Stendal Roland Festival

Stendal and its Roland

The Hanseatic City of Stendal boasts a Roland — a stone figure in the market square, a symbol of civic freedom found in many North German Hanseatic cities. The Stendal Roland has stood in front of the old town hall since 1525 and gives its name to the city's largest city festival. First celebrated in 1972, the Roland Festival is now one of the largest city festivals in the north of Saxony-Anhalt — and at the same time one of the few that is organised entirely under the city's own management without a major external organiser.

Four Stages, Three Days, Over 50 Hours of Programming

The concept is clear: instead of a central main act, the Roland Festival is spread across four stages located throughout the old town — Market Square, Town Hall, Kornmarkt, Cathedral Precinct. Over 50 hours of show programming feature local clubs and bands, regional artists from the Altmark, and nationally or internationally known acts. In addition, there is a historical market with crafts and a medieval atmosphere, a family and children's area with carousels and games, as well as food and drink stalls.

Stendal — A Landmark of the Altmark

Stendal is the district capital of the Stendal district in the state of Saxony-Anhalt and the most important administrative and cultural centre of the Altmark. The city is located between Magdeburg and the Elbe, belongs to the European Route of Brick Gothic, and has extensively renovated its historical substance in recent years. The Roland Festival is the annual summer highlight that turns the old town into a meeting point for residents, Altmark locals, and tourists from Berlin, Hamburg, and Hanover for three days.

Freely Accessible, Firmly Anchored

The entire festival grounds are free to access on all three days — a conscious decision by the city that has made the festival a democratic community event for decades. With over 50 years of tradition, the Roland Festival is one of the oldest city festivals in Saxony-Anhalt and an integral part of the Hanseatic city's identity.