13. Himmelswegelauf

The Himmelswegelauf is a running and cycling event centered on prehistoric sky-watching sites in central Germany. The marathon begins at the Sonnenobservatorium Goseck, identified as the world’s oldest known solar observatory, and the program also features a bike tour. A shorter option, the Himmelsscheibenlauf, starts at the Arche Nebra visitor center and covers 10 kilometers around Mittelberg, near the location where the Nebra sky disk was discovered. The route's theme is notably strong, with runners passing through sites linked to some of Europe’s oldest astronomy and burial history. The Nebra sky disk is a 3,600-year-old bronze artifact, considered the oldest concrete depiction of the cosmos. Additional landmarks associated with the event include the Ringheiligtum Pömmelte, a cult site over 4,000 years old, and the Dolmengöttin von Langeneichstädt, a menhir and stone chamber grave approximately 5,000 years old. The Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte in Halle houses the Nebra sky disk in its permanent exhibition, participants receive a unique medal design, and Radio SAW presenter Holger Tapper hosts the award ceremonies.