-style Germanic architecture that perfectly matched Hendrich’s vision.

At the opening—which, fittingly, took place amid a thunderous storm—in 1901, Hendrich donated his five large-format paintings to serve as the centerpiece of the exhibition. These depict scenes (The Dance of the Will-o’-the-Wisps, Mammon’s Cave, The Witches’ Dance, The Wind Bride, and The Tragedy of Gretchen) from Walpurgis Night and still hang in the Walpurgis Hall today.