Vibrant Towns & Cities! by Bookletia

Vibrant Towns & Cities! 2013 / 2014

Where opera never ends.

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DresDen

Culture and contrasts, lifestyle and leisure

Vibrant Towns

& Cities! www.germany.travel

• Richard Wagner Bicentennial Festivities in 2013 • Reopening of the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon • 36th Dresden Music Festival, 11th May – 2nd June 2013 • 43rd International Dixieland Festival, 12th–19th May 2013

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@DD_Marketing

www.dresden.de/highlights

Pictures: Dresden © F. Schrader · Wagner © iStockphoto.com / HultonArchive · Globe © Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon, Dresden State Art Collections, Karpinski · Dixieland © S. Dittrich

86 towns and cities, more than 120 sightseeing attractions, information on lots of events 2013/2014 edition

Image 4c 175 270 VKI DZT englisch 01.13_Image 4c 175 270 VKI DZT 01.13 04.02.13 14:47 Seite 1

The World at Home in Germany... ...welcome to M Experience Germany's most exciting cities at their best in one of the 37 M Hotels across the country. We look forward to your visit • always in the city centre, close to the railway station or the airport • in comfortable and elegant hotels • with warm hospitality and first-class service • with delicious German and international cuisine We look forward to welcoming you to M in these locations: Berlin · Bonn · Braunlage (Harz Mountains) · Bremen · Darmstadt Dresden · Düsseldorf · Frankfurt · Fulda · Gelsenkirchen · Halle Hamburg · Hanover · Heringsdorf (Usedom) · Bad Homburg · Kiel Cologne · Königswinter · Magdeburg · Mannheim · Munich · Nuremberg Bad Salzuflen · Bad Sassendorf · Schmallenberg · Stuttgart Timmendorfer Strand (Baltic coast) · Titisee-Neustadt (Black Forest) Lübeck-Travemünde (Baltic coast) · Ulm · Bad Wildungen · Würzburg M International Sales Office · Kuelpstrasse 2 · 64293 Darmstadt · Germany Phone +49 (0) 6151 905-710 · Fax + 49 (0) 6151 905-717 info.vki@maritim.com · www.maritim.com

Adventure trip. Discovery tour. Journey into the future. Welcome to the Audi Forum Ingolstadt. Where the heart of the brand beats. Where tradition and innovation meet – in the Audi Forum Ingolstadt: new car collection, production, mobile museum, shops, concerts, programme cinema, restaurants and conference rooms. Enjoy moving moments, for example on a guided tour. For reservations and further information about dates and events, call: +49 841 893 7575, email address: welcome@audi.de; www.audi.com/forums, www.facebook.com/audiforumingolstadt

FOREWORD

Welcome to Destination Germany! More people are travelling to Germany than ever before. On the back of two highly successful years in 2010 and 2011, we achieved another set of record results in 2012, with well over 60 million overnight stays by visitors from abroad – making Germany one of the world’s most popular travel destinations.

The results are in: our Top 100 A whole host of tourist attractions in towns, cities and regions across Germany are high on the hit list of our international visitors. In 2012, guests from overseas were invited to nominate their favourite sights as part of a GNTB poll to find Germany’s Top 100 sights. Topping the charts were Heidelberg Castle, Neuschwanstein Castle and the World Heritage site of Cologne Cathedral. Youth travel: our theme for 2013

Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer of the GNTB

A major factor in Germany’s international appeal is its wealth of vibrant, exciting towns and cities. These are the places that make Germany the no. 2 destination in the world for trade fairs and conferences and a leader in cultural tourism. People also come from abroad for the shopping, art and design as well as the natural beauty and the food and drink. All this combined with a well-developed infrastructure, outstanding value for money and guaranteed top quality in all forms of accommodation – from youth hostels to five-star hotels – means a city break in Germany is always a special experience.

In 2013, under the banner ‘Germany for young people – vibrant, fashionable, innovative’, the GNTB is promoting Germany as a destination for young travellers. Teenagers and young people are particularly drawn to the creativity and diversity on offer in Germany’s towns and cities: from shopping and the arts to nightlife and active holidays, everything is covered. This new edition of ‘Vibrant Towns and Cities’, which features the very best of Germany’s towns, cities and regional capitals, will give you plenty of ideas and inspiration on where to go and what to see if you’re interested in culture and city breaks in our beautiful country. We hope you have a memorable stay in Destination Germany!

Get connected DISCOVER THE THRILL OF ANTICIPATION WITH PERFECT PLANNING Don’t search for your holiday, discover it. With our online planning tools, preparing for your trip becomes part of the fun. Whether you browse our dedicated travel website, download the nifty apps for smartphones and tablets, or follow us via social media, you won’t miss a thing. If you’re looking for a quaint chocolate-box town or a cosmopolitan city, particular events, activities or themes, it’s all at your fingertips. Germany is also a fantastic destination for walking and cycling, health and wellness, castles, parks and gardens, UNESCO World Heritage sites and scenic routes, festivals and celebrations, trade fairs and business. This is where your journey takes shape – make it interactive, make it individual. Simply can’t wait? Explore Germany using our interactive map at www.germany.travel and you’ll feel like you’re already there. If you’re interested in a region or a particular town, if you want to find out what’s on where and when, the interactive map has all the answers. Where are the best spa breaks? What cultural entertainment is currently on? What does this city offer that others don’t? There is no need to miss out on anything in your chosen region. What’s more, you can tailor the results to your exact travel dates and your interests and preferences. That way you’ll know what you can look forward to before you’ve even arrived. And because our website is optimised for mobile devices, you can still get the latest tips on your destination once you’re there.

Your personalised itinerary to take away Found something you like the look of? Then simply add that city, event or whatever it may be to your travel planner – and it is saved. An interesting exhibition here? Click. A scenic walking trail there? Click. Customise your trip as if you were filling a shopping trolley – save it, and your travel planner will show you your exact route, detailing every distance and even the weather forecast. You can even share your plans on Facebook, where you can discuss them with friends, update them or add to them... and if you print out your itinerary or transfer it to your smartphone or tablet, you’ll have your own personalised travel guide in your pocket. Germany’s best destinations are always to hand with our Top 100 app. More and more visitors from all over the world are sharing their personal favourites with us, and the latest results are always available for you to browse. In 2012, first place went to Heidelberg Castle, closely followed by 99 other major attractions. Looking for a hotel in Frankfurt? A car rental in Hamburg? A hot ticket in Berlin? Or a spa mini-break in the Bavarian Forest? In the ‘Special offers’ section of our website you’ll find a range of attractive travel deals from our tourism partners that you can book right there and then and with the minimum of fuss. Of course, we also provide all the information you’ll need for your journey – whether you’re travelling by car, train, ferry or plane.

Museums

Walking Scenic routes

Famous people

Discovering Germany has never been easier.

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Cycling

Restaurants

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Medical tourism Home of the car Creative Germany

Deutsches KĂźstenland

Germanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s islands

Christmas

Music

Made in Germany

UNESCO World Heritage Luther

Towns and cities

Wine country

Food & drink

Spas and health resorts Wellness Hotels

Palaces, parks and gardens

Theme parks

Events

National parks & nature parks Business travel 5

C0ntents

Germany from A to Z Regional capitals Berlin – Cosmopolitan flair Bremen/Bremerhaven – Gateway to distant lands

56 58

Bielefeld – Mercantile heritage Bonn – Past and present Braunschweig – Lion-hearted

61 62 64

Chemnitz – City of contrasts

Darmstadt – A culture of colour

8 12

Dresden – Opera diva 16 20 Düsseldorf – Rhine glamour Düsseldorf / Neuss / Ratingen 23 Erfurt – Gateway to the East

Aachen – Jumping for joy Augsburg – Success story

Hamburg – Water worlds Hannover – World’s Fair

26 30

Frankfurt – Art appreciation 70 Frankfurt / Offenbach 73 74 Freiburg – Living the good life

Kiel – Harbour of dreams

Göttingen – Fountain of ideas

Magdeburg – City of the old and the new 36 38 Mainz – A strong impression Munich – Fountain of youth 40

Heidelberg – Pure romance

Ingolstadt – Retail therapy

Potsdam – Prussian prestige

Jena – Bright lights

Karlsruhe – Fan-shaped city Kassel – City of culture Koblenz – A Rhine romance Köln (Cologne) – Zest for life Krefeld – Fashion centre

82 84 86 88 91

Saarbrücken – Joie de vivre 46 Schwerin – Land of lakes 48 Stuttgart – Driving force 50 Stuttgart / Sindelfingen 53 Wiesbaden – City of sophistication

Leipzig – City of heroes Leverkusen – City of enterprise Lübeck – Old town charm Ludwigshafen – Winning formula Mannheim – Spirit of invention Mönchengladbach – Leafy city on the Lower Rhine Münster – Cycling capital

92 95 96 98 100 102 104

Nuremberg – 106 A journey through time Nuremberg / Erlangen / Fürth 108 Osnabrück – City of peace

110

Regensburg – A historical gem Rostock – Northern star Ruhr region – Metamorphoses

112 114 116

Trier – Ancient appeal

120

Ulm – Reaching for the heavens

122

Weimar – Intellectual endeavour Wolfsburg – Design perfection Wuppertal – City on the move Würzburg – Baroque splendour

124 126 128 130

Berlin

Cosmopolitan flair

Berlin: a world city of distinction. What does Berlin have that other world cities don’t? Well, first of all, there’s the locals, whose rough yet friendly charm is all part of the Berlin experience. Add to that an incredible array of sights that reflect not only the city’s newfound swagger but also its great history and the dramatic events of the 20th century. When people think of Berlin, the first thing that usually comes to mind is its most famous landmark – the Brandenburg Gate. For decades a symbol of division, the monument has always been the beating heart of a major city bursting with ideas, inspiration, art, culture and creativity.

Alexanderplatz square with the TV tower

Highlights in the western parts of Berlin include the Kurfürstendamm, as elegant a shopping street as you’ll find anywhere, the Kaufhaus des Westens department store (better known as KaDeWe), on-trend boutiques and exclusive galleries, as well as beautiful residential streets and, of course, Berlin’s famous nightlife. And speaking of nightlife, no trip to Berlin would be complete without an evening at Friedrichstadt Palast, Germany’s leading variety theatre. With the current production, SHOW ME, the Palast is said to have mounted the most expensive and dazzling stage show of all time. This Berlin spectacle is the very height of glamour – an explosion of light, colours,

costumes and special effects. The cosmopolitan vibe also permeates the government district, which spreads out to the east from Brandenburg Gate and from the neighbouring Reichstag. There’s a sense of peace and freedom in the air here – in stark contrast to the days when Berlin was responsible for unthinkable crimes. The memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe, a work by New York architect Peter Eisenman located near the Brandenburg Gate, serves as a reminder of those atrocities, as does the Topography of Terror documentation centre at the former Gestapo headquarters. Further information: www.germany.travel/berlin

Berlin All the way up: Berlin’s TV tower Berlin’s 368-metre high television tower is the tallest building in Germany. It was erected in Berlin’s historic centre right next to the medieval Church of St. Mary close to the Rotes Rathaus and immediately to the west of Alexanderplatz square. At a height of more than 200 metres, its observation platforms offer a magnificent panoramic view of the city. The tower was opened in 1969, although apparently the architects were not invited to the ceremony. The reason was that those in power at the time were annoyed about the cross-shaped reflection on the outer panels – known as ‘the Pope’s revenge’. www.germany.travel/berlin/tv-tower

The memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe

The show must go on: Friedrichstadtpalast

The memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe at the northern end of Wilhelmstrasse close to Brandenburg Gate testifies to the fact that these unspeakable crimes had their origins in Berlin. Covering approx. 19,000m², the site is adorned with 2,711 rectangular concrete blocks designed by New York architect Peter Eisenman. The information centre underneath the wave-shaped ‘field of stelae’ has an exhibition documenting the persecution and murder of European Jews. A place for mourning, reconciliation and perhaps forgiveness, but not a place for forgetting. www.germany.travel/berlin/jews-of-europe

No other German theatre has dedicated itself with such vigour to upholding the great revue traditions of the 1920s. Visitors can expect glitter and glamour, lavish revues and a spectacular show of light and colour, dance and acrobatics – along with star performers from all over the world who have trod the boards at this site of cultural and historical interest. This ‘palace on Friedrichstrasse’ is often also used as a venue for media events of all sizes, and can accommodate just under 1,900 visitors. www.germany.travel/berlin/friedrichstadtpalast

TOP 100 Sights

UNESCO Berlin Modernism Housing Estates

A passageway to history: Brandenburg Gate

The Berlin Modernism Housing Estates represent the artistic and social visions of a new type of urban and housing development. www.germany.travel/unesco/modernism-housing-estates

No other monument in Berlin is as famous around the world as Brandenburg Gate, built between 1789 and 1791 to plans by C. G. Langhans on Pariser Platz in the heart of the city. After the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, Brandenburg Gate became impassable for 28 years. As a signature attraction and symbol of German reunification, it now represents the past and present of the German capital in exemplary fashion. The gate is supported by six Doric columns, forming five passageways with pedestrianonly access. The famous quadriga depicting the goddess of victory, Victoria, riding a four-horse chariot was added in 1794. www.germany.travel/top100

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Event Tip

‘Haus am Checkpoint Charlie’ Museum Originally opened back in 1962, shortly after the Berlin Wall was built, the museum at the legendary Checkpoint Charlie traces the history of the divided Germany and is one of the city’s most popular visitor attractions. A symbol of the tensions between the major world powers, Checkpoint Charlie became the world’s most famous border crossing within a city. The ‘Haus am Checkpoint Charlie’ museum has a permanent exhibition on the history of the Berlin Wall and many other related themes – from opposition, resistance and the Stasi to the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989. www.germany.travel/berlin/checkpoint-charlie

Berlinale: when the big screen comes to Berlin The Berlinale is for Germany what the Oscars are for Hollywood. Stars and starlets, culture and commerce, glitter and glamour at a festival of distinction that attracts over 400,000 film fans, 20,000 industry professionals, 4,000 journalists and as many as 400 films, mostly world and European premieres. Looking for the A-list? Then it has to be the Berlinale. In the exclusive club of A-list film festivals, which includes Cannes, Venice and Locarno, it’s Berlin that draws the biggest audiences. Maybe that’s because it’s less elitist than the rest or because the mix is spot on: films of every genre, length and format, high-profile international films going head to head, independent and arthouse productions, films for younger audiences, promising newcomers in German cinema, a focus on far-flung film-making countries, experimental films and an exploration of new cinematic possibilities in the Berlinale Shorts. The programme always includes a retrospective and a homage honouring the life’s work of a famous film personality. There’s also a series of events which go deeper into themes, make new connections, open up new perspectives and explore the medium of film in the context of other creative disciplines. The German capital is a cosmopolitan cultural showcase with extraordinary pulling power – and the Berlinale sits in pride of place. Another reason to visit Berlin again and again.

A treasure trove of human history: Berlin’s Museum Island A UNESCO World Heritage site in the heart of the city, Berlin’s Museum Island is a hugely popular attraction both with locals and international tourists. One of the world’s most important museum complexes, it is home to priceless cultural treasures. Collections at the Museum of the Ancient World, New Museum, Old National Gallery, Bode Museum and Pergamon Museum take visitors on a fascinating journey through art and culture from the cradle of civilisation in Mesopotamia through Egypt, Classical Greece and Rome, Byzantium, the Islamic World and the Middle Ages right up to the modern age and 19th century Romanticism. www.germany.travel/unesco/museum-island

Other event highlights in Berlin:

Berlin Biennale - for contemporary art Berlin-Marathon - sightseeing in running shoes Classics Open Air Festival Festival of Lights Carnival of Cultures multicultural celebration of tolerance More events can be found online at: www.germany.travel/events

Bremen / Bremerhaven

Bremerhaven, Klimahaus

Gateway to distant lands Bremen and Bremerhaven: the city, the countryside and the sea.

Bremen: a regional capital and trading city with a long-standing maritime heritage. Bremerhaven: 1,000 years Bremen’s junior but still steeped in history and with many tales to tell. These two cities together form Germany’s smallest federal state – a world of experiences that is cosmopolitan, welcoming and full of pleasures, open to the new and respectful of the old. Bremen’s history goes back more than 1,200 years and is perfectly encapsulated by the baroque and Renaissance ensemble on the market square, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Town Hall and Roland statue, patrician town houses and the Schütting, Bremen’s historical guildhall. Sightseers won’t even need a map to find their way around. Two thousand nails made of brass and steel guide visitors from the courtyard of the Church of our Lady via the market square to Böttcherstrasse. Once a tradesmen’s alley, this narrow lane is now a centre for art and culture, and a jewel in the crown of European cultural history.

The people here appreciate the finer things in life – internationally renowned coffee, chocolate of the highest quality, rare spices, tasty fish specialities and, of course, world-class beers. These can all be found in the city’s charming shops, where time seems to have stood still, or in more than 1,000 cafés, restaurants, bistros and bars. Just 60 kilometres downstream lies Bremerhaven, first established in 1827. From its port, millions of emigrants stole their last glance at Europe before going in search of a better life in America. Many found it, others failed. The German Emigration Centre® recounts their fates in fascinating multimedia

exhibits that bring their great adventures back to life. By contrast, the Harbour Worlds complex is rooted firmly in the present day. Here you will find ATLANTIC Hotel SAIL City with its bold curved design, Klimahaus® Bremerhaven 8° Ost and the German Maritime Museum – three absolute must-sees. Further information: www.germany.travel/bremen

Houses lined up like pearls on a string: the Schnoor quarter

Bidding farewell to the old world: the German Emigration Centre

Pretty little half-timbered houses dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries line the narrow, winding lanes like pearls on a string in Bremen’s oldest quarter, the Schnoor. This part of the old fishing quarter is also where ropes were made (low German Schnoor = string), and it is possible that the name of the quarter derives from this. Close to the river Weser, visitors can browse for arts and crafts and hand-made gold, rest their legs in one of the many cafés and restaurants or stroll around the many small shops. www.germany.travel/bremen/schnoor-quarter

The German Emigration Centre, which received the European Museum of the Year Award in 2007, traces the history of the more than seven million people who emigrated overseas from Bremerhaven. Interactive exhibition rooms, sound installations and state-of-the-art museum technology take you on a fascinating journey through the history of migration. Every visitor is given a selected emigrant biography to accompany them on this historical tour, from people saying farewell to their homes and conditions onboard to beginning their new lives in the USA, Argentina or Brazil. www.germany.travel/bremerhaven/emigration-centre

Bremen / Bremerhaven

TOP 100 Sights

Town Hall and Roland Statue in Bremen In the justification for its inscription in the World Heritage list, Bremen’s town hall is acknowledged as “an outstanding example of late Renaissance architecture in Northern Germany, the so-called Weser Renaissance”. www.germany.travel/unesco/town-hall

Harbour life from a new perspective: Bremerhaven Harbour Worlds The maritime town of Bremerhaven is opening a new chapter in its history: on the Weser dike, in the area around the old and new harbour, the Harbour Worlds complex offers a very special tour of discovery through maritime history. Bremerhaven’s new town centre features a host of outstanding attractions including the Klimahaus® Bremerhaven 8° Ost and the German Emigration Centre, as well as the Zoo am Meer, the U-boat ‘Wilhelm Bauer’ - part of the German Maritime Museum, along with hotels and top-class restaurants. This ambitious project was completed in June 2009 and now attracts up to a million additional visitors to the town every year. www.germany.travel/bremerhaven/harbour-worlds

Ten reasons this bed is a top attraction 1 2 3 4 5

The room overlooks Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The church is just steps away from the Ku’damm shopping mile. There are 433 shops and 34 cafés at your fingertips. There’s also a cabaret, five theatres and four cinemas. If you’ve already seen all the shows, the Berliner Philharmonie Concert Hall is just five minutes by bus. 6 From here, you have a view of Potsdamer Platz. 7 And you’re practically at Brandenburg Gate. 8 Meaning you’re also near Museum Island. 9 Which is right by Alexanderplatz. 10 And once you’ve done it all, there’s no better treat than our spa, gourmet restaurant, club lounge and of course, your bed. Budapester Str. 45 . 10787 Berlin . Tel. +49 (0)30 2502- 0 . hotel@palace.de . www.palace.de

Dresden, Saxony

Operadiva Dresden: a synonym for culture. There are many ways to interpret or define culture. But it can be easily summarised with just one word: Dresden. The sheer abundance and splendour of the city’s cultural treasures are enough to take your breath away. And since Dresden also just happens to be set amidst a stunning river landscape, your amazement is soon accompanied by pure delight. Though the attribute ‘world famous’ is dished out all too readily, it is a befitting term in the case of Dresden. The city is famed not only for its three major landmarks – Zwinger Palace, Semper Opera House and the Church of Our Lady – but also for Brühl Terrace and the Royal Palace, for the Elbe palaces on the Loschwitz hillside,

for the exclusive villas of Blasewitz, the garden city of Hellerau and, of course, for the twelve Dresden State Art Collections. And not forgetting the city centre’s prime position on the western bank of the Elbe, at the apex of one of the river’s gently sweeping meanders. Dresden’s no. 1 world-famous building has to be Zwinger Palace, widely considered a masterpiece of baroque architecture. The glorious Church of Our Lady, resurrected from the rubble, is arguably the preeminent church of the Protestant faith, and the imposing Saxony State Opera House, designed in the Italianate High Renaissance style by its eponymous architect Semper, is undoubtedly one of the world’s most

beautiful music theatres. The gardens of Brühl Terrace, or the ‘Balcony of Europe’ as it is known, provide magnificent views of the Elbe and across to Neustadt on the bank opposite; lined with prestigious buildings including the Academy of Fine Arts and the Albertinum Museum with its New Masters Gallery and sculpture collection, the terrace is another of the city’s cultural must-sees. Dresden boasts superb museums that add to its cultural prowess, including the Green Vault (the world’s largest treasure chamber) at the Royal Palace as well as the Turkish Chamber and the Old Masters Gallery where Raphael’s Sistine Madonna is displayed. Further information: www.germany.travel/dresden

La clemenza di Tito at the Semper Opera House

Dresden, Saxony

A marvel of design and sound: Semper Opera House

Building cars the modern way: VW’s ‘transparent factory’

Built between 1838 and 1841 by Gottfried Semper, the Semper Opera House is home to the Saxon State Opera, which looks back on a long and illustrious past. Musical accompaniment is provided by the prestigious Dresden State Orchestra of Saxony. With its refined architecture and fantastic acoustics, this temple of the muses is a triumph of 19th century theatre design and one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world. Built in the Italian high renaissance style, the magnificent building is equally impressive inside: the walls, rooms and corridors are richly decorated with paintings and artistic ornamentation. www.germany.travel/dresden/semper-opera-house

