Geographischer Mittelpunkt Niedersachsens

The geographical center of Lower Saxony is located in Hoyerhagen.

Where is the center of Lower Saxony? The NDR regional magazine Hallo Niedersachsen got to the bottom of this question. A short series in May 2003 accompanied the search. It began with the northernmost point, followed by the southernmost, westernmost and easternmost points of Lower Saxony. On the last day of the series, the center point was finally announced. To determine the points, the NDR enlisted the help of the LGLN (State Office for Geoinformation and Land Surveying / Lower Saxony). It was easy to determine the outer boundary points using existing digital maps. The Kugelbake in Cuxhaven was quickly identified as the northernmost point. The southernmost point is located in a wooded area and belongs to the municipality of Staufenberg in the district of Göttingen. In the west, the regional magazine opted for the westernmost point on dry land near Vennebrügge in the district of Grafschaft Bentheim. Finally, the easternmost point was found near Schnackenburg on the Elbe in the district of Lüchow-Dannenberg. The search for the center point was more difficult. Which method should be used? A complicated mathematical procedure, a simple connection of the outermost boundary points or an experimental procedure to determine the center of gravity of an area? The LGLN opted for the latter because this method seemed very clear and sufficiently accurate for the purpose. The cartography trainees cut out a map of the country and glued it onto a sheet of hard foam. Using a needle, the plate was leveled as accurately as possible and then pierced. The resulting circle with a diameter of around three kilometers was passed on to the 'Hallo Niedersachsen' team. The editors of the regional magazine proved their courage and defined the center of the circle as the center of Lower Saxony and ended up in the fields of the municipality of Hoyerhagen near Hoya in the district of Nienburg/Weser. A stone specially made by a sculptor was placed there to mark the exact point for all visitors.

You can have your certificate of your visit to the center point issued at the following locations:

• Tourist Information in Hoya Town Hall, Schloßplatz 2, 27318 Hoya
  
• Classic-Tankstelle Hoya, Auf dem Kuhkamp 21, 27318 Hoya