Halle

Halle is a city that deserves a second look. The first impression of ever-under-construction train station and dismal tram ride into town hides a pretty 1,000-year-old city built on the salt trade. It straddles the River Saale, whose name is derived from the German word for salt; the name Halle comes from the Celtic word for salt. The city has suffered from the shortfalls of Communist urban planning, yet the Old Town has an unusual beauty, particularly in its spacious central marketplace, the Markt, with its five distinctive sharp-steepled towers.