VW’s ‘transparent factory’, designed by Munich architectural firm Gunther Henn, represents a new era in automotive manufacturing, a pioneering production plant – smooth, clean and transparent. This prestigious symbol of the Free State of Saxony and the Volkswagen Group follows the strategy of combining a futuristic setting in beautifully landscaped grounds with the legend of this famous baroque city. The environmentally friendly CarGoTram transports all parts – with the exception of the bodies – from the VW logistics centre at Dresden-Friedrichstadt railway station to the factory. www.germany.travel/dresden/transparent-factory

Event Tip

At home with the Electors: Dresden’s Zwinger Palace

Dresden International Dixieland Festival: Europe’s jazz classic

This architectural masterpiece is one of Europe’s foremost latebaroque buildings. The Crown Gate (Kronentor) with its golden dome has become a famous Dresden landmark. Zwinger Palace was once used for court festivities. Even back then, its buildings housed the Electoral art collections, library, Old Masters Gallery, armoury, porcelain collection, zoology museum and Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments. With its enchanting fountains and picturesque backdrop, the courtyard is a great place to relax and in the summer is used as a stage for open-air events. www.germany.travel/dresden/zwinger-palace

One of the nicest legacies of the former East Germany’s cultural calendar is the International Dixieland Festival in Dresden, which has taken place in the second week in May every year since 1971. It is now Germany’s oldest old-time jazz festival and a firm fixture in the European scene. For eight days and seven nights, the capital of Saxony becomes Swingin’ Dresden and draws around half a million jazz fans to the city. www.germany.travel/events

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TOP 100 Sights

A golden age at the Green Vault The Green Vault, the former treasure chamber of the Wettin dynasty of Saxony, covers around 2,000m² of exhibition space. Every year, it dazzles many thousands of visitors with its glittering collection of exquisitely crafted jewellery and gold. A visit to the Green Vault does require some planning, however, as it only has capacity for 100 people per hour. Tickets are valid for specific time slots only, which means that everyone can admire the exhibits at their leisure without having to fight the crowds. www.germany.travel/dresden/green-vault

The Protestant answer to St. Peter’s Basilica: the Church of Our Lady Dresden’s restored Church of Our Lady represents the pinnacle of Protestant ecclesiastic architecture and is a prime example of the European baroque style. For over 250 years, this masterpiece created by the city’s master carpenter and architect George Bähr has reflected the prosperity and faith of Dresden’s citizens. Built between 1726 and 1743, the badly damaged church became a war memorial after 1945 and is now a symbol of reconciliation. Its re-consecration was broadcast live to the world in 2005 and a series of prestigious concerts, church services and free sightseeing visits are currently giving visitors the chance to marvel at its glory. www.germany.travel/top100

Art in the garden city: Hellerau festival hall

All good things come in threes: the palaces on the Elbe

Hellerau festival hall in Germany’s first garden city was built in 1911 to designs by architect Heinrich Tessenow. In the place where the Bauhaus style of architecture has its roots, the legend of Hellerau lives on in an enchanting cultural venue on the outskirts of Dresden, where artistic visions are turned into reality and experimentation is encouraged. Since 2004 the festival hall has housed the Hellerau European Centre for the Arts, an interdisciplinary organisation focusing on the European avant garde. The programme includes theatre, dance, media art, the fine arts, performance and music. www.germany.travel/dresden/hellerau

Schloss Albrechtsberg, Lingnerschloss and Schloss Eckberg, also known as the palaces along the Elbe, are situated around 3km east of Dresden city centre, on the slopes above the river Elbe in the Radeberg district. They offer impressive views of the opposite side of the river. All three were built between 1850 and 1861 on the site of a former vineyard and are set in an extensive area of parkland laid out in the English style. During the day they are easily accessible through several gates along Bautzener Landstrasse and a gate on the Elbe Cycle Route. www.germany.travel/dresden/elbe-palaces

Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia

Rhine glamour Düsseldorf: catwalk of Germany. Düsseldorf becomes the focus of the fashion world when the city reveals the latest in designer fashion and high-street trends. ‘The Gallery Düsseldorf’ emerged from Igedo (the world’s biggest fashion show in its day) and is now a biannual event that attracts international fashion designers and buyers in their droves to the Rhine city. It’s here that the industry decides what’s going to be big next season. Düsseldorf is, after all, the fashion capital of Germany. More than 800 showrooms present the latest designer and couture creations, and not just during trade show times. Königsallee, meanwhile, is lined with exclusive boutiques, where it’s all too easy to succumb to temptation in the name of

fashion. The enticing names of Marco Polo, Hugo Boss, Strellson and Calvin Klein are in good company alongside Armani, Bulgari, Gucci, Jil Sander, Prada, Tiffany & Co. and Versace, forming a stronghold of refined taste. Königsallee is one of only a handful of internationally regarded streets that can justifiably call themselves a boulevard. Known affectionately as ‘Kö’, this street is the beating heart of the fashion city, a veritable catwalk lined by beautiful old chestnut trees. Here it’s about seeing and being seen, and putting your best foot forward. But the Kö is not the only place to get your fill of fashion and shopping; if you have a taste for the finer things in life, you’ll

love every bit of Düsseldorf. There’s Schadowstrasse, for example, or Carlstadt, an idyllic quarter of antique shops, galleries and art dealers. And, of course, the old town, whose laid-back vibe has attracted unconventional fashion boutiques and numerous alternative stores. The old town also has an abundance of pubs, bars and clubs that gives it the nickname of ‘the longest bar in the world’ and offers ample opportunity to relax and unwind after hitting the shops. Or simply to model your latest purchases. Further information: www.germany.travel/duesseldorf

Media Harbour

Düsseldorf / Neuss / Ratingen, North Rhine-Westphalia Event Tip

Düsseldorf Jazz Rally: captivating rhythm

A shopping street of distinction: Königsallee

Cool or free, classic or modern, swing or Dixieland: in the city of Düsseldorf in North Rhine-Westphalia, jazz is king. You’d expect nothing less from the Düsseldorf Jazz Rally, which offers a musical discovery tour of all forms of jazz and is traditionally held at Whitsun.

Probably Düsseldorf’s most famous hallmark, Königsallee is a symbol of exclusivity, luxury and elegance. It is one of a small group of shopping streets with an international reputation that truly deserve to be called a ‘boulevard’. Lovingly referred to as the ‘Kö’ by many, it ranks among the world’s most prestigious thoroughfares with its exclusive shops and luxury malls. In addition to a number of fashion boutiques, there are also jewellers, antique shops, bookstores and many other specialist outlets, all keen to draw in the high spenders. Königsallee has also long been home to leading art dealers and gallery owners. www.germany.travel/duesseldorf/koenigsallee

The Düsseldorf Jazz Rally is Germany’s biggest jazz festival, and during its 20-year history it has given jazz lovers some goosebump moments that they’ve never forgotten. Klaus Doldinger is the festival’s patron, so extremely high musical standards are guaranteed. His performances with his band Passport and other musician friends are always among the rally’s highlights. Visiting stars from all over the world repeatedly affirm what we already know – that Düsseldorf attracts all the best jazz musicians. The exciting programme includes almost 100 concerts in around three dozen venues from the airport to the opera house, the old quarter to the Rhine riverbank. The Düsseldorf Jazz Rally is the perfect forum for jazz. Its commitment to diversity and experimentation is never in question; it integrates funk and groove, and it’s open to singer-songwriters. A collaboration with the Düsseldorf Schumann Festival has opened up some refreshing if surprising angles in the crossover between jazz and classical. In a nutshell, this is a festival that is constantly reinventing itself, which totally suits Düsseldorf because this city has a rhythm all of its own – one that has inspired musicians from Robert Schumann to Die Toten Hosen.

Other event highlights in Düsseldorf: Open Source Festival - diversity and experimentation FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup - unfamiliar territory for winter sports Japan Day - Far East. Close to home. Biggest Funfair on the Rhine - beer tents, brass bands and millions of visitors Open Galleries in Düsseldorf and Cologne Kunstpalast Museum - the Elector’s passion for art Roncalli’s Apollo Variety Theatre More events can be found online at: www.germany.travel/events

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What’s in next season: The Gallery Düsseldorf Düsseldorf was already setting the fashion agenda back in the days of Elector Jan Willem II in the 18th century. Soon, the pleasure of wearing beautiful clothes was no longer reserved exclusively for court society, but was also enjoyed by the middle classes. It all began in 1949 with an outdoor fashion show on the Königsallee. That same year the city held the world’s first fashion trade fair: The Gallery Düsseldorf. Today, the show is the biggest of its kind worldwide, and attracts international designers and buyers in their droves to this city on the Rhine several times a year. www.germany.travel/duesseldorf/gallery-duesseldorf

A very different slant: the Media Harbour

An emotional experience: Düsseldorf’s old quarter

With its twisted towers and modern buildings, the media harbour is an architectural showcase of international renown. With its steel and glass structure, the Stadttor building is an important signpost on the modern skyline of this city within a city, alongside Kniebrücke bridge, the Landtag (state parliament), Rhine Tower and a host of new high-rise buildings designed by architects such as Frank Gehry. A signature Düsseldorf landmark since 1999, the Gehry buildings impress with their slanting walls and crooked towers. Restaurants, bars and a UCI cinema complex have been added, turning this thriving business centre into a popular night spot as well. www.germany.travel/duesseldorf/media-harbour

A successful mix of Rhenish charm and international flair, the heart of Düsseldorf has been a meeting place for young and old alike for generations. However, the old quarter has much more to offer than the ‘world’s longest bar’. Packed into this compact area are a variety of architectural gems from the past and present, as well as cultural attractions, shops, historical monuments, beautiful squares and, of course, the Rhine riverside promenade: a fantastic setting for all types of festivities, from the Japan Festival, book fair and town fair to Halloween and the Jazz Rally. www.germany.travel/duesseldorf/old-quarter

Neuss: the other side of the Rhine

Ratingen: woodland, fields and industrial heritage

When the Düsseldorf side of the Rhine was little more than a swamp full of frogs, what is now Neuss was already a mighty Roman fort – Novaesium – home to as many as 6,500 legionnaires. From the Roman settlement emerged one of Germany’s oldest towns, which celebrated its 2,000-year anniversary in 1984. Even if the former swamp on the opposite bank has over time become Düsseldorf, the town of Neuss is still very much worth a visit. www.germany.travel/neuss

Ratingen is one of the four main towns of the Bergisches Land region. With its expanses of forests, fields and meadows, which cover three quarters of the municipal area, it can be said to be the green lungs of this dynamic region between the Rhine, Ruhr and Wupper rivers. A combination of nature, culture and industrial heritage that is well worth a visit. www.germany.travel/ratingen

Erfurt, Thuringia

Cathedral Festival

Gateway to the Erfurt: a city confident in its beauty.

East

Churches, towers and bridges, great culture and glittering festivals: Erfurt offers medieval charm in abundance and a rich history combined with a lust for life and a warm welcome. Situated at the crossroads of ancient German and European trade routes, the regional capital of Thuringia has always been popular with important intellectuals and is a self-assured, proud centre of innovation, as well as a magnet for visitors from around the world. Martin Luther once praised Erfurt as a ‘City of Towers’ in reference to the lofty spires and steeples of the city’s 25 parish churches, 15 abbeys and monasteries and ten chapels. Especially striking are St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Church of St. Severus; together these two masterful examples of German Gothic design form an architectural ensemble like no other in Europe. Inside the cathedral there is a particularly impressive chancel with a series of 13 colourful stained glass windows, each nearly 18 metres high. The cathedral is also home to the magnificent Gloriosa, the world’s largest

free-swinging medieval bell. Nowadays, the church towers cast their shadows over the lovingly restored half-timbered houses and beautiful Renaissance buildings of the historic city centre, where one of Germany’s finest open-air theatre events, the Cathedral Steps Theatre Festival takes place every year. The Augustinian Monastery, in which Martin Luther spent five years of his life, the Prediger Church and the fortifications of Petersberg Citadel are superb examples of medieval and modern-era architecture. The Old Synagogue, Europe’s oldest fully intact synagogue, also merits a visit. It houses an

exceptional Jewish history museum, featuring a Jewish ritual bath discovered nearby in 2007. But Erfurt is more than just a city of sacred buildings – it is a city of bridges too. 142 of them span the river Gera, its tributaries and the Flutgraben, a broad canal running alongside the former city walls. The most famous of these bridges is undoubtedly the Merchants’ Bridge, which has the longest row of inhabited buildings on any bridge in Europe. Further information: www.germany.travel/erfurt

Jewish culture and the Old Synagogue The architectural monuments built by Erfurt’s Jewish community in the Middle Ages are part of the town’s great historical heritage. This includes the almost completely preserved Old Synagogue whose earliest traces date back to 1094 and the mikveh Jewish ritual bath from around 1250, as well as one of the largest and most important collections of ancient Jewish treasures and authentic contemporary manuscripts. Of the few remaining Jewish religious buildings from the Middle Ages, the Old Synagogue is not only the oldest, but also the best-preserved example in central Europe. www.germany.travel/erfurt/old-synagogue

TOP 100 Sights

On the trail of Luther at the Augustinian monastery

A medieval shopping mall: the Merchants’ Bridge

The largest of Erfurt’s surviving abbeys is that of the Augustinian hermits which was built in 1277. It is an impressive example of medieval monastic architecture and is closely linked with the name of Martin Luther, who lived here as a monk. The Luther exhibition and Luther’s room can be viewed on a guided tour of the abbey. The library, which has 60,000 volumes, is one of Germany’s most important collections of ecclesiastical literature. Among the 13,000 manuscripts and prints dating from before 1850, the incunabula (early printed documents), the Reformation writings and the Luther editions deserve a special mention www.germany.travel/erfurt/augustinian-monastery

The oldest secular monument in the most historical part of Erfurt, the Merchants’ Bridge was initially made out of wood before being rebuilt in stone in 1325. It is a footbridge connecting Benediktplatz square in the old town centre with Wenigemarkt. On its six arches stand 62 small half-timbered houses with shops and living quarters for the merchants who sold pepper, sugar, saffron and a range of other goods. Today it is home to stores selling arts and crafts, antiques, souvenirs and much more. Unique in Germany, the Merchants’ Bridge is also the longest bridge in Europe to have houses lining both its sides. www.germany.travel/top100

Hamburg

Water worlds

Hamburg: wanderlust and a maritime world city. Explore the far corners of the globe and return via Hamburg – travel itineraries don’t get much better than that. Gateway to the world, beautiful seafaring hub, maritime capital of the north – even the normally reserved locals find it hard to conceal their pride in their home city, its ambience and its cosmopolitan charm. How do you like the sound of a port sightseeing tour followed by a stroll through the old town before heading to HafenCity, Hamburg’s new city centre? Or perhaps the other way around… ? There are countless ways to discover the beguiling character of this Hanseatic trade centre that is at once steeped in tradition and at the forefront of modernity. That said, no visit to Hamburg

Speicherstadt warehouse district

would be complete without a boat trip around one of Europe’s biggest ports. Sightseeing boats launch from the Landungsbrücken jetties and weave their way through huge container vessels, majestic steam-powered ocean liners and elegant yachts; an experience that can only be described as unforgettable. Make your visit all the more memorable with a leisurely stroll through the old town, where noble merchants once traded coffee, tea and spices. Today it’s an inviting scene of residences and grand corner buildings from the 17th to the 19th century, quaint restaurants and laid-back bars. Another reminder of Hamburg’s heritage is the historical Speicherstadt, home to the world’s largest single complex of traditional brick

warehouses, resting on thousands of oak supports and intersected by narrow waterways, the Fleets. Or if you want to discover the Hamburg of today and tomorrow, head to HafenCity, one of the largest inner-city construction projects in Europe and a contrast between seafaring heritage and cutting-edge architecture in the heart of the Überseequartier. Nestled between Speicherstadt and the port, this maritime world of discovery and shopping paradise stretches all the way to the Hamburg Cruise Center along a broad boulevard. Further information: www.germany.travel/hamburg

Hamburg

TOP 100 Sights

A beautiful harbour and thick ancient walls: the warehouse district The 100-year-old Speicherstadt, the world’s largest warehouse complex, is situated between the Deichtor Halls and Baumwall. It is a very pretty quarter – not at all the kind of place visitors expect to find in an international port – with its Wilhelminian brick Gothic buildings, unusual gables, little towers and winding lanes. Behind the thick walls, high-value goods such as coffee, tea, cocoa, spices, tobacco and now computers are stored in a temperature-controlled environment. This is also the location of the world’s largest Oriental carpet store. The Speicherstadt is one of the main attractions on the great harbour tour. www.germany.travel/hamburg/warehouse-district

Long-running hits: Hamburg’s musicals From The Lion King to Rocky: Hamburg is already Germany’s musical capital and the third-largest musical venue in the world after London and New York. Millions of visitors flock to the city’s three big musical theatres every year, and hundreds of thousands more visit smaller venues such as the St. Pauli theatre. These are the domain of home-grown showpieces such as the captivating musical Heisse Ecke – a favourite with virtually every Hamburg resident, set around a busy snack bar in St. Pauli, the 24-hour party district. www.germany.travel/hamburg/musicals

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Hamburg’s new city centre: HafenCity Expanding Hamburg’s inner city: HafenCity – currently Europe’s biggest urban regeneration project – is a model for new waterside developments in city centres all over Europe. While the historical warehouse district with its neo-Gothic brick-built architecture has long been a dominant feature of Hamburg, the new development at HafenCity is bringing a refreshing new twist to the old harbour. This addition to Hamburg’s inner city sets a new benchmark in Europe and beyond. Covering an area of 157 hectares, the vibrant district is a fascinating mix of office and residential buildings, retail outlets, leisure facilities, restaurants, cafés and culture. www.germany.travel/hamburg/hafencity

For the young and young at heart: Miniaturwelt Wunderland model railway This miniature world set within the walls of Hamburg’s warehouse district is open to visitors 365 days a year. In an area covering more than 6,000 square metres, there are 13,000 metres of tracks, ensuring that almost 15,000 HO carriages reach their destination. Over 3,500 houses and bridges, nearly 250,000 trees and 250,000 individual figures have also been used in the creation of this gigantic set. Almost half a million lights make the model railway look even more realistic and create an impressive atmosphere. The technology used behind the scenes is equally impressive: 60 computers are needed to control the trains. www.germany.travel/hamburg/miniatur-wunderland

A lake in the heart of the city: the Alster

Civic pride: Hamburg’s town hall

The Inner and Outer Alster lakes are right in the centre of Hamburg. The most important waterways in the city after the Elbe, they consist of several sections. The source is in Henstedt-Rhen just outside Hamburg. Covering an impressive 164 hectares, the shores of the Outer Alster are popular with locals and visitors alike. Many people come to jog around the lake and there are always plenty of small sailing and rowing boats out on the water. The Alsterpark and any number of other green spaces with shady trees and panoramic views of the lake are perfect for escaping the bustle of urban life. www.germany.travel/hamburg/alster

Built between 1886 and 1897 in the neo-Renaissance style, Hamburg’s town hall is one of the most striking parliamentary and government buildings in Germany. It’s also the city’s pride and joy. Situated in a central location between the Alster lake and Elbe river, it is larger than Buckingham Palace with almost 650 rooms. The triple-wing granite and sandstone masterpiece with its 112m wide, beautifully decorated facade, 112m high tower and copper roof certainly makes an impact. On the side of the building facing onto Rathausmarkt square, bronze sculptures between the window recesses depict 20 kings and kaisers from the days of the Holy Roman Empire, from Charlemagne to Franz II. www.germany.travel/hamburg/town-hall

Event Tip

Schmidt’s Tivoli in Hamburg: plenty of drama on the Reeperbahn

Music of the future: the Elbe Philharmonic Hall

The location of Schmidt’s Tivoli (and its nearby sister theatre the Schmidt Theatre) in the St. Pauli district of Hamburg, and specifically on the Reeperbahn, says quite a lot about the theatre itself. Shows at the Tivoli are all about light-hearted entertainment, with a generous helping of offbeat humour. But this is exactly what audiences are after and why they have been flocking to both theatres for more than 30 years now. www.germany.travel/events

The Elbe Philharmonic Hall, designed by leading Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, is a prestige urban project and a new cultural centre for Hamburg. This distinguished venue will offer a mix of classical and 21st century music as well as lighter entertainment with a sophisticated flair. The project will blend the new cultural identity with the harbour’s former role as a gateway to the world. Visitors are going to travel up an escalator through the Kaispeicher A to a public plaza 37 metres above the ground. From here, they can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the harbour, the river Elbe and the city. www.germany.travel/hamburg/elbe-philharmonic-hall

Hannover, Lower Saxony

World’s Fair

Hannover: the world’s marketplace for innovation. Which city is home to the world’s biggest exhibition site? Perhaps Tokyo? No, sorry – try again. Chicago, London, Shanghai? Wrong again. Frankfurt? Getting closer. The answer is in fact Hannover. Thanks to its state-of-the-art exhibition centre, the city has become an engine for the global economy, and a byword for ideas, innovation and investment. You can be fairly certain that any new trends in industry or technology were first seen in Hannover, or rather at one of the city’s huge international flagship trade fairs – the likes of which have made the exhibition centre in Lower Saxony one of the most highly

Hannover Exhibition Centre

regarded in the world. The exhibition site of around one square kilometre offers 466,100 square metres of floor space, making it the best possible stage for major international trade shows. Prominent flagship trade fairs, to name but a few, include CeBIT, the world’s leading trade fair for ICT solutions, and Hannover Messe, the premier global event for technology and automation, as well as BIOTECHNICA, the most important forum for the European biotechnology and life sciences industry. But a successful trade fair needs more than just halls and floor space. Conferences and symposia are just as important, if not more so, and Hannover provides the very best

facilities for those too. With 35 rooms and suites the Convention Center is a genuine chameleon, adapting to create the perfect space for events of any kind, and the same is true of the exhibition halls and the pavilions from EXPO 2000. State-of-the-art infrastructure, sustainable technologies and inviting quiet zones create an atmosphere that is laid-back yet productive. It goes without saying, of course, that the service and support for exhibitors and visitors is at an equally high level. Further information: www.germany.travel/hannover

Hannover, Lower Saxony

TOP 100 Sights

Spotlight on innovation: Hannover Exhibition Centre and the EXPO 2000

Horticultural design at its very best: Herrenhausen Gardens

With 466,000m² of exhibition space, 58,000m² of outdoor grounds and 26 halls and pavilions, Hannover’s exhibition centre is one of the biggest in the world. In addition to the eye-catching exhibition halls, there is a 35-room Convention Centre, glass-panelled corridors, green areas and ‘chill-out’ zones, fostering a relaxed yet productive atmosphere. The options for hosting events are truly exceptional: the exhibition halls can be used in numerous configurations, as can the conference halls. The outdoor space provides the ideal setting for innovative exhibition concepts and creative ideas, and the EXPO pavilions are perfect for hosting more unusual events. www.germany.travel/hannover/exhibition-centre

Herrenhausen Gardens in Hannover consists of the Great Garden, the Berggarten, Georgengarten and Guelph Garden, exemplifying the most important styles of garden design. The Great Garden was begun in 1666 and was laid out in its present form under Electress Sophie between 1696 and 1714. It is one of the very few baroque gardens in Europe whose basic structure remains largely intact. The grotto by Niki de Saint Phalle in the Great Garden is open to the public all year round, while the ‘Small Festival’, international fireworks competition, concerts and theatre are held in the gardens in the summer. www.germany.travel/hannover/herrenhausen

