The town of Blankenburg is located in the German federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is situated at the foot of the Harz Mountains. Since the beginning of the 19th century Blankenburg has been a popular spa. At that time, alongside the traditional half-timbered houses, elegant Renaissance and Baroque villas were built. Despite this the town has retained some old-fashioned charm. There are cobbled streets, a medieval church, Renaissance town hall and Baroque gardens with the animal park. Near Blankenburg there is the 12th-century castle situated on top of the 300-meter hill.
