Magdeburg (Germany)

Magdeburg is an Elbe River cruise port and the capital city of Germany's Saxony-Anhalt state. By population (around 235,000), the city is ranked state's 2nd largest (after Halle-Saale).

The city has two renown universities - Otto-von-Guericke Universitat (opened 1993) and Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal (opened 1991, of Applied Sciences). The city is also a major industrial and trade center, specializing in steel prodiction, chemical products, textiles, paper, plant and mechanical engineering, ecotechnologies, export and logistics, healthcare industry.

Among Magdeburg's best-know landmarks and tourist attractions are Magdeburger Dom ((Germany's first Gothic Cathedral), Unser Lieben Frauen (former monastery / now museum), Johanniskirche (church), Magdeburger Reiter (statue), Town Hall (Renaissance building), Landtag von Sachsen-Anhalt (building complex at Domplatz / Cathedral Square), Rotehornpark (200-hectares nature park), Elbauenpark (100-hectares family and leisure park), Gruson-Gewachshauser (botanical garden), Kanalbrucke Magdeburg (Water Bridge, Europe's longest navigable aqueduct / 106 m / 348 ft, with air-draft 90 m), Grune Zitadelle (2005-opened building housing shops, cafe, restaurant, theater, ART hotel, nursery, plus apartments, practices, offices).

Magdeburg is also famous for its Christmas Market - a holiday travel destination attracting over 1,5 million visitors each year. Other popular public events are Stadtfest, Europafest, Christopher Street Day (European LGBT demonstration).