Deftly drawn strokes: the Wilhelm Busch Museum Over the decades, the Wilhelm Busch Museum – the German Museum for Caricature and Critical Drawing – has established a reputation for its humorous, ironic and satirical works. Founded in 1937, it has displayed the works of Wilhelm Busch alongside similar artists past and present since 1950. The museum is renowned for its successful acquisitions policy and highly regarded exhibitions. Hannover is the only place in the world where the oeuvre of Wilhelm Busch can be studied in such detail, while more than 35,000 works document the history of caricature from its origins in around 1600 through to the present day. www.germany.travel/hannover/wilhelm-busch-museum

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World-class art: the Sprengel Museum Opened in 1979, the Sprengel Museum is one of Germany’s major centres of 20th century art. At the core of the museum is the collection of Dr Bernhard Sprengel, who specialised in the fields of German expressionism and French modernism. Over the last 20 years, this has been extended to cover the key periods of contemporary art – from Schwitters to Saint Phalle. In addition to the impressive permanent collection, this vibrant forum for art and science also hosts around 25 temporary exhibitions every year. www.germany.travel/hannover/sprengelmuseum

Better than GPS: the ‘red thread’ The ‘red thread’ in Hannover – the best way to explore the city for yourself. This 4.2 km red line is painted onto the pavement and links 36 places of interest in the city centre. The ‘red thread’ helps you to find your bearings and paves the way for a sightseeing tour of your own creation. There’s also a handy accompanying brochure which helps you get more out of the route and tells you everything you need to know – as well as the odd amusing anecdote – about all the attractions. www.germany.travel/hannover/red-thread

Civic splendour under a lofty dome: the New Town Hall “All paid for in cash, your majesty” announced the chief city clerk Heinrich Tramm with great pride when the New Town Hall was officially opened by Emperor William II in 1913. Hannover paid more than ten million Marks back then for this magnificent construction built on 6,026 beechwood posts. In the hall beneath the almost 100m high dome there are four models depicting Hannover in the Middle Ages, 1939, 1945 and the present day – a firm favourite with visitors. The sloping elevator up to the dome is one of a kind: it sets off vertically and then changes its course to an angle of 17 degrees. From this vantage point you can enjoy fabulous views out over the city. www.germany.travel/hannover/new-town-hall

Event Tip

Seven themed lands in one: Hannover Zoo The perfect destination for the whole family, Hannover’s zoo is the most spectacular in Germany. It takes visitors on a fascinating excursion into the animal kingdom. Discover its 3,000-plus inhabitants in seven exciting and elaborately designed themed worlds: immerse yourself in the wilds of Canada, which includes a breathtaking recreated landscape for polar bears, or take a boat trip on the Zambezi river. Alternatively, you can visit an Indian Jungle Palace, captivating Gorilla Mountain, the Australian Outback, Meyers Farm in Lower Saxony or the Mollywoop children’s land. There are also up to 29 daily shows and feeding times to round off a great day out. www.germany.travel/hannover/zoo

Schützenfest fair in Hannover The Schützenfest fair in Hannover ranks as the biggest of its kind in the world. For ten days, over 250 fairground rides, carousels, try-your-luck stalls and drinks stands transform the capital of Lower Saxony into one gigantic funfair. The highlight is the riflemen’s parade when more than 10,000 riflemen, dancers, artistes and entertainers together with numerous magnificent floats form a twelve-kilometre procession that makes its way through the city centre. www.germany.travel/events

Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein

Parade of tall ships during Kiel Week regatta

Harbour of

dreams

Kiel: city by the water and gateway to the Baltic.

Kiel has a long shipbuilding and naval tradition but today it is characterised by its vibrant student scene, laid-back lifestyle and urban flair. You can sense this atmosphere from the city’s beautiful setting on the Kiel Fjord, its modern and spacious city centre and Dänische Strasse, a street of late-19th century buildings full of maritime charm in the heart of Kiel. Water is the dominant feature of this city by the sea and you can feel, see and breathe the maritime influence everywhere you go – along the Kiel Fjord, around the port or amidst the iconic container cranes of the shipyards, which are among the largest in Europe. The Gorch Fock, a well-travelled training ship and a star attraction at international sailing events, is as much part of the cityscape as the huge ferries docked at Skandinavienkai (Scandinavia quay). Northbound ships launch from docks situated just a few minutes’ walk from the central station, while the elegant sea-going

cruise liners depart from the Cruise Terminal in its central location at Ostseekai (Baltic sea quay). Then, of course, there’s Kiel Week regatta, the annual international sailing festival that firmly cements the city’s status as the maritime centre of the north. Formerly a Danish city, Kiel was annexed by Prussia in 1864 and there began a period of rapid development, halted only by the destruction caused by the Second World War. The city took a long time to recover, but eventually a brand-new, large, ultra-modern and spacious city centre was built. This development soon appeared dated,

however, and so work began in the 1990s to restore and enhance the heart of the old town, including the complete reconstruction of historical Eggerstedtstrasse and the redesign of Alter Markt square. Together with the long-established Dänische Strasse shopping street and Holstenstrasse, one of Germany’s oldest pedestrian precincts, Kiel city centre has regained its former flair and its distinctive laid-back character. Further information: www.germany.travel/kiel

The greatest sailing event in the world: Kiel Week regatta

The call of distant shores: Kiel cruise ship terminal

The annual Kiel Week regatta in June has been held since the late 19th century. Not only is it the world’s greatest sailing event, it is also one of Germany’s biggest public festivals. The whole of the town centre is turned into a car-free zone with well over 1,000 events attracting visitors from around the world. In addition to open-air concerts, variety entertainment and plays, visitors can also sample a wealth of international culinary delicacies. But the real focal point of Kiel Week is sailing, of course – and that’s why it attracts the best sailors from all over the world. www.germany.travel/kiel/kiel-week-regatta

With its modern Ostseekai, Schwedenkai and Norwegenkai terminals, Kiel is now one of Germany’s most important cruise ship ports. Around 140 ocean liners drop anchor in Kiel every year, carrying more than 300,000 passengers to and from the city. All major European shipping companies base their Baltic tours out of Kiel. Whether you are heading north to Norway, Sweden and Lithuania or to one of the many other destinations offered, or whether you wish to spend some time in Kiel itself, the ferry terminal is a great place to sit and watch the boats. www.germany.travel/kiel/cruise-ship-terminal

Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt

Art Museum in the Convent of Our Lady

City of the old and the new

Magdeburg: a city with character, history and two fathers. The regional capital Magdeburg is one of the oldest cities in Germany’s new federal states, although the course of its history has not always been smooth. As an imperial seat, Hanseatic power and fortified city, Magdeburg has repeatedly been ravaged by war and destruction. Yet it has always had faith in its own future, has always rebuilt and reinvented itself, whilst preserving the memory of the two Ottos who shaped the city. Otto the Great, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 962, was so enamoured with his favourite residence that he presented it to his wife Edith as a gift. Magdeburg locals still revere their beloved Otto today. Indeed, he is buried within the city’s most significant cultural and historical building: the Cathedral of St. Mauritius and St. Catherine with its imposing towers that can be seen for miles around. It is one of the most spectacular architectural monuments in central Germany, the city’s most famous landmark and Germany’s first Gothic cathedral, and it boasts a wealth of artistic sculptures and carvings. Another artistic highlight on cathedral square is the Green Citadel, a late work by artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Typical of the Austrian’s inimitable style, the building creates a charming contrast to the venerable cathedral and the sheer magnitude of this central square. The other Otto close to the hearts of the people of Magdeburg? Otto von Guericke, the great politician and scientist who lived in Magdeburg through the difficult period during and after the Thirty Years’ War. He served as his home city’s urban planner, protector and mayor for a total of 50 years. Today, the Otto von Guericke Museum pays tribute to this great mind. And on the subject of Magdeburg’s museums, there is now so much more to discover than just a few years ago. New exhibitions have been established, collections have been substantially expanded, and no expense or effort was spared in founding the top-flight Technology Museum. Further information: www.germany.travel/magdeburg

Worldly wonders: the Art Museum in the Monastery of our Lady The Art Museum in the Monastery of our Lady, just a stone’s throw from the Elbe river in Magdeburg’s city centre, is the most important exhibition of contemporary art in Saxony-Anhalt. The collections are housed within the walls of a former monastery built in the 11th and 12th century and founded by the Archbishop of Magdeburg, Gero. In addition to the gallery’s permanent and special exhibitions of national and international contemporary art, there is also a library dating back to 1638. It contains approx. 22,500 volumes categorised into 14 subject areas, with theology and philology as the dominant themes. www.germany.travel/magdeburg/monastery-of-our-lady

Hundertwasser’s legacy: the Green Citadel This unmissable landmark was one of the last – and perhaps also the most beautiful – projects to be completed by the Austrian artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Since 2005, it has been part of the ensemble of baroque facades and modern buildings close to Domplatz square. Completed in under two years, the building covers around 5,000m² and features all the architectural elements so typical of Hundertwasser’s work: the characteristic golden spheres gleaming on top of the little towers, windows that look like they are dancing for joy, colourful flower beds on the rooftops and undulating floors like ‘melodies for the feet’ that visitors can follow through the courtyards. www.germany.travel/magdeburg/green-citadel

Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate

A strong impression Mainz: city of Gutenberg and Germany’s wine capital.

Mainz is famous for its university, its Roman heritage, its status as a media hub and regional capital, and its three most defining features: the Romanesque cathedral, the Gutenberg printing press and the Rhineland carnival. The people of Mainz have good reason to be proud of their city’s history spanning almost 2,000 years. This rich cultural heritage incorporates a well-established winegrowing tradition, which only adds to Mainz’s appeal. For over 1,000 years the city’s skyline has been dominated by one building, Mainz Cathedral. Towering majestically in its central location, the cathedral is one of the most important churches in Germany. Its foundation stone was laid in 975 AD under the aegis of Bishop Willigis. In its shadows lie the medieval and early modern quarters of Mainz. The hustle and bustle centres around the twisting, narrow lanes, with names such as Nasengässchen and Heringsbrunnengasse, as well as the many small shops, boutiques and cafés surrounding pretty Kirschgarten square with

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its romantic timber-framed houses and Marienbrunnen fountain. In the evenings, one thing is plain to see: Mainz is Germany’s wine capital. Rheinhessen is the country’s largest winegrowing region, and a generation of young vintners are proving that they have what it takes to achieve extraordinary feats year after year. Locals enjoy the fruits of the winegrowers’ labours in cosy bars and taverns with pious names like Collection Box and Confessional. The Weinmarkt is one of Mainz’s three major festivals. It made its first post-war appearance in 1946, with the French

occupying forces contributing a remarkable 100,000 litres of wine as a conciliatory and friendly gesture. The city’s other major festivals are carnival (we’re on the Rhine after all) and Midsummer’s Eve, a huge four-day fair that takes place at the end of June. Originally held in memory of Johannes Gutenberg, the fair today comprises a vibrant mix of music, traditional customs, variety entertainment, delicious food and, of course, wine. Further information www.germany.travel/mainz

The Gutenberg Museum archives

a million spectators every time. Mainz Carnival is an integral part of the city’s history, a cultural phenomenon and a social event that has had a firm place on the festival calendar for centuries. www.germany.travel/mainz/carnival

The birth of the printed word: the Gutenberg Museum

Different is normal: Mainz Carnival Mainz Carnival is referred to as the ‘fifth season’ of the year. Every year in February/March it means three crazy days and four nights of partying. Everyday life grinds to a halt in the city as people celebrate, dance, laugh and flirt – things are pretty lively from Carnival Monday through to Ash Wednesday. The 7km Rose Monday carnival procession on the Monday before Lent takes four to five hours to snake its way through the centre of Mainz, attracting more than half

The Gutenberg Museum, an exhibition devoted to the history of printing, offers an insight into the world of the printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz. Founded in 1900 on the 500th anniversary of the birth of Gutenberg, the museum is dedicated to his life and work. In this treasure trove of the printed word, visitors can explore various sections on printing technology, book design, commercial print jobs and bookplates, graphics, posters, paper and types down the ages. For an overview of the history of type and printing it is second to none. Highlights include the famous Gutenberg Bible, one of the most beautiful books of all time. www.germany.travel/mainz/gutenberg-museum

Munich, Bavaria

Fountain of youth Munich: putting the style into lifestyle. Lifestyle, joie de vivre or lebensart – whatever you call it, Munich has it in spades. It might be down to the clear blue skies or simply the city’s beauty, but one thing’s for certain: the people of Munich always like to show their best side, whether they’re in a beer garden, on one of the exclusive shopping streets, or in Bayern Munich’s stadium. A modern, cosmopolitan city with a big heart and a long heritage, as suave as it is easygoing, buzzing and yet tranquil. Munich is Germany’s lifestyle capital. You don’t have to be rich and beautiful to feel right at home in Munich, but it doesn’t hurt. Besides, these characteristics aren’t confined to strict dictionary definitions. Rich is he who has the time to leisurely amble through the splendid

city centre, stopping here and there just to soak up the atmosphere. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all. That said, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful squares in Germany has to be Marienplatz square – it is the heart of Munich and is home to the Old and New Town Halls. The town hall glockenspiel is as much part of Munich’s identity as the Hofbräuhaus beer hall or the iconic Church of Our Lady, whose green dome-crested towers can be seen for miles around. Browsing the stalls of the Viktualienmarkt is a feast for all the senses. There’s simply everything on offer at the city’s famous food market – from traditional Bavarian specialities to exotic delicacies. But take note, bargaining and haggling have no place in the Munich lifestyle – so don’t be tempted to try, least of all on the luxury

Riding the waves of the Isar in the English Garden

shopping boulevards such as Ludwigstrasse, Maximilianstrasse, Kaufinger Strasse or the Tal. Everything on sale in these streets has a high price to match its high quality, from the latest fashions to wonderful antiques. For a far more affordable, not to mention more relaxed, shopping experience, head to Munich’s pub and club quarter, which is no longer confined to the trendy Schwabing district, but also extends around Glockenbachplatz square, Gärtnerplatz square and Müllerstrasse. The area is as renowned for its party atmosphere as it is for its alternative shops, its relaxed atmosphere and its vibrant LGBT scene. Further information: www.germany.travel/munich

Munich, Bavaria A haven of relaxation in the big city: the English Garden Covering an area of more than four square kilometres on the western banks of the river Isar, the English Garden is one of the largest inner city parks in the world. This delightful attraction holds a spellbinding appeal during the summer, but is also not without its charms in winter. One of the main attractions of the park is the Chinese pagoda with its famous beer garden. Visitors can even enjoy surfing on the Eisbach rapids or see a classical play at the tucked-away little amphitheatre. www.germany.travel/munich/english-garden

Pure driving pleasure: BMW Welt See, hear, feel and experience mobility. A car collection point and themed attraction unlike any other in the world, BMW Welt brings this prestigious brand to life. With a prime location close to the BMW corporate headquarters, museum and factory, BMW Welt is not just for car buffs and lovers of all things technical. It also offers a wide range of activities and regular special exhibitions, combining engineering, design and innovation with lifestyle, enterprise and culture, in a stunning, state-of-the-art building. www.germany.travel/munich/bmw-welt

The measure of Munich: the Hofbräuhaus beer hall A truly unmissable Bavarian experience awaits at the famous Hofbräuhaus beer hall at Am Platzl in the old quarter. Originally a brewery, today it is an internationally acclaimed ‘beer temple’. Locals can be seen dressed in traditional costume, drinking Munich beer from the famous Mass, a one-litre tankard, and enjoying traditional hearty specialities served up with a good dose of Bavarian hospitality. Probably the largest beer hall in the world serving some 30,000 guests every day, it is always noisy and full of beer-fuelled cheer. www.germany.travel/munich/hofbraeuhaus

TOP 100 Sights

Identity and culture: the Jewish Museum

Home advantage: the Allianz Arena

With three exhibition levels, the Jewish Museum offers wide-ranging insights into Jewish life and culture in Munich. Also geared towards younger audiences and providing in-depth information on Jewish heritage and religion, the museum makes it easier for visitors to find answers to even the most difficult questions. The permanent exhibition entitled ‘Voices Places Times’ focuses on Jewish history and culture in Munich. Seven installations featuring the voices of contemporary eyewitnesses, locations, pictures and objects open up new perspectives and trace the foundations of Jewish identity through to the present day. www.germany.travel/munich/jewish-museum

For all fans of the beautiful game, the chance to soak up the atmosphere at the awe-inspiring Allianz Arena is one not to be missed. Whether it’s a Bundesliga battle, Champions League thriller or an international game, any match held in this masterpiece by star Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron is sure to be an unforgettable experience. If you wish to enjoy the ultimate buzz, deafening chants and goosebumps galore along with around 70,000 other spectators, this is the ideal place. Guided stadium tours offer a fascinating behind-the-scenes insight into one of Europe’s most modern and, as many would have it, most beautiful stadiums. www.germany.travel/top100

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Event Tip

The Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich: a record-breaking museum. The Pinakothek der Moderne not only brings together four museums under one roof – Sammlung Moderne Kunst, Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München, Technische Universität Architecture Museum and Neue Sammlung – it’s also part of an even larger group of museums: the Munich Art Quarter, which in addition to the Pinakothek der Moderne includes the Alte Pinakothek, Neue Pinakothek, Museum Brandhorst, Antikensammlungen, Glyptothek and Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus. All modern art movements are represented in the Sammlung Moderne Kunst, for instance Expressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, New Objectivity, Bauhaus, Surrealism, Pop Art and Minimal Art. Works by Henri Matisse, Oskar Kokoschka, Max Beckmann, Pablo Picasso, Otto Dix, Lyonel Feininger, Joan Miró, René Magritte, Salvador Dalí and others are on display, as are examples by Brücke and Blue Rider artists. The Staatliche Graphische Sammlung has around 400,000 items covering every development in the history of drawing and prints, whilst the collection at the Technische Universität Architecture Museum, the faculty’s collective memory, runs to around 500,000 drawings and plans by almost 700 architects, over 100,000 photographs, as well as mock-ups and archives – from Balthasar Neumann to Le Corbusier, and from Leo von Klenze to Peter Zumthor. Founded around a century ago, the Neue Sammlung is the world’s oldest design museum. The approx. 80,000 objects in the departments of industrial design, applied art and graphic design together make up the biggest design collection in the world.

Other event highlights in Munich: Munich Biennale - for new music theatre Radikal jung - festival of young theatre directors Classics on Odeonsplatz Munich’s Midsummer Night’s Dream More events can be found online at: www.germany.travel/events

Fatherly pride: Nymphenburg Palace Nymphenburg Palace was built in 1664 for the Bavarian Elector Ferdinand Maria as a gift to his wife Adelheid von Savoyen on the birth of the much longed-for heir to his throne, Max Emanuel. Once the summer residence of the Wittelsbach dynasty, it now forms a harmonious ensemble with the magnificent palace park and gardens and splendid smaller buildings such as Amalienburg hunting lodge and Badeburg House, and ranks among the foremost royal palaces in Europe. The state rooms, banqueting hall, Gallery of Beauties and palace park, one of the largest and most influential examples of landscape art in Germany, can still be seen today. www.germany.travel/munich/nymphenburg-palace

A beer festival for the world: Oktoberfest Munich is Germany’s beer capital – and the Oktoberfest is a byword for beer all over the world. When the first Oktoberfest was held back in 1810 to celebrate a royal wedding, nobody could have dreamt it would go on to become such a famous event. Since that time, the world’s biggest beer festival has been held every year in September/ October on the Theresienwiese grounds, bringing smiles to people’s faces in classic Bavarian style with oompah bands, beer fresh from the barrel and plenty of good cheer. Anyone interested in the history of the festival can find out more on a guided tour of the famous Wies’n site, available since 1995 in several languages. www.germany.travel/munich/oktoberfest

Potsdam, Brandenburg

Sanssouci Palace

Prussian

prestige

Potsdam: a land of gardens, parks, palaces and lakes.

Potsdam is best known for the magnificent palaces and parks that date back to its time as the former royal seat of Prussia. Prussian pomp and splendour, a heritage of great architects and scholars, and a focal point during the Cold War: Potsdam offers a breathtaking panorama of culture and history. 300 years ago, the garrison outpost of Potsdam was transformed into one of Europe’s most splendid royal cities. The Prussian kings, in particular Frederick William I and his son Frederick the Great, created a baroque dream in Potsdam and the surrounding area, to which their successors added great monuments to classicism. In 1990 the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam were awarded UNESCO World Heritage status – at that time still at the request of the two rival German states. The original site comprised the parks and palaces of Sanssouci, Neuer Garten, Babelsberg, Glienicke and Peacock Island. In 1992 the UNESCO site was extended to include Sacrow Palace and park and Saviour’s Church, while in 1999 another 14 monuments joined the list, including Lindstedt Palace and park, Belvedere Palace on Pfingstberg hill, Kaiserbahnhof station and the observatory at Babelsberg Park. All told, the world heritage site now covers about 500 hectares of parkland, encompassing 150 buildings dating from 1730 to 1916. A good starting point for a walk through the historical centre of Potsdam is Alter Markt square. The Church of St. Nicholas, Lustgarten park, the Old Town Hall and the reconstructed Stadtschloss palace, now the seat of the regional assembly, make an ensemble of impressive grandeur. A 16-metre obelisk, complete with carved portraits of the great Potsdam architects Knobelsdorff, Schinkel, Gontard and Persius, rises up at the centre of Alter Markt. Opposite Alter Markt, tucked away behind a row of houses, lies Neuer Markt square. Dating from the 17th and 18th century, this is one of the best-preserved baroque squares in Europe and arguably the most beautiful square in the city. Further information: www.germany.travel/potsdam

The dream factory: Babelsberg Film Park Over the years, millions of visitors have flocked to Babelsberg, the place where fantasy films originated, where the first German ‘talking picture’ was made and where The Blue Angel and many other classics were filmed. For more than ten years, Babelsberg Film Park has been a film and TV mecca. Visitors get to glimpse behind the scenes to see how various shows, TV programmes and feature films are produced. Special effects demonstrations and stunt shows enthral around 2,500 cinema fans every day. It is advisable to allow a good few hours at the park to enjoy all the attractions and live experiences on offer. www.germany.travel/potsdam/filmpark-babelsberg

TOP 100 Sights

Pomp and circumstance: Prussia and Sanssouci Palace Designated as part of a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990, Sanssouci Palace is one of the must-see destinations in the former garrison town of Potsdam. This rococo building known as the Versailles of Prussia was originally conceived by Frederick the Great only as a small vineyard house where he could come and spend the summer months with his dogs. Today, the palace takes visitors on a journey back in time through the art, cultural and architectural history of Brandenburg and Prussia – a similar experience can also be enjoyed at the New Palace, Cecilienhof House, Babelsberg Palace and many other sites of Prussian heritage. www.germany.travel/unesco/sanssouci

Saarbr端cken, Saarland

Saarbr端cken Palace

Joie de vivre Saarbrücken: the art of relaxation.

