VORgeLESEN Open Air Aschersleben

Aschersleben — the oldest town in Saxony-Anhalt

Aschersleben is considered the oldest town in Saxony-Anhalt — first documented in 753, with town privileges since 1266. It is located in the Salzlandkreis district, on the edge of the Harz foothills, about 40 km southwest of Magdeburg. The city center with its town wall, the Bestehornhaus, and the St. Stephen's Church has been surprisingly well-preserved and is considered one of the most impressive medieval townscapes in Central Germany. Directly at Markt 21 stands the municipal museum with its courtyard, a quiet courtyard with trees and seating areas.

It is precisely this courtyard that the VORgeLESEN series uses in August. It is a literary open-air series whose concept is simple: Whatever deserves attention is read aloud. Novels, stories, short stories, poems — read by actors, by library staff, or by guest readers from the region. The audience sits in the courtyard, a glass of wine in hand, and listens.

Cooperation project from three institutions

VORgeLESEN is explicitly designed as a cooperation: The Aschersleben Cultural Institution provides the space and coordination, the Protestant Parish contributes readers and thematic impulses, and the Aschersleben City Library curates the literary selection. This makes it possible to create a reading series that appeals not only to literature lovers but also to a broader audience.

Free admission — a conscious decision

The readings are free. This is part of the concept: literature should be easily accessible, on summer evenings when no one expects lectures or readings to take place. In fact, VORgeLESEN reaches an audience that does not necessarily fall into the classic Aschersleben cultural channel — families, seniors, strollers who spontaneously take a seat in the courtyard.

Aschersleben as a day trip

Anyone who combines the open-air event with a visit to Aschersleben will have a charming day trip ahead of them. The old town can be explored in 30 minutes on foot, including the Bestehornhaus with the museum, St. Stephen's Church, and the town wall with its remaining towers. A little further south lies Quedlinburg, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which does not compete with Aschersleben but complements it.