Saarbrücken is a likeable city with a vibrant cultural scene, baroque architecture and a French ambience combined with the joie de vivre of the Saarland. This state capital, university city, economic hub and trade fair venue is situated at the centre of a region that spans three countries. If you are looking for an easygoing, friendly city with a feel-good factor, then Saarbrücken is the place. Saarbrücken’s 1,000-year history has been an eventful one. Wonderful baroque buildings created by Friedrich Joachim Stengel, such as the palace and those around Schlossplatz square, bear witness to Saarbrücken’s heyday in the 18th century. The palace affords the most spectacular views of a city where Stengel’s architectural influence is still evident today. Ludwigskirche church is widely regarded as the pinnacle of his achievements and one of Germany’s purest and most beautiful examples of a Protestant baroque church. Other top

attractions include the neo-Gothic town hall, the mining headquarters designed by Walter Gropius and Heino Schmieden, and Stengel’s Church of St. John, a basilica minor. City life in Saarbrücken centres around St. Johanner Markt square with its boutiques, bistros, restaurants and picturesque narrow lanes – the ideal place to stroll around, relax and watch the world go by. The market fountain, also a ‘Stengel’, is the focal point of the attractive pedestrian area. A 15-minute or so walk from here takes you to St. Arnual,

the oldest part of Saarbrücken, and its Gothic collegiate church from the 13th century, which is set amidst late-medieval houses. All the districts, from Mainzer Strasse to Nauwieser Viertel, are as tranquil as they are delightful, and have plenty of pretty beer gardens and culinary finesse, infused with a hint of France and the region’s own distinct style. “Hauptsach’, gudd gess” (the main thing is to have eaten well) as the people of Saarbrücken would say – and that really says it all. Further Information: www.germany.travel/saarbruecken

TOP 100 Sights

Ludwigskirche: a masterpiece of the Protestant baroque The Ludwigskirche, completed in 1775, is one of the foremost Protestant churches in Germany and ranks as the crowning achievement of architect Friedrich Joachim Stengel. It takes centre stage in Ludwigsplatz square and is probably its finest building: the baroque ensemble of the church together with the surrounding aristocratic residences and local officials’ houses is of exceptional quality. After being destroyed in 1944, the Ludwigskirche has been carefully restored and work continues to this day, including on the whitewashed interior with its rich ornamental stucco, on the Fürstengestühl gallery and on the sandstone reliefs that give the church its exquisite outward appearance. www.germany.travel/saarbruecken/ludwigskirche

Off to the mines: Völklingen Ironworks Dark corridors take you down into the Möller hall with its Ferrodrom science centre and fire-spewing columns, while the viewing platform of the blast furnace requires a lofty ascent. A visit to the Völklingen Ironworks UNESCO World Heritage site promises an unforgettable adventure. In the sintering plant, a multimedia exhibition covers the period from when the Völklingen Ironworks opened to the present day. The experience is further enriched by regular events and exhibitions on the site. You can easily spend the whole day here at this European Centre for Art and Industrial Heritage. www.germany.travel/unesco/voelklingen-ironworks

Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Schwerin Castle

Land of lakes

Schwerin: the city of the seven lakes and artistic flair.

Schwerin has just short of 100,000 residents, making it Germany’s smallest state capital. It enjoys a picture-perfect location among a series of lakes that reflect both the passing clouds in the northern sky and the city’s most famous landmark, Schwerin Castle. A fitting landmark: light, airy, bright and welcoming – just like the city itself. Records dating back as far as 965 AD show evidence of a castle built on a freshwater lake in what historians believe to be Schwerin. However, it was only after 1160 that the city was actually established and the castle rebuilt in the shape of the now eminent Schwerin Castle. Just a few years later saw the completion of the first cathedral, the only medieval building in Schwerin to have survived the centuries, albeit in various guises. This first cathedral soon had to be torn down due to lack of space, with only its tower spared. The Romanesque episcopal church consecrated in 1248 also soon proved inadequate after

Count Henry of Schwerin returned from the Crusades alleged to be carrying a drop of Jesus Christ’s blood – the Holy Blood relic. The church eventually needed a holding area to cope with crowds of pilgrims. This gave rise to the new cathedral in 1270, which subsequently became one of the foremost pilgrimage churches in the north-east of the German empire. Today, Schwerin is known by many names: city of the seven lakes, Florence of the North, cathedral city and royal seat. All are apt because Schwerin successfully combines nature and architecture, artworks great and small, plus reminders of its long history. As visitors cross

the cobbled market square, explore the narrow lanes, admire the historical buildings in the central Schelfstadt quarter or let their gaze fall on the incredibly beautiful castle, they will soon realise that there is plenty to see and do in Schwerin. Further information: www.germany.travel/schwerin

TOP 100 Sights

A wonder of nature: Schwerin’s lakeland region

From the pages of a fairytale: Schwerin Castle

Schwerin lies in a densely wooded lakeland region on the shores of Lake Schwerin, and a number of other lakes including the Burgsee, Fauler See, Grimkesee, Heidensee, Grosser Karausche, Lankower See, Medeweger See, Neumühler See, Ostorfer See, Pfaffenteich and Ziegelsee. Lake Schwerin is one of Germany’s largest lakes, the Ziegelsee is known for its sailing and the Ostorfer lake is a great location for swimming. The conditions here are ideal for a host of other water sports too, and the region has some of the most spectacular unspoilt countryside that is well worth exploring. www.germany.travel/schwerin/lakeland-region

Sitting in splendour in a romantic location on a small, picturesque island in Lake Schwerin, Schwerin Castle was the residence of the Dukes and Grand Dukes of Mecklenburg for many centuries and is one of the finest examples of historicist architecture in Europe – together with the surrounding lake, this fairytale fortress with its domes, towers and turrets is one of the most photographed attractions in the region. It also houses an unmissable museum. Visitors will enjoy walking through the castle gardens, which are laid out in the style of an English country garden, and around the baroque gardens. www.germany.travel/schwerin/schwerin-castle

Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg

Driving

force

Stuttgart: the perfect combination of culture and cars. There are cars you drive... and then there are cars you dream of. Stuttgart has both in abundance. Not only does the city produce internationally renowned cars, but it also lives and breathes automotive history in a way that nowhere else does. Drivers’ dreams become reality when they visit Stuttgart. The car has many fathers, but just one home town. Since the day Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach put together the first ever small, high-speed petrol engine in the glasshouse they used as workshop (now a much-visited attraction), that home town has been none other than Stuttgart. That was in 1885, and the three-pointed star has

shone brightly over the automotive world ever since. Nowhere does this shine brighter, of course, than above the Mercedes-Benz Museum, the only museum in the world to present the history of the automotive industry from start to finish. Before you even step foot in the building you are struck by the museum’s futuristic design – and once inside, you cannot fail to be mesmerised by the 160 automotive gems on display. There are other treasures on show at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Car Centre in Fellbach, including such motoring legends as the 300 SL gullwing. Another brand known for its iconic vehicles is, of course, Porsche – and the classics in the Porsche Museum are guaranteed to turn heads.

At the heritage-listed former regional airport, the Meilenwerk is a favourite among fans of vintage vehicles, featuring everything they could ever need for keeping their prized possessions looking as good as new, as well as a place to stay in the form of the V8 Hotel. Every March, fans of classic cars from around the world descend on Stuttgart for the Retro Classics, Germany’s best-loved motor show. Retro Classic meets Baroque, meanwhile, offers the exclusive opportunity to see classic cars set against the historical backdrop of stunning Ludwigsburg Palace. Further information: www.germany.travel/stuttgart

Mercedes-Benz Museum

Stuttgart / Sindelfingen, Baden-Württemberg

TOP 100 Sights

Dreams on four wheels: Mercedes-Benz and Porsche Stuttgart is home to two of the leading names in the automotive world, Daimler-Benz and Porsche – both of which have erected spectacular museums in the city. The architecturally stunning Mercedes-Benz Museum looks back on some of the finest feats from the world of mobility. No fewer than nine floors are needed to display a total of 1,500 exhibits tracing the unique history of the brand. At the Porsche Museum in Zuffenhausen, you can learn all about this legendary luxury marque. The exhibition space at this dazzling white museum is held up by just three pillars and looks as if it is about to take off. Even during construction, its bold architecture grabbed the headlines. www.germany.travel/top100

Dreams and dancers: Stuttgart Ballet The Stuttgart Ballet company has a long and distinguished history stretching back as far as 1609. Acclaimed choreographers made Stuttgart one of Europe’s most highly regarded centres of dance in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. John Cranko took over as director and chief choreographer in 1961 and went on to write one of the most successful chapters in the history of the Stuttgart Ballet over the next twelve years, while carving out a unique position for himself among the world’s top choreographers. Stuttgart Ballet has been one of the leading ensembles in the world for more than 40 years. www.germany.travel/stuttgart/ballet

Event Tip

A gastronomic paradise in the art nouveau style: Stuttgart’s market halls

Cannstatter Wasen: the biggest Swabian festival on the calendar

Built in 1914, Stuttgart’s market halls are regarded as a triumph of the art nouveau period. There’s the aroma of exotic spices hanging in the air, a medley of voices speaking all different languages, and rows and rows of stalls covering an area of around 3,000 square metres. Flowers, fruit and vegetables, fish, meat and baked goods are available here every day. In this extravaganza of epicurean delights and other refined pleasures, visitors can sit and relax over a delicious latte or enjoy some Swabian specialities in the restaurant with the hustle and bustle in the background. www.germany.travel/stuttgart/market-halls

Every September, Stuttgart hosts the Cannstatter Wasen, Baden-Württemberg’s largest festival and one that is ranked as the second-biggest beer festival worldwide after Munich’s Oktoberfest. Swabians have a reputation for frugality, but the Cannstatter Wasen shows them in a very different light – as happy, friendly, fun-loving folk with a sense of tradition. www.germany.travel/events

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In vino veritas: Stuttgart Wine Trail A leafy urban centre surrounded by forests and vineyards, Stuttgart is the ideal place for a wine tour. Just a short hop from the main railway station, the vines stretch up across the sunny slopes of the Neckar Valley. Stuttgart can look back on a long history of wine-making traditions, and these are kept alive on vineyard tours, at numerous wine and vintners’ festivals and during the popular Stuttgart Wine Festival. The wine trail is also a fantastic way to explore the hilly vine-clad countryside all around the city – and enjoy some wine tasting along the way. www.germany.travel/stuttgart/winetrail

Outletcity Metzingen: premium shopping in elegant surroundings What started out in the 1970s as a staff shop at Hugo Boss is today one of the most successful factory outlets in the whole of Europe. With its winning combination of fashion, design and food and drink in an innovative setting, the outlet shopping centre in the pretty town of Metzingen attracts around 3.5 million shoppers every year from all over the world. In a location that’s close to Stuttgart but quick and easy to get to from almost anywhere, it offers more than 60 top brands in stylish flagship outlet stores, price reductions of between 30 and 70 per cent all year round and a comprehensive service that ranges from childcare facilities to a shuttle bus. www.germany.travel/stuttgart/outlet-city-metzingen

Sindelfingen has retained more of its typically Swabian features than most other places in the region because it did not begin to grow beyond its original medieval centre until comparatively late. Industrialisation was slow – until Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft built a factory here in 1915. Within a few decades, Sindelfingen had evolved into a modern industrial town. This growth was accompanied by significant improvements in infrastructure. In the 1970s, when industry was pouring plenty of money into the town’s coffers, some of the zebra crossings were even laid with Carrara marble!

Sindelfingen: large-scale industry and medieval architecture A visit to Sindelfingen on the outskirts of Stuttgart is generally associated with a visit to Mercedes-Benz. It’s true that the company’s main factory is situated here. But this pretty little Swabian town is certainly worth a detour in its own right. For a long time, the town was a centre for the weaving industry and it still has many small fashion boutiques – making it a great place for shopping.

This and other aspects of Sindelfingen’s history are explained at the municipal museum in the Old Town Hall from 1478 and the adjoining salt house, which dates from 1592. The market square, where the Central Town Hall is situated, features the Friendship Fountain – a fountain in the middle of the square adorned with the mythical horse Pegasus and surrounded by six smaller fountains representing Sindelfingen’s six twin towns. Finally, the other Old Town Hall, in the district of Maichingen, houses part of the Municipal Gallery. German and international art from the 1960s to the present day is displayed at the Schauwerk Museum, which opened in 2010. There is also plenty to entertain those interested in industrial heritage: the old weaving school is home to the Weaving Museum, while the Museum of IBM Data Processing, which opened in 1994 in IBM’s former punch-card printing factory, contains exhibits that not so long ago were at the cutting edge of technological progress. www.germany.travel/sindelfingen

Wiesbaden, Hessen

City of sophistication Wiesbaden: where special comes as standard.

Wiesbaden is one of the best-heeled cities in Germany: this ultra-sophisticated city is characterised by its refined taste, its touch of class and its prestige. A long-established and exclusive spa resort, the city is widely regarded as the wellness capital of Europe. Whether you come for the saunas or the restaurants, the atmosphere or the shopping, you will find everything to be at the height of luxury. One of the best reasons to visit Wiesbaden is to indulge in something new... especially when it’s a matter of health. Since the days of the Romans, Wiesbaden has been famed for the healing effects of its 26 thermal springs, making the city the ultimate benchmark of any spa town. Numerous hotels have their own thermal spas and other wellness facilities offering every luxury imaginable. But the city’s crowning glory has to be the Kaiser Friedrich baths on the site of an ancient Roman steamroom: the 1,500 square metres of saunas will leave guests feeling pampered from head to toe.

The Kurhaus spa assembly rooms, situated in the magnificent English-style park and framed by a number of glorious buildings, are a venue for first-class entertainment. The city’s famous casino is also the perfect place for an evening of sophistication, and as with the saunas there’s every chance you might break into a sweat. The spa colonnade, which at 129 metres is the longest columned hall in Europe, and the theatre colonnades of the Hessian State Theatre that first opened in 1894 are the perfect complement to a world-class city of health and culture. Not just here but

throughout Wiesbaden, people know how to live life to the full. A stroll through Wiesbaden’s pentagon-shaped old quarter confirms this. Starting at Schlossplatz square you’ll see the palace of the dukes of Nassau, as well as the city centre’s earliest surviving building, the Old Town Hall dating back to 1610. Running along the eastern edge of this historical quarter is elegant Wilhelmstrasse, a paradise of shopping and culture. Further information: www.germany.travel/wiesbaden

A stylish trio: Kurhaus, thermal baths, casino

Setting the tone: Rheingau Music Festival

Wiesbaden’s Kurhaus provides a fantastic setting for national and international conventions, conferences, exhibitions and cultural events. Surrounded by extensive parkland and grand historical buildings, the Kurhaus boasts twelve halls and function rooms of various sizes and styles, restaurants and one of Europe’s oldest casinos – all together under one roof. Kaiser Wilhelm II referred to it as the “most beautiful spa assembly rooms in the world” when he opened it in 1907. You too can feel like an emperor on a visit to the Kaiser Friedrich thermal baths. www.germany.travel/wiesbaden/kurhaus

Every year, from the end of June to the end of August, the Rheingau Music Festival and its ‘sound magicians’ transform the entire region between Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Rüdesheim and Lorch into a world-class concert stage. For over 20 years, this summer season has presented more than 150 concerts featuring internationally acclaimed artists against the unforgettable backdrop of the Rheingau, and is now one of the leading festivals in the entire region and far beyond. www.germany.travel/wiesbaden/rheingau-music-festival

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Kurhaus spa assembly rooms

Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia

Jumping Aachen: cathedral city of Europe.

for joy

Aachen is a city that lives and breathes Europe. It is practically Europe in miniature. Aachen, on the border with Belgium and the Netherlands, has encapsulated the spirit, values and ideals of Europe since the days of Charlemagne. Indeed the Charlemagne Prize for services to European unity has been awarded at Aachen’s town hall since 1950. Aachen Cathedral is both a local landmark and a monument to Europe’s illustrious past. After starting out life as the imperial palace’s chapel in 800 AD (the year of Charlemagne’s coronation), the completed building became the first cathedral in northern Europe and for many centuries served as the church of coronation for nearly every German king. The term ‘completed’ is open to interpretation, however, since the cathedral has been extended numerous times, including the addition of the great chancel in 1414 – a Gothic masterpiece whose windows reach an impressive 27 metres in height, making them the tallest ever at that time. The cathedral’s treasury is the most important north of the Alps and features precious artefacts such as the Cross of Lothair, a silver and gold bust of Charlemagne and the shrine in which Charlemagne was supposedly interred in 814 AD. Both the cathedral and its treasury are among the highlights on the Charlemagne Route, the historical path that winds through Aachen. The route takes in a series of eyecatching buildings, including Haus Löwenstein (a former residence and inn) and the Büchelpalais, which until 1752 served as the local corn exchange. Every checkpoint on the route focuses on a different topic: history, science, Europe, religion, power, business and media. It’s a wonder there’s not an equestrian-themed checkpoint, given how passionate the locals are for this noble sport. The annual Concours Hippique International Officiel is among the leading equestrian tournaments worldwide. It’s just one of numerous major events in the city, many of which are held in the equestrian arena before a crowd of 50,000 enthusiastic spectators. Further information: www.germany.travel/aachen

On horseback An ancient fossil found in Aachen seems to indicate that there have been horses in the city for longer than you might imagine. Dating back around 30,000 years, it can be seen as a Prehistoric precursor to the local people’s passion for all things equestrian. The city now has 40km of bridle paths, 22 indoor riding centres, 134 riding schools and a 50,000-seater equestrian stadium. In addition, the annual CHIO is the world’s largest equestrian festival – even attracting people who usually prefer cycling or walking. www.germany.travel/aachen/chio

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TOP 100 Sights

Aachen Cathedral Aachen Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in northern Europe, the final resting place of Charlemagne and the first German building to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978. It houses a number of remarkable treasures, including the Cross of Lothair, a silver and gold bust of Charlemagne and many other works of art, some of which are up to 1,200 years old. Its present form with the Carolingian octagon in the middle, Gothic choir hall and west section developed over the course of centuries, with many kings and emperors contributing to this magnificent masterpiece. www.germany.travel/unesco/aachen-cathedral

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum on her horse Checkmate

Augsburg, Bavaria

Success story

Augsburg: a prosperous present and an illustrious past. Augsburg, with its Mozart heritage, is one of the most historically significant cities in Germany – not to mention one of the prettiest. As you stroll through the city’s ancient streets, it doesn’t take much imagination to gain a sense of Augsburg’s importance as a prominent financial centre, international trading hub and focal point for the fine arts in the days when the Fugger banking empire was at its peak. Augsburg shaped the history of Germany and Europe over a long period, having always been a little richer, and more glamorous and imposing than other cities. Augsburg’s superb fountains, grand old guildhouses, exquisite churches and, of course, the Town Hall – perhaps one of the most important secular Renaissance buildings north of the Alps – combine to form a cityscape of rare intensity. More recent periods have also left their mark, most notably the Baroque and Rococo eras and – much later – the art nouveau movement, all of which turn a stroll through the city into a very special experience.

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Since as long ago as the High Middle Ages travellers have been marvelling at Augsburg’s stately churches, including the cathedral with its stunning bronze portal (now nearly 1,000 years old) and the Basilica of St. Ulrich and St. Afra, named after two patron saints of the city. Another marvel was the wealth of the Fugger dynasty, which emerged as a powerhouse of capitalism in the space of just three generations. The Fuggers’ mercantile and banking empire stretched from the Adriatic up to the North Sea and from the Atlantic Ocean across to eastern Europe. Jakob Fugger and his brothers gave the city some of the earliest

Renaissance buildings north of the Alps, including the Fuggerei, the world’s first social housing project, and the Fugger chapel in St. Anna. Jakob Fugger soon gained a reputation as a man of unfathomable wealth, though this paled in comparison with his nephew’s fortune: Anton Fugger was considered the world’s richest man in the mid-16th century. For fear that this would make the city a likely target for attack, Augsburg surrounded itself with extensive fortifications and a continuous city wall, parts of which can still be seen today. Further information: www.germany.travel/augsburg

Kongress am Park convention centre

Event Tip

Handsome homes for the poor: the Fuggerei The Fuggerei, the world’s first welfare housing project, was founded by the wealthy merchant Jakob Fugger in 1516. Hardworking, honest but poor citizens were taken in and given fully furnished homes that even included cutlery. Featuring eight lanes and three gates, the settlement is known as a ‘town within a town’ and comprises 67 two-storey houses and 140 apartments, its own church, fountains, town walls and gates, which are still closed every evening at 10pm by the nightwatchman. The annual basic rent for an apartment is, to this day, one Rhenish guilder – a nominal amount equivalent to just 88 euro cents. www.germany.travel/augsburg/fuggerei

German Mozart Festival in Augsburg The Mozart Festival in Augsburg presents striking contrasts between the classical and modern genres. Leopold Mozart, father of the musical prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus, was born in Augsburg in 1710 and the city still honours him today. Since 1952 the Mozart Festival, which includes numerous performances, hosted concerts, public rehearsals and workshops, has commemorated the famous family of musicians who never lost touch with their father’s home city. www.germany.travel/events

Kongress am Park Augsburg: conferences with confidence There is an exciting contrast between this heritage-listed conference centre’s functional exterior and its curved forms, its artistic elaboration and its leafy surroundings. This striking combination forms a unique setting for concerts, events and conferences. The centre houses a large auditorium with capacity for 1,430 people, a second hall that accommodates 330 delegates, two light and airy exhibition foyers with access to the park, plus seven other meeting rooms. The neighbouring restaurant, the park’s beer garden and the underground access to the hotel complete the package. www.germany.travel/augsburg/kongress-am-park

ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING CITIES IN GERMANY

European history was written in Augsburg: The Romans founded this city, which is one of the oldest in Germany. The Fugger Bank negotiated important policies and financed emperors and kings from the House of Habsburg. Jakob Fugger built the Fugger chapel in St. Anne’s Church, which is the earliest example of Renaissance architecture in Germany. His world-famous Fuggerei, which was founded in 1521, is today one of the world’s oldest social housing settlements. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s ancestors and father came from Augsburg. Rudolf Diesel developed the engine that is named after him in the “German Manchester.” Bert Brecht

AUGSBURG

was born in the historic city centre: his years in Augsburg influenced both him and his work. Suitably, along with the great history of the city that witnessed the Augsburg Confession and the Peace of Augsburg, you find sights ranging from the cathedral to the Renaissance style Town Hall of Augsburg and the Augsburger Puppenkiste (a marionette theatre), to the splendid museum landscape. Augsburg is last but not least also the pearl of the Romantic Road and a member of the Historic Highlights of Germany.

www.augsburg-tourismus.de

Regio Augsburg Tourismus GmbH Schießgrabenstraße 14 86150 Augsburg Telefon 08 21/5 02 07-0 Telefax 08 21/5 02 07-45 REGIO AUGSBURG www.augsburg-tourismus.de tourismus@regio-augsburg.de TOURISMUS

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Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia

Mercantile heritage Bielefeld: merchant city with a love of the arts.

Bielefeld was founded in 1214 by Duke Hermann von Ravensberg. A man of great foresight, he saw potential in the location at the intersection of two old trading routes near a pass through the Teutoburg Forest. This paved the way for a typical mercantile town with a large market and beautiful timber-framed houses, which to this day remain prominent features in a city that appreciates fine art. Further information: www.germany.travel/bielefeld

Old quarter

Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia

Past and present

Bonn: a new lease of life for Germany’s former capital. There are few cities in recent history that have to live with the label of ‘ex-capital city’, but Bonn is one of them. Nevertheless, those who thought Bonn would fade into obscurity without its capital status have been proven wrong. Previously known as the ‘federal village’, and now an internationally renowned hub of commerce and culture, Bonn comes across as assured and cosmopolitan as ever. Further information: www.germany.travel/bonn

Beethoven Festival

Event Tip

Museum of the History of the Federal Republic of Germany The Museum of the History of the Federal Republic of Germany brings to life the period from the end of the Second World War to the present day. The large permanent exhibition and a number of special themed exhibitions chart the political, economic and social history as well as important trends in art, culture and everyday living conditions. Countless exhibits – from the ‘Adenauer-Mercedes’ to the first Green Card for a foreign worker – along with documents, photos and films explain the historical and political context and bring back many memories. www.germany.travel/bonn/museum-of-german-history

Bonn Beethoven Festival During the Beethoven Festival, Bonn puts the focus on its most famous son and gives him a 21st-century reboot. Performing works put together specially for the festival, acclaimed musicians such as Lorin Maazel, Kurt Masur and Hélène Grimaud as well as selected newcomers introduce their interpretations of the composer’s music. The festival is accompanied by the ‘Look at Beethoven’ project, which sees young creators of media present their take on Beethoven in short films and installations. www.germany.travel/events

A riot of colour: Rhine in Flames

Bonn Museum of Art

The Rhine in Flames firework spectacular takes place every year from May to September along the most beautiful sections of the Rhine. The event on the section of river close to the former German capital is known as the ‘Rhine in Flames in the Siebengebirge hills’. An incredible firework display lights up the skies above the riverbank promenades and places of historical interest, while Bengal lights bathe the entire scene in a magical red glow. A fleet of around 60 illuminated riverboats steam down the river under a magical canopy of colour: a romantic and unforgettable experience for the whole family. www.germany.travel/bonn/rhine-in-flames

In several respects, Bonn Museum of Art enjoys a unique position within Germany’s museum landscape. With one of the most important international collections of German art, the museum has an unparalleled reputation throughout the country, not least due to its major collection of works by August Macke. The Bonn Museum of Art makes no attempt to document German art in an encyclopaedic way, but instead concentrates on a manageable number of eminent artists, and then purchases entire groups and ensembles of their work. www.germany.travel/bonn/museum-of-art

Braunschweig, Lower Saxony

Lion-hearted

Braunschweig: the city of lions and scientists. A city that combines the traditional with the modern, Braunschweig is blessed with a wealth of monuments from its rich history as well as beautiful quarters that have retained their charm over the centuries. But its appeal also extends to modern architecture such as the Happy Rizzi House, together with a lively arts scene and extensive parkland. Further information: www.germany.travel/braunschweig

Braunschweig Palace

Discover the Stars: www.magic-cities.com Berlin. City of cool

Dresden. City of culture

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Frankfurt. Hamburg. City of Maritime art City

Hannover. City of innovation

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Leipzig. City of music

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Nuremberg. Stuttgart. City of City of cars history

It’s magic! Magic Cities Germany

Chemnitz, Saxony

City ofcontrasts Chemnitz: the discovery of the modern.

In many ways, Chemnitz is one of Germanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most modern cities. It flourished during the industrial revolution, and business and research continues to thrive here, while at the same time its architecture and culture show strong modernist influences. Further information: www.germany.travel/chemnitz

Karl Marx monument

The face of the city: the bust of Karl Marx

An art experience to remember: Gunzenhauser Museum

The bust of Karl Marx in Chemnitz, which was known as Karl-MarxStadt from 1953 to 1991, seems to be looking down somewhat wistfully on developments in the new city centre. Back then, the mighty statue, hewn out of grey granite by Soviet artist Lev Kerbel and dedicated in 1971, provided the backdrop for parades and other large-scale events at the many festivals and anniversaries in the GDR. It is one of the largest free-standing portrait busts in the world – second only to the Sphinx in Egypt. www.germany.travel/chemnitz/bust-of-karl-marx

Opened in December 2007 as part of the Kunstsammlungen galleries in Chemnitz, Gunzenhauser Museum is one of the most important private collections of art that is permanently open to the public. The museum houses the collection of Munich art dealer Alfred Gunzenhauser who amassed almost 2,500 works by 270 different artists over a period of many years. Holdings include almost 300 works by Otto Dix and Germany’s second-largest collection of works by Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, the famous Expressionist from Chemnitz and co-founder of the group of artists known as Die Brücke. www.germany.travel/chemnitz/gunzenhauser-museum

Theatre on a smaller scale: puppet theatre

Older than the dinosaurs: the ‘petrified forest’

The puppet theatre at the Luxorpalast delights visitors with a fascinating theatrical experience. It has two stages: the main auditorium and a smaller, more intimate setting in the basement. Shows are aimed at younger audiences aged four and over, but adults and older children will also enjoy the diverse repertoire of performances featuring traditional marionettes, hand puppets and beautifully crafted stick puppets. www.germany.travel/chemnitz/puppet-theatre

Nearly 300 years ago people in Chemnitz came upon a forest made of stone – a geological sensation that remains a mystery to this day. You can now marvel at this collection of fossilised tree stumps dating back more than 290 million years, some with an astoundingly beautiful, naturally smooth finish, in the inner courtyard of the DAStietz cultural centre. More interesting facts about the history and origins of Chemnitz’s petrified forest can be discovered at the nearby Museum of Natural History. www.germany.travel/chemnitz/petrified-forest

Darmstadt, Hessen

A culture of colour Darmstadt: city of poets, thinkers and space explorers.

If German cities were schoolchildren then Darmstadt would be top of the class. Highly educated, well read, cultivated, immaculately groomed and with a range of interests. Through science, literature, art and architecture, Darmstadt has developed a wholly unique appeal that has earned it much acclaim. The establishment of the Mathildenhöhe artists colony more than 100 years ago played its part in raising Darmstadt to prominence. Magnificent art nouveau houses give this hill of muses an unmistakable character. In the immediate post-war period, general malaise and a lack of housing plagued life in Darmstadt, which at the time was almost completely destroyed. But after 1949, the city experienced a second cultural dawn, which led to the foundation of innovative

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organisations and the systematic establishment of ‘smokeless industry’. Today, Darmstadt boasts a great many publishing houses and graphic design studios, as well as the European Space Agency’s satellite control centre and internationally acclaimed institutes for literature, art and music. The award ceremony for Germany’s most prestigious literature prize – the Georg Büchner Award – also takes place in Darmstadt. Other cultural highlights include the Hessian State Museum, home to the

world’s largest Joseph Beuys collection, the Kunsthalle art museum, the State Theatre, a vibrant music and entertainment scene and lots of art galleries. And in 1999 Darmstadt unveiled another fantastic entertainment institution in the shape of Centralstation. This heritage-listed former power station is now a venue for theatre productions, readings, exhibitions, concerts and club nights. Further information: www.germany.travel/darmstadt

Hundertwasser house

a wealth of animal and plant fossils, some of which are excellently preserved. It provides an insight into continental drift and the sedimentation of the Earth, how the oceans and land bridges were formed between the various land masses, the depth of the biosphere, and the climate and lifecycles from this period. www.germany.travel/unesco/messel-fossil-pit

An art nouveau gem: Mathildenhöhe, Darmstadt

Looking back: the Messel Pit Fossil Site Messel Pit Fossil Site near Darmstadt is one of Mother Nature’s treasure troves. Around 50 million years ago in the Tertiary era, a variety of different animal species lived here, some of which have long since become extinct or are now only found in the Tropics. The oil shale of the lake that once existed here is full of secrets and hides

Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hessen founded the Darmstadt Artists’ Colony with the aim of radically reforming the arts and crafts of his region. A building distinguished by its omega-shaped portal which used to house the artists’ workshops now contains a museum about the colony. Its exhibition documents the history of the artistic community from 1899 to 1914 and gives an overview of the creative output from this period and its main representatives. It features pieces of furniture, interior design, glass, ceramics, textiles, goldsmith work, prints, paintings, sculptures and architectural models. www.germany.travel/darmstadt/mathildenhoehe

Frankfurt, Hessen

Art appreciation Frankfurt: museum of truth, beauty and virtue. Frankfurt is first and foremost a city of modernity. Business, architecture and Europe’s third-largest airport – they’re all here and they’re all at the cutting edge. Perhaps that’s why Frankfurt has grown a particular fondness for museums that vary greatly in terms of size, style and subject matter. The city prides itself on always staying ahead of the times, whilst preserving traditions at the same time. Most people associate Frankfurt with brokers, banks, stocks and shares – and they wouldn’t be wrong, but there is much more to the city than just big business. Frankfurt does, after all, have an unrivalled museum scene. The museum embankment on the southern bank of the Main is a wonder to

Städel Museum

behold, in particular the magnificent Städel Institute of Art with the Municipal Gallery. Situated in the heart of Frankfurt’s museum mile, this is of one Germany’s preeminent art galleries and features masterpieces spanning nine centuries of European art. The recently opened underground extension houses a collection of works from 1945 onwards, including such famous names as Joseph Beuys and Gerhard Richter. To the east of the gallery you will find the film museum and the architecture museum, which in itself is an innovative and unconventional example of building design. And just a stone’s throw from there stands the Museum of Applied Art (MAK). A thousand years of arts and crafts are represented in this striking building designed

by American architect Richard Meier. On the opposite riverbank, again only a few minutes away, the Museum of Modern Art (MMK) designed by Hans Hollein is well worth a visit. As is the Schirn Kunsthalle gallery, which has made a name for itself as a leading exhibition house in Germany and Europe. There are also a number of smaller galleries around the cathedral, some of which are less mainstream but feature exceptional displays of art nonetheless. You can even admire art in the metro system. The Grenzland (borderland) project at the Dom/Römer station, for example, showcases works that blur the lines between art, architecture and design. Further information: www.germany. travel/frankfurt

Frankfurt / Offenbach, Hessen Highly distinguished: Städel Art Institute and Municipal Art Gallery The Städel Art Institute is one of the most famous and important art museums in Germany. Here, at the heart of Frankfurt’s museum mile, visitors can see a huge diversity of masterpieces from seven centuries of European art on one of the regular public guided tours offered free of charge. At 8pm on the first Thursday of every month the Städel Art Institute presents a special ‘art after work’ series of events, a congenial blend of culture and entertainment. www.germany.travel/frankfurt/staedel

A small slice of paradise: the Palm Garden In the heart of Frankfurt, not far from bustling Bockenheimer Landstrasse, the Palm Garden is an oasis of calm dating back to the 19th century. This beautiful garden with its elegant Congress Hall, romantic ponds and colourful, lovingly tended flower beds is the ideal place to relax and enjoy a leisurely stroll. Spacious greenhouses such as the palm house and Tropicarium are little worlds unto themselves: lush subtropical and tropical landscapes with palms, giant shrubs, ferns and flowers that look like they’ve come straight from paradise. www.germany.travel/frankfurt/palm-garden

High stakes and skyscrapers: Frankfurt’s financial district The towering facades of the bank buildings with their futuristic architecture are the hallmark of the city. Frankfurt’s financial district, where the quest for upward mobility appears to know no bounds, is situated between the train station, exhibition centre and old opera house. The two high-rise buildings on Bockenheimer Landstrasse built back in the 1960s are now dwarfed by the giant skyscrapers that have earned the city its nickname of ‘Mainhattan’. The most famous of these are the Deutsche Bank building with its twin towers, ‘debit’ and ‘credit’, and the trade fair tower, a splendid example of postmodern architecture. www.germany.travel/frankfurt/financial-district

Birthplace of a genius: Goethe’s House According to Goethe himself, he was born “on the stroke of twelve” on 28 August 1749. Today the Goethe House and Goethe Museum stand on the site of the house in Grosser Hirschgraben where he was born, which has been faithfully restored. Also open to the public, the writer’s study on the second floor is furnished as it was in his time. This is where Goethe wrote ‘Götz von Berlichingen’, ‘Faust’ and ‘The Sorrows of Young Werther’. The furniture and fittings in the kitchen, living quarters and reception rooms reflect those typical of a middle-class household in the late baroque period. www.germany.travel/frankfurt/goethehouse

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Music to the ears: the Alte Oper concert hall Built in the Italian high Renaissance style and authentically reconstructed, this prestigious building was officially re-opened in 1981. Since then around 300 high-calibre concerts and events have attracted large numbers of visitors to the striking concert hall every year. With its acclaimed acoustics it provides the perfect setting for an impressive programme that includes symphony and chamber concerts, lieder recitals, early and modern music, jazz, rock and pop, as well as light entertainment, cabaret, lavish gala evenings and, of course, the grand Frankfurt Opera Ball. www.germany.travel/frankfurt/alte-oper

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Frankfurt’s friendliest corner: Sachsenhausen Experience sightseeing at its best in Frankfurt with a tour on the Ebbelwei Express, a colourful historical tram. With plenty of music, pretzels and local cider, the party soon gets into full swing. Here in Sachsenhausen, with its friendly atmosphere, narrow cobbled streets and more than 100 traditional bars serving locally produced cider, you’ll quickly make new friends. The people of Frankfurt love nothing more than to sit or stand side by side with visitors in the quaint bars and traditional inns of Sachsenhausen’s old quarter and put the world to rights. www.germany.travel/frankfurt/sachsenhausen

Freedom and democracy: St. Paul’s Church Originally completed in 1833, St. Paul’s Church was the first building to be reconstructed after the war, in a combined effort between east and west. Like no other location, the church stands as a symbol of another, better Germany. The first national German assembly – Germany’s first parliament after unification – met here in 1848 and passed the country’s democratic constitution. Since 1948 St. Paul’s Church has only been used for exhibitions and special occasions – such as the Goethe Prize award ceremony or the German book trade’s annual Peace Prize. www.germany.travel/frankfurt/st-pauls-church

Museum Embankment Festival in Frankfurt Most of Frankfurt’s museums can be found in close succession along the southern banks of the river Main. With views of Frankfurt’s famous skyline, this is a wonderful place for a stroll – and for a festival. The Museum Embankment Festival attracts around three million visitors every year with its winning combination of art, culture, music and cuisine. Exceptional programmes at the city’s museums, live entertainment on stage, and arts and crafts make this event one of the largest festivals of culture in Europe. www.germany.travel/events

Offenbach: a success in its own right Truth be told, Offenbach isn’t exactly on friendly terms with its bigger neighbour Frankfurt. There is a dedicated rivalry between them that manifests itself as disparaging jokes, scathing jibes and a conviction that the existence of the other can only be down to a cruel trick of fate. This applies particularly to the two football teams! www.germany.travel/offenbach

Freiburg, Baden-W端rttemberg

Augustinian Museum

Living the good life Freiburg: a city with a sunny disposition.

Are the people of Freiburg so cheerful because their city gets more sun than anywhere else in Germany, or have they been rewarded with so much sunshine precisely because they are so good-natured? It’s hard to say. But what is certain is that life is good in Germany’s southernmost city. Freiburg has more to offer than friendly faces alone, including one of Germany’s prettiest old quarters, with its characteristic bächle – the narrow channels of water that run alongside the pavements. Add to that a wealth of culture and history, lots of cafés and cosy bars, delicious regional food and scenic surroundings. What’s more, the overall atmosphere is easygoing, laid-back and more carefree than most. It’s almost – in a word – mediterranean. Experience it for yourself with a stroll through the old quarter overlooked by the 116-metre-tall spire of the stunning minster, one of Germany’s most

beautiful religious buildings. The square on which it stands is the largest in the city centre, and hosts a market every day except Sunday. The square’s main sights are the Historical Merchants’ Hall from 1532 with its deep-red facade and colourful corner towers, the Museum of Municipal History in the Haus Zum Schönen Eck from 1761, and the Alte Wache, now the House of Badensian Wines – certainly not the worst use for this beautiful old guardhouse! The other major square in the old quarter is Augustinerplatz. Overlooked by an Augustinian abbey and the remains of the city wall, this is a

popular rendezvous for locals, which probably has something to do with the stone steps that flank one side. The lively atmosphere here is strongly reminiscent of the Spanish Steps in Rome. It’s then onto Rathausplatz, location of the Old and New Town Hall, gothic St. Martin’s Church and a fountain with a statue of monk and alchemist Berthold Schwarz, who supposedly invented gunpowder here in the city. Further information: www.germany.travel/freiburg

TOP 100 Sights

Architectural monuments and zest for life: the old quarter

Gothic grandeur: Freiburg Minster

Freiburg’s old quarter is dominated by the medieval minster. Another characteristic feature are the much-loved bächle, a system of narrow, flat channels that runs for several kilometres and is filled with water from the Dreisam river. Other attractions include a variety of beautiful ensembles and individual buildings that have been reconstructed in their original medieval style, many of them featuring decorative guild crests. Some of the town’s pharmacies have a mosaic staff of Aesculapius or a mortar and pestle set into the cobbles on the pavement outside, and in front of some of the bakeries you’ll see a pretzel. www.germany.travel/freiburg/old-quarter

Built between 1200 and 1500, Freiburg’s mighty Minster of Our Lady is regarded by art historians around the world as an architectural masterpiece of the Gothic period and a cultural monument of great importance. The 116-metre tower of this impressive red sandstone construction is clearly visible from afar and is often referred to as “the most beautiful spire in Christendom”. Inside the church are a number of medieval works of art: altars, stained glass and sculptures, including many images and sculptures of the Virgin Mary to whom the minster is dedicated and the patron saints of the town, George, Lambert and Alexander. www.germany.travel/top100

Göttingen, Lower Saxony

Fountain of ideas Göttingen: great minds, scholars and the Goose Girl.

You don’t have to hold a doctorate to visit Göttingen, but it could come in handy in a city that seems to pulsate with a thirst for knowledge, and that is dominated by students and academic life more than anywhere else in Germany. A total of 44 Nobel laureates are associated with Göttingen. Some were born in the town, others came here to study, teach or carry out research. Further information: www.germany.travel/goettingen

Goose Girl fountain

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Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg

Pure

romance

Heidelberg: Germany at its most romantic.

Heidelberg is a city that will capture your heart. Famous the world over, it is a perennial favourite among international tourists. The city has so much to offer: charm and character in abundance between the Old Bridge and the mighty castle, an unparalleled choice of culture and entertainment, hearty yet heavenly cuisine and a picturesque setting nestled between the Neckar river and the foothills of the Odenwald forest. With around three million day-trippers every year, Heidelberg can boast some of the most impressive visitor statistics in Germany, Europe and probably the world. In some ways this is a shame, because one day really isn’t enough. Those who stay just a little longer will discover a host of attractions away from the beaten track and will have more time to soak up the unique atmosphere that sets Heidelberg apart from your average university city. The main attraction for all visitors is, of course, Heidelberg Castle, perched on the slopes of Mount Königstuhl some 70 metres above the Neckar.

It’s easy to see why, too. Together with the Old Bridge across the river, the castle and its neighbouring buildings are among the most impressive sights anywhere in Germany. Although you can explore the ruins under your own steam, it’s well worth joining a guided tour, if only to appreciate the history of this mighty fortress, which has experienced its fair share of ups and downs over 700 years. To get them through these turbulent times, it’s likely that the lords of the castle would have made regular use of the royal wine cellar. This is home to the biggest wine barrel in the world. Made from 130 oak trees, it is seven metres wide, over eight metres in length and has a capacity of precisely 221,726 litres. For a time, Elector Karl Theodor employed the Italian court dwarf Perkeo to guard the barrel. Perkeo’s name is said to have derived from his fondness for drink. Whenever anyone asked him if he would like another glass of wine, the answer came back “perché no?” – why not? Further information: www.germany.travel/heidelberg

The ideal place for a leisurely stroll: Heidelberg’s old quarter TOP 100 Sights

Calling all romantics: Heidelberg Castle With its history, architecture and unique location overlooking the town, Heidelberg Castle is one of the most famous historical monuments in the world. The ruins rise majestically on the site of a medieval castle complex high above the narrow lanes and picturesque jumble of roofs of the old town, like a scene from the pages of a storybook. For five centuries, the castle was home to the Palatinate electors of the Wittelsbach dynasty. The castle has many tales to tell, some of which you can hear on a guided tour available in 17 different languages. www.germany.travel/heidelberg/heidelberg-castle

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Heidelberg’s historical old quarter is the oldest part of town. Situated at the foot of the castle, it enchants visitors with its wealth of romantic lanes and many of the town’s most fascinating attractions, such as pretty little squares, ornate Renaissance buildings and imposing churches. At its heart is the market square with its rustic cobblestones and impressive fountain. The old quarter is brimming with delightfully cosy pavement cafés, restaurants and bars which are always full of life. The area is very compact making it easy to explore on foot. www.germany.travel/heidelberg/old-quarter

Heidelberg Castle

Ingolstadt, Bavaria

Retail therapy Ingolstadt: atmospheric and full of life.

Ingolstadt – a city of many facets, steeped in history and tradition yet with a modern, urban flair, vibrant and full of life. This university city and shopping destination on the Danube has a delightful blend of charm and atmosphere. And it also has the Audi Forum, a world of automotive discovery that is not just for petrol heads. Further information: www.germany.travel/ingolstadt

Ingolstadt Village outlet shopping centre

Designers galore: Ingolstadt Village outlet shopping centre

Simply a pleasure: Ingolstadt’s old quarter

You don’t have to fly halfway round the world to enjoy high-end shopping. Ingolstadt Village is closer than you think and has a number of exclusive boutiques side by side. Calvin Klein, Stefanel, Rosenthal, Fred Perry and Strenesse are just a few examples. What’s more, everything is much more affordable than in Milan, Paris and London. Opened in 2005, the outlet centre offers an incredible 10,000 square metres of year-round reductions on everything from clothing, shoes, jewellery and accessories to home and dining accessories by fashion and designer labels from Germany and around the world. www.germany.travel/ingolstadt/outlet-village

Featuring a pedestrian area with more than 300 shops on around 8,000m² of shopping space, fashion, lifestyle, themed restaurants and numerous events, markets and festivals, Ingolstadt’s old quarter is always a pleasure to visit. It’s the perfect place to take a leisurely stroll, browse the shops and sample great food and drink. You can enjoy an excellent view of the entire old quarter from Scherbelberg, a historical rubble mountain from the days of the Napoleonic Wars, or from the Pfeifturm, a former watchtower dating from the 14th century. www.germany.travel/ingolstadt/old-quarter

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Jena, Thuringia

Bright lights

Jena: a beautiful blend of nature, history and technology. Famously home to such companies as Schott Glas and Zeiss, Jena offers a remarkable combination of industrial and intellectual heritage, research, innovation and academia. This is as evident in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s institutions and universities as it is in the bars of the wonderful old quarter, which are as cosy as they are traditional. Further information: www.germany.travel/jena

Cosmic storm of colours at the Zeiss Planetarium

A story of success: the SCHOTT Glass Museum The Glass Technology Laboratory founded by Otto Schott in 1884 is now the Schott Glass Museum, which recounts the fascinating history of his companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products and technology. Authentic exhibits, pictures and films introduce visitors to the innovative world of Schott glass. The villa where the influential scientist and industrialist once lived has an exhibition documenting his rich and varied life. Other exhibitions document the ups and downs of the company, from its origins and the days of the GDR to reunification and its emergence as a leading international technology corporation. www.germany.travel/jena/schott-glass-museum

Starry skies: the Zeiss Planetarium Opened in 1926, the Zeiss Planetarium is the oldest planetarium in the world and also the biggest in Germany thanks to its 25-metre dome. Its repertoire includes astronomy and general education programmes for adults and children, musical shows, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events and spectacular multimedia laser shows. A laser all-dome projection system was installed in October 2006. The Zeiss Planetarium is now one of only two planetariums in the world offering shows with images that cover the entire dome. www.germany.travel/jena/planetarium

Karlsruhe, Baden-W端rttemberg

Ludwigsplatz square with Weinbrenner fountain

Fan-shapedcity Karlsruhe: a forward-thinking, cultured city.

Situated on the Rhineland Plain between the Black Forest, the Vosges mountains and the Palatinate Forest, Karlsruhe is a hub of science and technology, Germany’s online capital and the home of the Federal Court of Justice. The city has always been just that little bit more liberal than most, allowing art and culture to flourish and creating an atmosphere of vitality. Given Karlsruhe’s grand palace, the absence of an old quarter may leave visitors slightly puzzled. But this is a relatively young city, only founded in 1715, and so lacks the medieval lanes and alleys seen in many German towns. Baden’s Margrave KarlWilhelm had his dream city designed from scratch, with the resplendent palace at its centre and 32 streets and avenues radiating outwards like the ribs of a fan. From its very beginnings, Karlsruhe was a city without walls, open to friends and visitors, tolerant and liberal. People from France, Poland, Italy, Switzerland and many German states were

involved in its creation. As a result, Karlsruhe was way ahead of its time in the development of a cosmopolitan society with modern institutions of government. The 1818 Baden constitution was also ahead of its time, and Germany’s first parliament was built here in 1822. Karlsruhe’s most influential cultural institution is the Centre for Art and Media (ZKM) – part museum, part institute, part documentation centre, and much more besides. The ZKM brings together under one roof the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Media Museum and institutes for visual media, for music and

acoustics, and for media, education and economics. It explores the development and form of the information society, the media and contemporary art forms in a way never seen before. Even the location of the centre in a former munitions factory is symbolic of changing times. Further information: www.germany.travel/karlsruhe

Interactive: the ZKM Centre for Art and Media

The Versailles of Baden: Karlsruhe Palace

The Centre for Art and Media in Karlsruhe owns the largest collection of interactive media artworks in the world. Art and new media are thoroughly interwoven here. The media museum is the first museum designed to be completely interactive. It focuses on works from the new genre of interactive media art, and illustrates and investigates their impact. Installations and environments employ different strategies to draw the visitor in and use new technologies in a wide range of creative ways. www.germany.travel/karlsruhe/zkm

When Karl Wilhelm of Baden-Durlach laid the foundation stone for the palace in 1715, he also marked the birth of the city. At his behest the palace was built amid previously unspoilt countryside in the Hardt forest, just like Louis XIV had done with Versailles. The streets and avenues of Karlsruhe radiate out from the palace – a symbol of power and perfection. The palace served as a residence for the Margraves and Grand Dukes of Baden until 1918. Today it houses the Baden State Museum and part of the Federal Constitutional Court. www.germany.travel/karlsruhe/palace

Kassel, Hessen

City of culture Kassel: a city of fairytales and works of art.

Kassel, the city that became the hub of the contemporary art world with its documenta exhibition, also owes much of its cultural renown to the legacy of the Brothers Grimm. A city that has always fused tradition with innovation to great effect; a city in possession of one of Europe’s most palatial gardens, the Wilhelmshöhe, and with it a landmark like no other, the Hercules monument. Once upon a time... there were two brothers who lived many a year in Kassel, where they penned timeless classics such as their collection of ‘Children’s and Household Tales’ and their reference book of German grammar. Because they were so famous, the literary pair are still honoured in Kassel to this day at the Brothers Grimm Museum, as well as at anniversary celebrations, conferences and exhibitions. Two hundred years ago brothers Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm published their first book of fairytales, having already made names for themselves as linguists, legal historians and committed democrats. In 2013 the Brothers

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Grimm year of celebrations in Kassel will also pay tribute to their younger brother, painter Ludwig Emil Grimm. It goes without saying that Kassel is one of the major checkpoints along the German Fairytale Route, a 600km tour dedicated to the life and works of the Brothers Grimm. Kassel puts as much emphasis on preserving its Grimm heritage as it does promoting the city’s defining modern-day event. The documenta is the world’s leading contemporary art exhibition, an occasion of great distinction, a showcase for the latest trends in international art. The venue for the

exhibition has been the Fridericianum since 1955, while the Documenta Hall was added in 1992 for documenta 9. The number of visitors has continued to grow ever since the first show, reaching 860,000 in 2012. And with megastars such as Brad Pitt among the guests, it’s likely to attract even more art fans next time round. A date for your diary (should your diary go that far): the next documenta is on from 10 June to 17 September 2017. Further information: www.germany.travel/kassel

Documenta Hall

Brothers Grimm. The exhibition details the most important places where the Brothers Grimm lived and worked in relation to their academic and political activities. www.germany.travel/kassel/brothers-grimm-museum

Commendable cascades: Wilhelmshöhe Park

A fairytale collection: the Brothers Grimm Museum

Covering 240 hectares and laid out in the style of an English country garden, Wilhelmshöhe Park is Europe’s largest hillside park, a fascinating ensemble offering the perfect blend of culture, history and ordered nature. Water bubbles up over the cascades, splashes down Steinhöfer waterfall and the Devil’s Bridge, and runs down the aqueduct to its final destination, the Great Fountain in Schlossteich lake, which uses natural pressure to shoot the water 52 metres into the air. Lit up in the evenings, the cascades and fountains between the Hercules monument and Wilhelmshöhe Palace are a sight to behold. www.germany.travel/kassel/wilhelmshoehe-park

Jacob Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859) are two of the leading figures in German cultural history. They shot to fame with their collection of fairytales, but their work in the fields of linguistics and literature, law, history and mythology as well as their political activity was also highly significant. Founded in 1959 the museum contains documents that illustrate the life and works of the

Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate

A Rhine romance Koblenz: the German Corner and a national heirloom.

At the famous Deutsches Eck, or German Corner, where the Rhine and Moselle converge, lies one of Germany’s oldest and most beautiful towns – Koblenz. Vineyards, forests and four mountain ranges form the backdrop to the city, whose 2,000-year history has given rise to beautiful churches and castles, palatial residences and grand town houses. The Romans, and later the Teutonic Order, were among the first to prize the majestic scenery of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. More recently UNESCO has recognised the area’s outstanding beauty by awarding it world heritage status. Central to this heritage is the Deutsches Eck at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle. In 1891 Kaiser Wilhelm II deemed this historic landmark, given its name by the knights of the Teutonic Order, the perfect site for a special monument. Here people could give thanks to his grandfather, Wilhelm I, the man who unified the German Empire. Alas, the statue was reduced to rubble in 1945, and in May 1953 Theodor Heuss,

President of West Germany, declared the remaining plinth a poignant monument to German unity. Finally, in 1993, a replica of the statue was raised into position on the plinth, where it towers majestically over the two rivers at a height of 37 metres. Every year the impressive structure attracts more than two million visitors. Towering on the opposite side of the Rhine is Ehrenbreitstein, Europe’s second-largest preserved fortress. At nearly 120 metres above the river, this is perhaps the best place to enjoy views of Koblenz. Just beyond the fortress lies the site of the 2011 Federal Horticultural Exhibition, now a popular public park and outdoor venue. The cable car built especially for the show is still in operation, transporting visitors back to the western bank of the Rhine – the perfect place to begin a leisurely stroll through the beautiful old quarter. Further information: www.germany.travel/koblenz

A Roman favourite: the Middle Rhine

TOP 100 Sights

Back in the days of the Kaiser: Deutsches Eck It may sound like a German bar, but the Deutsches Eck (German Corner) is actually a spit of land at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle. It got its name from the Teutonic Order of Knights which settled here in 1216 and a monument to Kaiser Wilhelm I was built here to commemorate the unification of the German Empire. Dedicated in 1897, destroyed in 1945, declared a memorial to German unity in 1953 and reconstructed in 1993, the 37m-high monument now attracts more than 2 million visitors every year and since 2002 it has been part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage site. www.germany.travel/top100

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The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, one of the oldest and most magnificent cultural landscapes in the whole of Europe, is also considered the epitome of Romanticism on the Rhine. The approx. 65km section between Koblenz and the towns of Bingen and Rüdesheim was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2002 in recognition of the beauty and diversity of this stretch of the river. It also boasts an impressive number of castles, fortresses and palaces. Around 40 such buildings between Koblenz and Bingen illustrate the strategic importance of the Rhine in centuries gone by. www.germany.travel/unesco/middle-rhine

The Rhine at Koblenz

Köln (Cologne), North Rhine-Westphalia

Zestfor life Cologne: a city bursting with life. Every Cologne resident has more than their fair share of zest for life and partying spirit: it’s in their DNA. After all, Cologne is more than just a city – it is a matter of the heart, an emotion and an unfalteringly positive state of mind. At the root of this outlook are carnival, kölsch beer and, of course, Cologne Cathedral. When you hear cheers of “Kölle alaaf” across Cologne, it can mean only one thing: the mayhem of carnival has arrived (or Fastelovend as it’s also known). ‘Completely crazy’ or ‘out of its mind’ don’t even come close to describing the scenes in the cathedral city the week before Ash Wednesday. Carnival season begins in

Cologne on 11 November at 11.11am and finishes on Ash Wednesday as it does everywhere else in Germany. But that’s where the similarities end. As everyone can see, Cologne carnival is in a league of its own, especially in the final week when the street carnival has the city firmly in its grip. To experience Cologne’s unique exuberance at any other time of year, drop in to one of the traditional and welcoming bars in the area around Alter Markt and Heumarkt square or the large brewery taverns scattered throughout the old quarter. Kölsch – the city’s signature beer – never stops flowing there, the kitchens dish up Rhineland specialities and there is so much friendly and light-hearted revelry you would think it

were carnival all year round. Every type of kölsch has its own distinctive flavour – and, of course, its own brewery. The beer waiters, known as Köbes, remain immune to the general merriment: a certain gruffness is the hallmark of a genuine Köbes. The only thing that can dim the exuberance of Cologne’s residents lies some 30 kilometres up the river Rhine in the form of Düsseldorf, whose reserved character couldn’t be more different to Cologne’s wild exuberance. Further information: www.germany.travel/cologne

Cologne carnival procession

Köln (Cologne), North Rhine-Westphalia

TOP 100 Sights

City landmark and UNESCO World Heritage site: Cologne Cathedral True Cologners are quite literally overcome with emotion when they glimpse the spires of Cologne cathedral in the distance on returning from their travels. The city’s famous landmark is one of the largest churches in Europe and one of Germany’s top attractions, with more than six million people visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site every year. At approximately 157 metres in height, the Gothic cathedral has the second tallest church spire in Europe and houses the shrine of the Three Wise Men. Another highlight at the cathedral since 2007 is the window by artist Gerhard Richter. For the modest admission price of €2.50 you can climb one of the two towers and the effort is rewarded by a fabulous panoramic view. www.germany.travel/unesco/cologne-cathedral

Cologne by boat: river cruises on the Rhine For many a truly unique experience on the water, a cruise on the Rhine is probably the most relaxing and convenient way to enjoy the river. Although there’s always something to see, it’s the perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. A number of river cruise operators from as far afield as Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland drop anchor in Cologne. There are also a number of smaller local companies offering short cruises, e.g. to Cologne through the romantic Rhine Valley. www.germany.travel/cologne/rhine-river-cruises

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The world’s oldest art fair: Art Cologne For those wishing to admire – and perhaps purchase – outstanding works of art, Art Cologne is just the event. The world’s foremost exhibition of modern and contemporary art demonstrates the prowess of the European and overseas art trade. Around 200 international galleries present painting, sculpture, installations, videos, photography and works on paper as well as editions and multiples. Art Cologne also features unusual presentation formats such as ‘Open Space’, talent-nurturing programmes, ‘New Positions’ for artists and ‘New Contemporaries’ for galleries. www.germany.travel/koeln/art-cologne

Art with a cult following: the Ludwig Museum Overlooked by majestic Cologne Cathedral, the Ludwig Museum houses a modern and contemporary art collection of international standing. The museum was founded in 1976, when Peter and Irene Ludwig made an endowment of some 350 modern artworks. Iconic pieces such as Roy Lichtenstein’s ‘Maybe’ and Andy Warhol’s ‘Brillo Boxes’ can be viewed at the biggest pop art collection outside the United States, along with the world’s third-largest collection of Picasso prints, sculptures and paintings, a great many works of the Russian avant garde and important examples of Surrealism, Expressionism and art from 1920s Germany. www.germany.travel/cologne/ludwig-museum

Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia

Fashion centre Krefeld: city of silk and velvet.

Krefeld, the centre of Germany’s textile trade, is three towns in one: neo-classical Krefeld, baroque Uerdingen and the small medieval castle town of Linn. Though the different influences are still easily identifiable, these places have grown together over time to form one city – a city characterised by fine traditions combined with a cheerful demeanour and a refined lifestyle. Further information: www.germany.travel/krefeld

Merino wool at the flax market

Krefeld art museums: a world of modernity

Elfrather See lakeside recreation park: a world of active pursuits

The art museums of Krefeld are internationally recognised for their contribution to the fields of modern and contemporary art. In particular, the Haus Lange and Haus Esters galleries provide a multifaceted platform showcasing trends and developments in 20th and 21st century art. Both were designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in the late 1920s, and the grand buildings are striking monuments to modernity in their own right. The architecture creates the ideal space for exhibiting international works of art from the 20th century and present day. www.germany.travel/krefeld/art-museums

Elfrather See’s popularity extends well beyond the city limits of Krefeld. This extensive lakeside recreation park is the perfect place for relaxing or exercising. There’s so much to do, with a wealth of spacious playing fields and sports grounds, miles and miles of paved footpaths and cycle tracks, a mini-golf course, a great barbecue area and roughly 62 hectares of water for rowing, sailing and windsurfing. www.germany.travel/krefeld/elfrather-see

Leipzig, Saxony

Gewandhaus Orchestra kapellmeister, Ricardo Chailly

City of heroes Leipzig: city of heroes and city of music.

Leipzig’s key role in setting the rhythm for the peaceful revolution of 1989 is testament to the city’s musical endowment. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Leipzig was labelled ‘City of Heroes’ – a title which could also be in reference to the many great musicians, kapellmeister and composers who are arguably more popular and more prominent here than anywhere else in the world. Leipzig clearly has a special relationship with music. In fact, it’s a distinctive feature of the city’s heritage. Since 1254, when the St. Thomas choir, one of the world’s oldest boys’ choirs, was first documented, music has struck a chord with the people of Leipzig and inspired some its finest historical buildings. The Gewandhaus concert hall, for instance, is home to the Gewandhaus Orchestra (founded in 1743) and was led for many years by eminent conductor Kurt Masur, a key player in the peaceful revolution. The concert hall also houses an impressive organ, whose 6,638 pipes provide an unforgettable aural

experience. Then there’s the magnificent opera house, one of the oldest music theatres in Europe, famed for its repertoire from baroque to contemporary. The impact of certain former Leipzig residents is still felt today. For example, Johann Sebastian Bach, the most famous cantor of St. Thomas Church, as well as Leipzig-born composer Richard Wagner and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, who established the first German music conservatory here in 1843. Add to that list Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck, who enchanted the city both as musicians and as lovers. The people of Leipzig themselves

have a long-standing love affair with one of the oldest coffee houses in Europe: Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum has been a favourite haunt of great minds and great talents since 1711. Bach, Schumann, Liszt, Grieg and Wagner have all graced it with their presence over the centuries, as have Goethe and Lessing and even Napoleon and Augustus the Strong. A sure sign that Leipzig was, and still is, an appealing city for people from all walks of life – and not just the reserve of musicians and composers. Further information: www.germany.travel/leipzig

TOP 100 Sights

Luther, Bach and St. Thomas choir: St. Thomas Church

A student pub with a difference: Auerbachs Keller

From 1212, the Augustine canon seminary in Leipzig was built on the foundations of an even older church. The Romanesque chancel was given its Gothic look in 1355, and between 1482 and 1496 the church was converted into a late-Gothic hall church, which has been largely preserved with the exception of the tower built in 1702. Martin Luther preached here at the start of the Reformation on Whitsun in 1539. Johann Sebastian Bach, the most famous cantor of St. Thomas choir, worked at the church from 1723 until his death in 1750. The celebrated Thomanerchor was first mentioned in records from 1254, making it one of the oldest boys’ choirs in Germany. www.germany.travel/top100

In 1525 the physician and professor Heinrich Stromer von Auerbach opened a wine bar in the cellar of his house for university students. As he aptly put it: “Wine is an excellent prophylactic against many ailments, if administered correctly”. Today Auerbachs Keller is the most famous restaurant in Leipzig and is also known around the world. One of the most popular wine bars in the city in the 16th century, Auerbachs Keller primarily owes its fame to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who spent time here while studying in Leipzig. Since it opened, Auerbachs Keller has served an estimated 100 million guests. www.germany.travel/leipzig/auerbachs-keller

Leipzig, Saxony Event Tip

From cotton to culture: Leipzig’s Baumwollspinnerei The Baumwollspinnerei, a former cotton mill, is home to 100 artist’s studios, eleven galleries, workshops, architects, designers, jewellery and clothes makers, an international dance and choreography centre and much more. Members of the famous New Leipzig School led by Neo Rauch have also become established here. This former factory complex, continental Europe’s biggest cotton mill in the early 20th century, was converted 100 years later into one of the most exciting production and exhibition sites for contemporary art and culture in Europe. www.germany.travel/leipzig/baumwollspinnerei

Battle of Leipzig monument The colossal Battle of Leipzig monument took 15 years to build and was dedicated in 1913 in the presence of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the King of Saxony. It is a hugely impressive edifice, 91m tall, making it the largest monument in Europe. The upper part of its magnificent dome is decorated with 324 reliefs of horsemen. 500 steps lead up to a viewing platform. A total of 125,000 soldiers were killed in the Battle of Leipzig. The monument is located at the site where the main fighting took place. www.germany.travel/leipzig/battle-of-leipzig-monument

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Leipzig Bach Festival During the Bach Festival, Leipzig presents the multifaceted works of the baroque composer and highlights his close ties to the city. For more than 20 years, Johann Sebastian Bach was the cantor of St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. Today’s Bach Festival sees internationally acclaimed musicians such as Masaaki Suzuki, Marcus Creed and Ton Koopman, together with Leipzig’s famous St. Thomas choir and Gewandhaus Orchestra, honour the great composer at locations where he lived or worked. www.germany.travel/events

Commerce meets art: Leipzig Exhibition Centre Leipzig Exhibition Centre is one of the oldest trade fair venues in the world. Trade and change have always been the hallmarks of this city. In the days of East Germany, for example, Leipzig Exhibition Centre served as an important window into the east from the west – and vice versa. The city’s new exhibition centre is also an outstanding forum for the arts: entire rooms, wallpaper, walls, staircases, sculptures and other works of art have been designed by more than 20 celebrated artists especially for the trade fair venue and permanently integrated into the building. www.germany.travel/leipzig/exhibition-centre

Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia

City of enterprise Leverkusen: history shaped by industry.

Leverkusen is known internationally as the headquarters of Bayer AG, the world-renowned chemical and pharmaceutical company. But there is much more to this industrial city, which has plenty of opportunities for relaxation thanks to its location in the foothills of the Bergisches Land region. Leverkusen is a place where urban buzz and village-like tranquillity exist in close proximity. Further information: www.germany.travel/leverkusen

Morsbroich House

L端beck, Schleswig-Holstein

L端beck old town

Oldcharm town

Lübeck: a northern city of beauty and intellect.

Lübeck, the Queen of all the Hanseatic cities, was founded in 1143 as ‘the first western city on the Baltic coast’. Today, its appearance is still characterised by a medieval ambience and by cultural and historical attractions, such as the Holsten Gate, that hark back to Lübeck’s glorious past as a free imperial and Hanseatic city. Over the centuries, Lübeck’s name has stood for freedom, justice and prosperity. Lübeck law was, for its time, a progressive set of land and maritime regulations and inspired the establishment of over 100 towns near to the Baltic Sea, paving the way for the Hanseatic League’s dramatic rise to become the biggest trading power of its age. Its undisputed capital was Lübeck, one of the most illustrious early seats of global trade. Surrounded by water, the old town with its seven towers and five principal churches brings to life 1,000 years of history and has been protected as a UNESCO World Heritage

site since 1987. And rightly so, because the Gothic, Renaissance, baroque and neoclassical buildings, narrow lanes and streets, churches and abbeys, merchants’ houses and fortifications come together to form a remarkable whole. A jewel of brick-Gothic architecture, the Church of St. Mary is Lübeck’s finest sacred building, a model for around 70 other churches around the Baltic and of great architectural merit thanks to the highest brick-vaulted roof in the world. It sits in splendour at the highest point of the old town, right opposite its modern counterpart, the MuK music and congress

hall. Lübeck’s largest hall, the MuK is the main venue for the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival and serves as an international congress centre, philharmonic concert hall and municipal venue. Another of the Muk’s striking features besides its modern architecture is the group of figures known as Die Fremden (the strangers) found on the roof of the hall. This sculpture by Thomas Schütte was created for the documenta art exhibition and symbolises all those who leave their home and have to make a new life in an unfamiliar place. Further information: www.germany.travel/luebeck

Buddenbrooks House Literary Museum – Thomas Mann Centre, Lübeck The Buddenbrooks House, which provides the setting for Thomas Mann’s famous novel about the decline of the Buddenbrooks family, now contains a museum that has served as a tribute to the Mann family’s literary legacy since 1993. Based in Lübeck’s old town, the permanent exhibition of letters, commentaries and first editions gives an insight into the life and work of writers Thomas and Heinrich Mann. Also on display are photos and other contemporary documents, including Thomas Mann’s certificate for winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1929. Regular special exhibitions focus on the various members of the Mann family as well as other 20thcentury writers. www.germany.travel/luebeck/buddenbrookhouse

TOP 100 Sights

Willy-Brandt-House

Lübeck’s pride and joy: the Holsten Gate

Set in an elegant patrician residence in Lübeck’s old quarter, the Willy Brandt House is an educational centre, museum and memorial dedicated to the German Chancellor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Willy Brandt. It was opened on the 94th anniversary of the birth of Lübeck’s famous son. The exhibition, entitled ‘Willy Brandt - A life of politics in the 20th century’, uses exciting installations and multimedia elements to chart his career from the Weimar Republic through to reunification. Along the way it paints a clear and vivid picture of his ideas, which remain influential to this day. In addition to Brandt’s biography, the exhibition focuses on the themes of democracy, human rights and freedom. www.germany.travel/luebeck/willy-brandt-house

The Holsten Gate, the most famous landmark in this Hanseatic town, is one of Germany’s finest examples of a late medieval town gate. Nearly everyone in Germany has carried this little piece of Lübeck around in their pockets at some time or other, as it used to feature on the back of the old 50 Mark note. Erected between 1464 and 1478 by Lübeck architect Hinrich Helmstede on the banks of the river Trave, the late-Gothic gate once stood as a bridgehead on the perimeter of the town and formed part of the fortifications. Housed within the 3.5m thick walls, the interactive Holsten Gate Museum charts Lübeck’s history as a major trading post and seafaring hub. www.germany.travel/unesco/holsten-gate

Ludwigshafen, Rhineland-Palatinate

Winning formula Ludwigshafen: a passion for chemistry and culture.

Originally a collection of small settlements on the banks of the Rhine, Ludwigshafen owes its growth to the rise of the chemicals industry and did not really play a part in history until the 19th century. Today, art and culture have given the city a new identity. Like all towns on the Rhine, Ludwigshafen is a compelling destination, with an urban face and green lungs, a fascinating history and its own particular charm. Further information: www.germany.travel/ludwigshafen

Rheingalerie shopping centre

CULTURE + NATURE

Villingen-Schwenningen

Left: Bickentor, Villingen Top middle and right: Pfarrhaus Schwenningen, Münsterturm, Villingen Underneath: Luftbild Villingen

The medieval city on the edge of the Black Forest. Historical inner city with mighty defence and gate towers, wonderful half-timbered houses and romantic lanes – coupled with chic cafés and joie de vivre: This is Villingen-Schwenningen! Take a Discovery Tour! You can decide how you would like to experience Villingen-Schwenningen with its historical inner city, its great city wall and gates, picturesque lanes and bubbling streams. A city tour could be the best way!

In charming surroundings Villingen-Schwenningen is surrounded by lovely hiking trails and extensive cycle routes and many signposted cycle tours await you. There are plenty of trips and excursions on offer for those who would like to explore the surroundings – delights such as the Black Forest, Lake Constance or the neighbouring countries of France (Alsace) and Switzerland await. Find your own personal VillingenSchwenningen – the city looks forward to greeting you!

Top Attractions - Münster ‘Unserer Lieben Frau’ (Cathedral) - City wall with defence and gate towers - Neckar source and Schwenninger Moos - Wonderful hiking and cycling trails Please contact Tourist-Info & Ticket-Service Tel.: +49 (0) 7721-82 23-40 tourist-info@villingen-schwenningen.de www.tourismus-vs.de

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An exclusive view behind the curtain of a 300 years old success story

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Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg

Spirit of invention Mannheim: the chessboard city.

This university city on the banks of the Rhine and Neckar rivers has seen many firsts in the history of transport. Karl Drais built the first twowheeled draisine in Mannheim in 1817, and Carl Benz’s first car took to the city’s streets in 1886. The legendary Lanz Bulldog tractor followed in 1921 and Julius Hatry developed the world’s first rocket-powered aircraft here in 1929. Inquiring minds clearly feel at home in Mannheim. Maybe it is the city’s clear structure that helps them think. Mannheim is a ‘chessboard’ city, whose streets between the Neckar river and the castle were laid out in a grid formation in the 17th century. Locals talking to each other about ‘C5’ or ‘E7’ are not referring to a game of battleships but where they live or where they are headed. And they have plenty of places to choose from. Mannheim offers a wealth of sights and cultural attractions, art and culinary hotspots, events and parties, vibrancy and tranquillity. Say checkmate to boredom in this city of intellect and fun! All tastes are

catered for, whether opera, plays and ballet at the National Theatre, readings, concerts ranging from classical to pop and jazz, or a host of other events in independent theatres and venues both conventional and not so conventional. Sights not to be missed include Europe’s second-largest baroque palace and the water tower, which is set in the middle of one of the continent’s loveliest art nouveau architectural ensembles. Boosted by the presence of institutions such as the University of Music and Performing Arts, Baden-Württemberg Pop Academy, the University of Applied Sciences and the

Independent Art Academy, creativity flourishes in Mannheim on an almost unparalleled scale. Mannheim is also an excellent venue for conferences. The m:con Congress Center Rosengarten is one of the best of its kind, a fine blend of old and modern architecture, equipped with the latest technologies and located directly opposite a pretty park – lending elegance and class to any event held here. Further information: www.germany.travel/mannheim

Making music in Mannheim: the Pop Academy Music has become one of Mannheim’s hallmarks since Joy Fleming invented the ‘Mannemer Blues’. A number of other artists such as Laith-Al-Deen, Xavier Naidoo and Söhne Mannheims have followed in her footsteps – and have enjoyed chart success. It seemed only fitting that the city should be the home of the Baden-Württemberg Pop Academy. A state-run college for popular music set up as a public private partnership by the Baden-Württemberg region in 2003, it is the first of its kind in Germany. As is the Musikpark – a centre of innovation devoted to the music industry. www.germany.travel/mannheim/pop-academy

TOP 100 Sights

Industrial architecture meets art nouveau: the water tower The water tower, Mannheim’s famous landmark in the east of the city centre, was built between 1886 and 1889 by Berlin architect Bruno Schmitz, and was later the starting point for the design of Friedrichsplatz square. The captivating fountains in front of this monumental building, which is lit up at night, are a true sight to behold. Part of one of Europe’s largest and most beautiful ensembles in the art nouveau style, the tower is adorned with bronze figures of Triton and his sirens, two groups of stone centaurs and a statue of Amphitrite, wife of the sea god Poseidon, on its copper roof. www.germany.travel/top100

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Mannheim²: the city centre First documented in the Lorsch Codex in 766, Mannheim was granted town privileges in 1607 after Elector Friedrich IV of the Palatinate laid the foundation stone for Friedrichsburg fortress. The grid-like arrangement of streets, which at the time linked the town with the fortress, remains unchanged to this day. Each square of the city’s ‘chessboard’ layout has its own letter and number: the address of the Artquadrat gallery, for instance, is L4, 10, while the Armoury Museum is to be found at C5 and the Schillerhaus Museum at B5, 7. www.germany.travel/mannheim/city-centre

Event at the technology museum

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Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia

Leafy city on the Lower Rhine Mönchengladbach: a leafy city and a centre for modern art.

Mönchengladbach is a city that successfully combines urban sophistication with rural charm. Parks and woodland dominate this ‘green city’, but it is also known for its art and culture, with significant architectural monuments, a worldclass museum and a vibrant theatre, variety and performing arts scene. Further information: www.germany. travel/moenchengladbach

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Abteiberg sculpture garden

Grand opera – Created by an arChiteCt.

The Semper Opera is truly one of the world’s most beautiful opera houses – but just one of the many fine buildings in Saxony. And with around 1,000 palaces, castles, and gardens, it’s not easy to be the fairest of them all. But why

not take a look and decide for yourself? For information visit www.visitsaxony.com or simply contact Tourism Marketing Company of Saxony, Bautzner Str. 45 – 47, 01099 Dresden (Germany), phone +49 (0)351 / 49 17 00.

Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia

Cycling capital

Münster: the youthful charm of a historical city. This is a cosmopolitan city, youthful, laid-back and proud of a history going back more than 1,200 years. Whether as a bishop’s seat, a member of the Hanseatic League or a university city – Münster has always played an important role in the region and far beyond. The city earned its place in the annals of world history when the Treaty of Westphalia was signed there. Is this Germany’s most beautiful city? Many people would certainly say yes. What’s more, the city has won an award for having the best quality of life in the world. Münster is a place that keeps its history very much alive – and its houses, churches and squares can tell plenty of stories about the past. This is particularly true in the historical city centre, for example Prinzipalmarkt. This square is surrounded by 48 gabled buildings, including the distinctive town hall and the municipal wine house, joined together by an arcade to create a delightful backdrop.

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Nowadays, Prinzipalmarkt is also a delight for shoppers. Nearby Salzstrasse, Münster’s oldest mercantile street, has a number of attractions to explore – most notably the baroque treasures of Erbdrostenhof Palace, the Dominican Church and the Church of St. Clement’s with its beautiful baroque garden. Not far beyond that is the Ludgeri quarter with its restaurants, pubs and cafés. A few steps further and you will reach the prestigious Rothenburg, where the Picasso Museum has found a magnificent home in the Druffel’schen Hof. From there it’s not far

to the cathedral square, where the mighty Cathedral of St. Paul’s with its treasury and the Westphalian State Museum of Art and Art History can be found. Other fascinating places of interest in Münster’s old town are the Kiepenkerl and Kuhviertel districts. This area, around the Church across the Water, is perhaps the most historical part of old Münster. It combines local history and local highlife in a maze of quaint alleys. Further information: www.germany.travel/muenster

St. Lambert’s Church

largest collection of the artist’s prints with more than 800 lithographs. The museum also mounts special exhibitions on the life and work of Picasso and his contemporaries. www.germany.travel/muenster/picasso-art-museum

Kuhviertel quarter

Pablo Picasso Art Museum

Home to Münster’s oldest brewery, the Kuhviertel is famous for its restaurants and quaint bars – a lively blend of student pubs, olde worlde inns and cosy restaurants serving typical Westphalian specialities. Traditionally, most places serve the local altbier or altbier punch. There’s always plenty going on here, day or night. As well as treats to tempt your palate, the Kuhviertel also has much to offer lovers of art and antiques. Galleries, art shops, antique stores and the city’s ‘public bookshelves’ give the quarter its unique atmosphere. www.germany.travel/muenster/kuhviertel

The Pablo Picasso Art Museum, Germany’s first and only museum dedicated to the artist, is housed in the listed Druffel’schen Hof built between 1784 and 1788 in the heart of Münster’s historical old quarter, close to Rothenburg boulevard and surrounded by the Münster Arkaden mall. Opened in 2000, it features the world’s

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Nuremberg, Bavaria

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Documentation centre

A journey through

time

Nuremberg: Germany’s most vibrant museum of history. A city of emperors and princes, leaders and followers, inventors and scholars, Nuremberg has mirrored German history ever since the Middle Ages – the power, the tension, great achievements and great tragedies. Protected by the castle, arts and crafts once flourished, while a new spirit of freedom enlivened the city at a time when few other places could offer such a quality of life. And the same is still true today. Nuremberg and its castle: to this day, the cityscape is dominated by the mighty fortress begun in 1140 during the reign of Emperor Conrad III and continually expanded until the 17th century. Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors journey back in time to the early modern period and the Middle Ages – eras that live on in Nuremberg. Nuremberg’s Historical Mile ends (or begins) at the castle, and anybody following this tour will be astounded by the number of important buildings and monuments in the city: the mighty city fortifications, the glorious, ornately decorated churches, the elaborate fountains

and the legacies of international trade. There’s also the Fembohaus featuring the City Museum and the Tucher Mansion – maintained with such authenticity you would be forgiven for thinking the former occupants had just popped out for a stroll. Centuries ago Nuremberg became an early hub for precision engineering, and wealthier residents could even afford to buy themselves a famous ‘Nuremberg Egg’ pocket watch. This golden era also brought us the two magnificent town halls, as well as the Albrecht Dürer House where the artist spent many years of his life. In stark contrast, other sites in Nuremberg serve as reminders

of the darker years in the city’s long history. They include the documentation centre at the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds, the eerie site where the National Socialists staged their vast marching processions. There’s also Court Room 600 at the Palace of Justice, where the chief perpetrators of the Nazi atrocities were tried and convicted in 1946 – home to Memorium Nuremberg Trials since 2010. Necessary reminders of painful scars in Nuremberg’s history, which will forever be part of the city. Further information: www.germany.travel/nuremberg

TOP 100 Sights

Documentation centre at the Nazi Party Rally Grounds The documentation centre at the grounds where the Nazi party held its rallies between 1933 and 1938 provides an in-depth insight into the machinations of the Third Reich. The permanent exhibition entitled ‘Fascination and Force’ deals with the causes and consequences of Nazi rule. It focuses in particular on topics that have a direct relevance to Nuremberg. This aspect of the city’s history is also documented at the Memorium Nuremberg Trials museum in Court Room 600 at the Palace of Justice where the trials of the Nazi war criminals were held in 1946. www.germany.travel/nuremberg/documentation-centre

Kaiserburg Castle, Nuremberg Nuremberg Castle, where every emperor of the Holy Roman Empire lived, at least for a time, between 1050 and 1571, is one of the most important medieval imperial palaces. Barbarossa and his successors added large extensions to the Salian royal castle which had been in existence since around the mid-11th century. The double chapel, which has survived intact to this day, dates back to this time. The imperial apartments and state rooms in the main building, whose original panelling has largely been preserved, contain 16th and 17th century paintings, tapestries and furniture. www.germany.travel/nuremberg/kaiserburg-castle

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Nuremberg / Erlangen / Fürth, Bavaria

Renaissance style: the Albrecht Dürer House

500 years of childhood dreams: the ‘city of toys’

The Albrecht Dürer House is one of the most visited sights in the city, offering a fascinating insight into the life of the 16th century German Renaissance artist. Works such as his ‘Young Hare’ of 1502, the most famous of his studies from nature, and ‘Praying Hands’ hang on the wall in many modern-day homes. Inside, visitors get to see how this printmaker and painter, who also produced studies on mathematics and art theory, lived and worked. The house gives a vivid picture of what domestic middle-class life was like in Nuremberg during its heyday. www.germany.travel/nuremberg/albrecht-duerer-house

As far back as the Middle Ages, children’s toys were sold at the Christmas market in Nuremberg and the city was home to many doll-makers. However, it was from the 16th century onwards that it became a real hotbed for toy manufacturing with numerous craftsmen producing miniature objects and toys. Examples of the magnificent dolls houses made here can still be seen today at the toy museum and in the Germanic National Museum. Nuremberg first came to international prominence in the 19th century following the industrialisation of its toy production and the city has hosted the world’s leading international toy fair every year since 1950. www.germany.travel/nuremberg/city-of-toys

Erlangen: a new home with the Margrave

Fürth: a town with pride and passion

It’s not that Erlangen, which together with Nuremberg and Fürth forms a kind of Franconian triumvirate, makes any claims of being in the same league as the big boys when it comes to art, culture and history. But the town’s design is of special interest in terms of urban planning and the influx of Huguenot settlers centuries ago has left a lasting legacy. www.germany.travel/erlangen

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Nuremberg or Fürth? It’s sometimes hard to tell. The boundaries between the two have blurred over the years, and their centres are just seven or so kilometres apart. All the more reason to visit Fürth, a town with its very own history, a strong sense of identity and a friendly and relaxed approach to life. www.germany.travel/fuerth

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Osnabrück, Lower Saxony

City of peace Osnabrück – where memories live on.

Osnabrück has gone down in history as a city of peace for its role in the Treaty of Westphalia. But Osnabrück is much more than that. It’s also a city of many layers, with something new to discover at every turn. Connoisseurs, for example, are spoilt for choice by the exceptional gourmet restaurants and regional specialities on offer here. Osnabrück had survived the turmoil of the Thirty Years’ War almost completely unscathed, and so, together with neighbouring Münster, it was selected by the weary war parties as the venue for their peace agreement. This is commemorated in the Friedenssaal (Hall of Peace) inside the late-Gothic town hall, dating from 1512, with 42 portraits representing the peace congress envoys and leaders at the time of the negotiations. Upstairs a model depicts the city as it was in 1633, while an exhibition called Destruction and Reconstruction looks

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back to a different war and explores how Osnabrück was raised from the rubble of World War II. Similarly, the Felix Nussbaum House aims to ensure the atrocities of the past are not forgotten. This spectacular museum, designed by American architect Daniel Libeskind, presents the life and works of locally born Jewish artist Felix Nussbaum, who was murdered in Auschwitz in 1944. Even the museum’s distinctive, almost discomforting architecture encourages visitors to stop and reflect on Nussbaum’s fate. The building is situated in the heart of

the city centre together with the Cultural History Museum. Its location makes a good starting point for a stroll through the old quarter, which is dominated by six important churches. And to see the day out in style, you could carry on to la vie for dinner. At the helm of this relaxed yet refined restaurant is head chef Thomas Bühner – a master at combining flavours who has been elevated to the culinary pantheon with four Gault Millau toques. Further information: www.germany.travel/osnabrueck

Projections Biennale

artist’s personal life and his works. A network of reference lines connecting Osnabrück, Berlin, Brussels and Auschwitz provides a poignant reminder of the increasing state of restlessness, hopelessness and disorientation Nussbaum found himself in. www.germany.travel/osnabrueck/felix-nussbaum-house

Autumn colours: ‘lichtsicht’ projections biennale

Felix Nussbaum House: a life of tragedy

At the ‘lichtsicht’ Biennale, held every two years, images by international projection artists are beamed onto the walls of the salt works in Bad Rothenfelde near Osnabrück. The next biennale, lichtsicht4, take places from 28 September 2013 to 5 January 2014. Every evening during the three-month event, around 50 projectors transform the appearance of the wet, salt-encrusted walls of the salt works, which are ten to 13 metres in height and up to 400 metres long. lichtsicht3 attracted around 160,000 visitors. www.germany.travel/osnabrueck/lichtsicht-biennale

Situated in the centre of Osnabrück, Felix Nussbaum House and its recent extension are the work of architect Daniel Libeskind. The museum houses the world’s largest collection of works by the locally born artist, who was murdered in Auschwitz. The architecture of Felix Nussbaum House reflects the tragic interrelationship of the

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Regensburg, Bavaria

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St. Emmeram Palace library

A historical gem Regensburg: a magical combination of stone and charm.

Anyone thinking a medieval town with a 2,000-year-old history might be slightly on the quiet side is greatly mistaken: Regensburg is anything but dull. World heritage comes to life in the individual historical buildings and squares but, above all, in the town that they form. What’s more, this is a town for fun-lovers with the highest concentration of bars in Germany. The people of Regensburg only found true appreciation for their town’s old quarter at a relatively late stage. As recently as the 1960s there were plans to tear down the historical buildings and replace them with new ones. Nowadays, everyone is delighted that this didn’t happen and, since the 1970s, locals have been carefully restoring and preserving their heritage in the old quarter. Few other towns in central Europe can offer legacies of more than 2,000 years of history whichever way you look. Regensburg has 1,500 listed buildings; 984 of them make up the UNESCO World Heritage ‘Old Town with

Stadtamhof’ ensemble. The old stone bridge over the Danube, the cathedral and Krauterermarkt square with the Collegiate Church of St. John, the Cathedral Treasury Museum, the castle-like patrician town house ‘Heuport’ and the historic Adler Pharmacy count among Regensburg’s most significant architectural monuments, but represent just a few of the vast number of outstanding sights. Further up the river, next to the old Amberger Stadel warehouse, is Fischmarkt square with its Roland fountain. Beyond that is a museum dedicated to the astronomer Johannes Kepler.

Other fascinating places to visit are St. Ulrich’s Church and Diocesan Museum, the former Cathedral deanery, the squares Dachauplatz, Neupfarrplatz, Alter Kornmarkt, Kohlenmarkt, Zieroldsplatz, Rathausplatz and Haidplatz, Porta Praetoria and the patrician towers – including the 28m Golden Tower, the highest medieval residential tower north of the Alps. Further Information: www.germany.travel/regensburg

A medieval masterpiece: the Stone Bridge

Where sparrows sing: Regensburg Cathedral

The view of the Danube from Regensburg’s old quarter is dominated by the Stone Bridge. This medieval monument has served as a model for many other bridges, including Charles Bridge in Prague. Built between 1135 and 1146, it is Germany’s oldest vaulted stone bridge and has many sections still in their original state. The bridge was once considered the ‘eighth wonder of the world’ and, at 310 metres long and seven metres wide, it was the largest of its kind in the world. For more than 800 years, it was the only stone bridge over the Danube from Ulm to Vienna. Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa launched the Third Crusade from here in May 1189. www.germany.travel/regensburg/stone-bridge

Clearly visible from afar, St. Peter’s Cathedral is Regensburg’s most famous religious landmark. Its current form took shape between 1260 and 1520, and is an extraordinary example of Bavarian Gothic architecture that has shaped lives in the town for centuries. Walking around the cathedral, you will see a number of exquisite treasures including the five original Gothic ciborium altars, and the windows dating from 1220 to 1370. The cathedral is also home to the Regensburger Domspatzen – the cathedral sparrows – whose sweet voices light up the services and enjoy widespread acclaim. www.germany.travel/unesco/regensburg

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Rostock, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Northern star

Rostock: brick-Gothic architecture with a maritime flair. The harbour is the heart of the maritime city of Rostock. Although there may be fewer sailors on the quayside these days, the harbour still shapes the character of the city. It is also the venue for major events, such as the Hanse Sail in August, which attracts hundreds of sailing ships and a million visitors each year. During Hanse Sail, up to 300 tall ships, sloops, cruise ships, ferries, museum schooners, vintage yachts and other sea-going vessels are paraded in front of delighted spectators in and around Rostock’s harbour. This maritime festival is a special occasion for the entire Baltic region, a celebration of friendship between nations featuring music performed on a number of stages, two fireworks displays, a medieval fair, a Ferris wheel and plenty more entertainment spread out along nearly four kilometres. All of this takes place against the magnificent backdrop of Rostock’s old

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quarter with its characteristic deep-red brick buildings dating from Hanseatic times. These include the city fortifications, parts of which have been preserved, including a section built by General Wallenstein during the Thirty Years’ War. The eastern part of the old quarter contains a long stretch of wall near St. Peter’s Church, and close by you can still see part of the Fishermen’s Bastion with some historical canons. Inside the city walls, three of the original four monumental town churches still remain. The largest is the Gothic St. Mary’s Church in the centre, while St. Peter’s on Alter Markt square is located in

the oldest part of Rostock. Its tower offers stunning views across the town and the Baltic Sea. Other notable buildings include the Gothic town hall with its baroque-period exterior, the late-Gothic Hausbaumhaus merchant’s house and the neo-Gothic guildhall. A particularly endearing landmark is the old lighthouse in Warnemünde, an ideal destination for an excursion. Further information: www.germany.travel/rostock

Skyline and harbour

Markgrafenheide consist of fine sand, while the beaches around Wilhelmshöhe and Diedrichshagen are more rugged in character. With family beaches and sections set aside for nudists and people with dogs, there’s plenty of space for everyone to enjoy themselves. Windsurfers benefit from a dedicated area offering easy access to the water. www.germany.travel/rostock/warnemuende-beach

The call of the sea: the Baltic resort of Warnemünde and its harbour

The perfect place to make a splash: Warnemünde beach The beach at Rostock-Warnemünde is a highlight of this Baltic resort. Awarded the blue flag for the high quality of its water (for swimming etc.), the beach stretches for around 15 kilometres and is more than 100 metres wide in some places. The beaches in Warnemünde and

The spectacular views of Warnemünde harbour with the ships coming in and out are enough to make any trip to this beautiful old Baltic resort a memorable one – and that’s before we even get to the sailing regattas. Warnemünde is home to AIDA cruises, which operates one of the world’s most modern and exclusive cruise fleets from the resort’s harbour. Perhaps not quite so luxurious, yet all the more exciting for it is the ‘Stettin’ – the world’s oldest ice-breaker, which regularly drops anchor in Warnemünde. If you get there at the right time, you can even climb aboard and take to the high seas on this veteran vessel – a maritime experience to remember. www.germany.travel/rostock/baltic-resort

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Ruhr region, North Rhine-Westphalia

Meta morphoses

Ruhr region: from industrial region to cultural melting pot. Formerly Germany’s coal-mining region, the Ruhrgebiet forms one of the largest conurbations in Europe with 5 million residents and is now known for its diverse and vibrant cultural scene. Bochum, Dortmund, Duisburg, Essen, Oberhausen and many other towns and cities combine to form a fascinating urban area that is full of surprises.

Does the Ruhrgebiet lie on the Ruhr river? Yes, but although the former industrial region takes its name from the Ruhr river, which forms its southern border, you may be surprised to know that it is also traversed by the Emscher and Lippe rivers. Irrespective of the waterways flowing through them, all of the towns and cities have one thing in common: they have

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successfully achieved the transition from industry to culture. This change of role has been evident and permanent, both the new reality and a new identity, since the Ruhr region’s year as European Capital of Culture 2010, in which not only the ‘Big Five’ – Duisburg, Oberhausen, Essen, Bochum and Dortmund – took part but also more than 50 other Ruhr towns and cities. Major international events, such as the Ruhrtriennale, the Ruhr Piano Festival and the Ruhr Theatre Festival, take place at venues across the region and feature some of the most exciting performances to be found on stages and in concert halls anywhere. Lying within a few kilometres of one another, the 20 museums in 15 towns and cities that make up the RuhrArtMuseums form the greatest

concentration of modern art museums in the world. Yet they are only a few of the region’s 200 or so museums. The oldest is the Museum of Art and Cultural History in Dortmund, which opened in 1883, while the biggest is the Folkwang Museum, which attracts around 800,000 visitors per year. This wealth of museums is part of something even more significant: the Ruhrgebiet’s emergence as a new cultural region that respects, cherishes and preserves its vast industrial heritage. Today’s Ruhrgebiet is characterised by ‘Change through culture – culture through change’, new arts venues in former industrial sites and a population who have taken to this new role with enthusiasm. Further information: www.germany.travel/ruhr-region

Tiger & Turtle

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Ruhr region, North Rhine-Westphalia A steel colossus: the Oberhausen Gasometer The gasometer between the Rhine-Herne Canal and the CentrO shopping and leisure complex is both an Oberhausen landmark and a symbol of the Ruhr’s transformation. Built in 1929, this former storage facility for gas from the coking plant has been converted into one of Europe’s most unusual cultural venues. Merely standing within this steel colossus is an experience in itself. The sheer volume of space is enough to take the breath away and noises can echo as many as seven or eight times. A glass lift inside transports visitors up to the roof, where they can look out across the whole of the western Ruhr. www.germany.travel/ruhr-region/gasometer

Dortmund for fans of the beautiful game: the German Football Route

Europe’s logistics centre: Duisburg river port

Since its completion for the World Cup in 1974, the former Westphalia Stadium – now the Signal Iduna Park and home of Borussia Dortmund football club – has been one of the biggest and most beautiful football stadiums in Germany. Known for its incredible atmosphere, it is always jam-packed – if you want to get in, you have to get tickets well in advance. For those who don’t manage it, there’s always the German Football Route. Covering a distance of around 550km, it charts the fascinating history of German football over recent decades, combining the key elements of the beautiful game with tourist attractions and cultural highlights. www.germany.travel/ruhr-region/german-football-route

Duisburg river port is not only one of the most important inland docks in the world; it is also a popular destination renowned for its top-class restaurants. Visitors can soak up the buzzing atmosphere, both on the water and on land, at the many pubs, clubs and cafés or on a cruise. Ideally situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Ruhr, Duisburg’s river port has 22 harbour basins, a 40km shoreline and outstanding transport connections by water, rail and road. In short, it has all the prerequisites for being able to supply the entire European market with everything it needs. www.germany.travel/ruhr-region/river-port

TOP 100 Sights

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The best of the best in Essen: Folkwang Museum

Essen’s monument to the industrial age: the Zollverein mine

The Folkwang Museum was founded in 1922, based on the collection of arts patron Karl Ernst Osthaus. Since then the museum has forged a global reputation, which it owes to its outstanding collections of 19th century German and French painting, classical modernist and post-1945 art. Exhibits include masterpieces by van Gogh, Cézanne, Gauguin, Braque, Renoir, Monet, Munch, Turner, Picasso, Warhol, Pollock, Dalí and Baselitz. The photographic collection illustrates the history of photography with more than 50,000 exhibits dating back to the 1920s. www.germany.travel/ruhr-region/folkwang-museum

The colliery was built in 1932, inspired by the Bauhaus style, and was the last of Essen’s coal mines to be closed down in 1986. The Zollverein mine was once the largest and most modern coal mine in the world. It was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2001 and with its giant conveyor machine, tipping hall, mine car system and boiler house it is one of the most significant industrial monuments in the world. The perfect end to your visit: the Casino Zollverein restaurant serves modern cuisine in a setting that reflects the city’s industrial heritage. www.germany.travel/unesco/zollverein-mine

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Event Tip

In Essen’s leafy suburbs: Villa Hügel

Ruhr Theatre Festival in Recklinghausen

Built between 1870 and 1873, Villa Hügel is magnificently furnished with paintings, tapestries, Italianate coffered ceilings and beautifully carved wooden staircases. This stately residence not only reflects the wealth of the Krupp industrialist family, it also demonstrates the economic importance of Essen in the age of industrialisation. The villa has 269 rooms, 8,100m² of living space and is set in a 28-hectare park in a prominent position overlooking the Ruhr valley and Lake Baldeney. The art exhibitions and concerts held here since 1956 have turned Villa Hügel into an internationally acclaimed centre of culture. www.germany.travel/ruhr-region/villa-huegel

Running from 1 May to mid-June, the festival season transforms Recklinghausen into a hub of international culture. The acclaimed Ruhr Theatre Festival is the oldest theatre festival in Europe – and also one of the largest. A celebration of creativity, it aims to provide ‘quality for all’ and features performances in the Ruhr Festival Playhouse and other venues. Every year, the festival’s management selects an author or central theme, bringing together productions by renowned directors and portrayals by prize-winning actors as well as up-and-coming theatrical talent to form an ambitious overarching concept. www.germany.travel/events

Beer and currywurst: in Bochum’s Bermuda Triangle The Bermuda Triangle in the heart of Bochum is the Ruhr region’s largest and best-known district for restaurants and, more importantly, pubs. It begins around 200 metres east of the main train station and is the southern extension of the pedestrian area in the city centre. Besides the countless tiny bars, many of which squeeze in a beer garden as well, there are more than 60 restaurants to suit all budgets and tastes. Beer is the beverage of choice, of course, but cocktails are available too! Incidentally, the currywurst in Bochum is just as good as in Berlin, and plays an essential part in any evening in the Bermuda Triangle. www.germany.travel/ruhr-region/bermuda-triangle

A luminous character: the Dortmund U As you approach Dortmund you’ll see an enormous ‘U’ like a shining beacon on the horizon. It marks the former Dortmunder Union Brewery, the first high-rise building in Dortmund, dating from 1926/27. Crowning the tower of this listed industrial building since 1962, the nine-metre golden emblem consists of four ‘U’s - one for each direction. In 2010 the site was transformed into a centre for art, creativity and business. www.germany.travel/ruhr-region/dortmund-u

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Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate

Ancient

appeal

Trier: Roman heritage and Gallic charm.

Founded as Augusta Treverorum in 16 BC during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar, Trier is Germany’s oldest city and an important site for classical monuments and art treasures. This can be seen at the Porta Nigra, the best-preserved city gate from antiquity and today the most famous landmark of this city on the banks of the Moselle. Whether Augusta Treverorum or Novaesium – now better known as Trier and Neuss – is really Germany’s oldest city is still a matter of debate, but there is no doubt that the Romans designated Trier as a city rather than a settlement. Roman emperors and later bishops, electors and ordinary people have made Trier what it is today. World-class architectural monuments – many of which have had UNESCO World Heritage status since 1986 – and art treasures have been preserved and tell of fascinating times gone past. Porta Nigra, the amphitheatre, the famous Imperial Thermal Baths where the Romans went to relax, remnants of the St. Barbara Roman Baths

from the 2nd century and, just as old, the Roman Bridge, which is still part of a main road into the city, all bear witness to Trier’s extensive classical heritage. Medieval buildings, such as the Cathedral of St. Peter – the oldest in Germany – and the early-Gothic Church of Our Lady are also deeply impressive. Trier’s proximity to its French neighbour is noticeable throughout the city, especially when it comes to eating and drinking. Outstanding restaurants of international standing offer an unparalleled dining experience. Excellent wines from the Moselle, Saar and Ruwer are of course very much in evidence and delight visitors to the many wine festivals and town celebrations. The annual highlight is the Moselle WeinKulturZeit, a month-long series of wine, gourmet and cultural events, where you can sample excellence of all kinds in and around Trier – a good reason to spend a whole month here. Further information: www.germany.travel/trier

Wellness the Roman way: the Imperial Thermal Baths

TOP 100 Sights

A famous landmark: the Porta Nigra gate Originally a city gate, then a church and now a monument: the Porta Nigra, or black gate, the largest and best-preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps, is now Trier’s most famous landmark. As is often the case with historical monuments, the building was never actually finished. Given the technical capabilities of the time, this is hardly surprising. For an opportunity to delve deep into the gate’s past, you can take a tour with a real centurion in parade uniform to discover the Porta Nigra secret. www.germany.travel/unesco/porta-nigra-gate

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The impressive ruins of the Imperial Thermal Baths, along with the derelict rooms and the walls of previous structures, are among the most important to have been discovered in Trier. Today a visit to the thermal baths, which can also be explored below ground, is like stepping back in time. The walls of the hot bath (caldarium) are deservedly part of this famous landmark in Trier. After the one in Rome, the Imperial Thermal Baths and St. Barbara Roman Baths were once among the largest bathing complexes in the Roman empire. The ‘Betrayal at the Thermals’ tour takes visitors on an exciting journey back to a near forgotten age. www.germany.travel/trier/imperial-thermal-baths

Trier Cathedral

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Ulm, Baden-W端rttemberg

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Weishaupt gallery

Reaching for

the heavens

Ulm: combining the best of tradition and modernity.

Reaching seemingly endlessly up into the sky, Ulm Minster’s tower has watched over the city for centuries. After the Second World War, during which much of the city was destroyed, Ulm took the right approach to reconstruction. The city planners achieved a successful compromise that resulted in a unique cityscape of lovingly restored buildings on the one hand and breathtaking modernity on the other. Ulm Minster, the ‘finger of God’ with the highest church tower in the world, is the city’s predominant building. And the square on which it stands is an endlessly fascinating place that offers a great mix of historical and modern architecture. But there is definitely more to Ulm than the Minster and Münsterplatz square, and at a stone’s throw away, the beautiful town hall is one of the reasons why. The oldest part of the present building was erected in 1370 and served as a trading house. It was first mentioned as a town hall in 1419 and the ornate astronomical clock was added in around 1520. In the

building’s stairwell, you can look up and see a replica of the flying machine built by Albrecht Ludwig Berblinger, the legendary tailor of Ulm. Unfortunately his attempts at flying more than 200 years ago were not crowned with success. On the crucial day there was no favourable wind and his ‘flight’ ended in the gushing Danube. Nevertheless, he is still esteemed today as an able man, and the locals’ penchant for striking out in new directions – at least in spirit – is a reminder of another famous son of Ulm, Albert Einstein. A new direction, at least in terms of urban development, was taken

with the design of Ulm’s ‘Neue Mitte’ (new centre) between Münsterplatz and the town hall. Here, old and new buildings form an ensemble of striking contrasts. The first of these is the Stadthaus by New York architect Richard Meier. This internationally acclaimed milestone in modern architecture is an open house for encounters with art, culture and people – and with a remarkable city. Further information: www.germany.travel/ulm

TOP 100 Sights

Where Ulm has its roots: the fishermen’s and tanners’ quarter Set in an idyllic location at the confluence of the Blau and Danube rivers is the fishermen’s quarter. Resided in predominantly by craftsmen in the Middle Ages, it is the main historical ensemble in the heart of Ulm’s old quarter. This is the site of the Franconian royal court established in around 800 and of Ulm’s royal palace, which was first documented in 854. Its ancient lanes, winding passageways, half-timbered houses, bridges and jetties give a real impression of what medieval life must have been like. The tributary of the river Blau is lined with an array of historical buildings from the city’s past. www.germany.travel/ulm/fishermens-quarter

Reaching for the skies: Ulm Minster The Gothic Minster has been a dominant feature in the centre of Ulm for centuries and is the city’s most famous landmark. It is also known far and wide for having the tallest church tower in the world: the ‘Finger of God’ stretches up to the skies reaching a height of almost 162 metres. This stunning piece of architecture is complemented by a number of exquisite art treasures inside the church. The minster is also famous for its 15th century choir stalls by Jörg Syrlin. The carved busts in particular are considered masterpieces of art history. www.germany.travel/top100

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Weimar, Thuringia

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Duchess Anna Amalia Library

Intellectual endeavour Weimar: classicism and great minds.

Goethe and Schiller, Herder and Wieland, Nietzsche, Fürnberg, Liszt, Bach, Cornelius, Gropius, Feininger, Klee, Itten. Weimar is intrinsically linked with the great names of Germany’s and Europe’s intellectual past. Both Weimar Classicism and the Bauhaus remain beacons of the extraordinarily rich cultural life that is abundantly and harmoniously manifest in the town. Although it only lasted around 50 years, Weimar Classicism was one of the greatest eras in European intellectual history. It all began with Duchess Anna Amalia, who drew the great poets and philosophers to the small town despite its distance from the seats of power. Their fame is still associated with Weimar today. Reminders of Classical Weimar include the places where the writers and their patrons lived and worked – the houses of Goethe and Schiller, Belvedere Palace, Ettersburg Palace and Tiefurt House with their fabulous parks, sites associated with Herder, Wittums Palace, where the illustrious round table assembled, the renowned Duchess Anna Amalia Library and the historical cemetery with its royal crypt, where you can see the tombs of Goethe and Schiller. The adoption of Classical Weimar as a UNESCO World Heritage site was based both on the art-historical significance of the town’s buildings and parks from the cultural flowering of the Classical Weimar period and on the role of the town as an intellectual centre in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. For all these reasons and more, Weimar was one of the European Capitals of Culture in 1999. Another great epoch that emerged and flourished in Weimar was the Bauhaus, one of the foremost movements in architecture and design of the 20th century and regarded by many as Germany’s most significant export at that time. The Bauhaus museum’s 300-plus exhibits provide an insight into the work of the State Bauhaus, whose creations have lost nothing of their timeless and simple beauty. Further information: www.germany.travel/weimar

Strong stuff indeed: Weimar’s ‘Onion Fair’ Weimar’s history comes to life for three days over the second weekend in October. The legendary Zwiebelmarkt or ‘Onion Fair’, a tradition dating back to 1653, attracts more than 300,000 visitors every year to Weimar’s historical old quarter for a celebration that continues long into the night. There’s no escape from the onions – whether it’s in soup, hung in braids as ornamentation or baked in a flan. Around 500 performers pull out all the stops, and there are almost as many stalls selling arts and crafts, food and drink. www.germany.travel/weimar/onion-fair

TOP 100 Sights

Bauhaus and its sites in Weimar and Dessau The Bauhaus, led by Walter Gropius, was founded in the rather sedate town of Weimar in 1919. This was the start of the design revolution … The Bauhaus sites in Weimar and Dessau are the legacy of this famous school of architecture. One of the very first academies of design, Bauhaus brought together the leading artists and architects of its time, including Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and Lyonel Feininger. Their design concepts united art and technology and broke new ground in a modern industrial culture. Bauhaus opened in Weimar in 1919, relocating to Dessau in 1925. Haus am Horn in Weimar exemplifies this unique architectural style. Designed by Georg Muche, it was built in 1923 to illustrate the key Bauhaus concepts. The cuboid design and functional fittings of the Bauhaus building and the master houses in Dessau epitomise the ideals of the 20th century’s most influential design school. www.germany.travel/unesco/bauhaus

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Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony

Design perfection Wolfsburg: a young city in pursuit of Modernism.

Wolfsburg, founded on 1 July 1938 and one of Germany’s few new cities established in the 20th century, has had a short but eventful history. Many a trend in the revival of West Germany can be traced back to the city. It is a typical and successful example of a planned urban development, and its history is closely bound with Volkswagen AG. Because Wolfsburg’s cityscape was conceived on the drawing board to a far greater extent than any other German town or city, urban development and architecture have always followed specific parameters here. Both are therefore crucial to Wolfsburg’s identity and self-image – you could say that the city lives through them and thrives on them. In 2001 Wolfsburg became one of the first municipalities in Germany to set up its own department for architectural communication and architecture in the public eye – the Architecture Forum – and can thus be seen

as a museum of 20th-century urban development ideas. But the city has also made space for a series of extraordinary standalone pieces: since the mid-1950s, it has seen the construction of Alvar Aalto’s cultural centre, Hans Scharoun’s theatre, the planetarium and art museum, Autostadt and, most recently, the Phæno science centre. Situated opposite the heritage-listed train station, the Phæno looks more like a spaceship than a building and is often referred to as Germany’s biggest walk-in sculpture. It was designed by the awardwinning Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid,

who has created a one-of-a-kind work of breathtaking audacity. The building’s construction pushed the boundaries of what was feasible, involving pioneering structural analysis and use of materials. Inside, you will find 350 interactive experimentation hubs on exciting technical and scientific phenomena – the centre’s slogan “you’ll be amazed” is an understatement to say the least. Further information: www.germany.travel/wolfsburg

TOP 100 Sights

Science in action: the Phæno in Wolfsburg When you arrive at Wolfsburg’s main station, you could be forgiven for thinking that a UFO has landed just outside. Opened in November 2005, the Phæno is a state-of-the-art science centre and an interactive experimentation and discovery forum. The extraordinary building, actually more of a walk-through sculpture, was designed by the Iraqi-British avant garde architect Zaha Hadid. In an exhibition space covering more than 9,000m², the centre has more than 350 experimentation stations that shed light on natural phenomena. www.germany.travel/wolfsburg/phaeno

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A temple to mobility: VW’s Autostadt Autostadt, VW’s automotive exhibition complex and customer centre, opened as part of the EXPO 2000, is Wolfsburg’s biggest attraction. But the emphasis here is not just on cars; visitors can also look forward to exciting films, thrilling simulators and awe-inspiring architecture. Set in 25 hectares of parks and lakeland, it also offers plenty of opportunity to relax and sample the culinary delights in the excellent restaurants. In the ZeitHaus museum a wealth of exhibits document various design icons from the history of the motor car. www.germany.travel/top100

Inside one of VWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CarTowers

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Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia

City on the move Wuppertal: the city with the suspended monorail.

Wuppertal is the biggest city in the Bergisches Land and is the region’s main centre for business, education, industry and the arts. It is above all known as the city with the suspended monorail – as Wuppertal’s official slogan proudly proclaims. From the windows of the monorail, visitors look out onto a confident, historically aware city, with an amazing amount to offer. The name Wuppertal is actually a relatively modern designation that first appeared on maps only 80 years ago. But its various constituent towns had been there long before that, and in 1929 Elberfeld, Barmen, Ronsdorf, Cronenberg and Vohwinkel were merged to form Barmen-Elberfeld. In 1930, the name was changed to Wuppertal after a referendum – a fitting choice that describes the city’s location in the Wupper valley. Wuppertal’s most famous landmark, the unique suspended monorail, follows the course of the river for a few miles through the

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city centre. Every day, over 80,000 passengers use it as a reliable means of transport and a sure-fire way of beating the traffic jams. The monorail opened in 1901. Since 1997, its supporting structures have been undergoing a programme of renewal in keeping with the original design. The stations are also being modernised. Like the suspended monorail, the city’s dance company Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch has also established a global reputation. The acclaimed choreographer Pina Bausch was the ensemble’s artistic director for 36 years. She

reinvented and redefined dance during her tenure, combining drama, modern dance and musical theatre to create a new form of expression. Performances take place at its current home, the opera house in Wuppertal, although tickets need to be booked well in advance as the ensemble is often on tour. But an evening of culture can also be enjoyed in the historical Stadthalle Wuppertal, one of the loveliest concert and conference venues in Europe. Further information: www.germany.travel/wuppertal

Suspended monorail

and sculpture dating from the 16th century through to the present day, including important works by Flemish, Dutch, French and German artists of all genres and periods. www.germany.travel/wuppertal/von-der-heydt-museum

Revolutionary movements: Tanztheater Pina Bausch

Art in Elberfeld: the Von der Heydt Museum

This internationally acclaimed and award-winning dance theatre was founded by the highly respected choreographer Pina Bausch in 1973 and she was its director until her death in 2009. Daring to revolutionise the world of dance with a new interpretation of movement and an aesthetic, artistic and cultural paradigm shift, Pina Bausch led the theatre from new beginnings to extraordinary heights. Her theatre does not focus on characteristic dance movements, but on people and their place within society. www.germany.travel/wuppertal/tanztheater

Founded in 1985, the Von der Heydt Museum is Wuppertalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most significant collection of art. Situated in the Wuppertal-Elberfeld district, it enjoys a widespread reputation as a museum of fine arts, and not just because of its special exhibitions. The permanent exhibition and the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extensive collection feature paintings

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W端rzburg, Bavaria

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Staircase inside the Residenz Palace

Baroquesplendour Würzburg: world heritage and Franconian wine.

Würzburg is a pleasing harmony of history, culture and wine. This university town and former royal seat is idyllically situated on either side of the Main river and offers a vibrant atmosphere and an endearing charm. It has gained a name as the centre of the Franconian winegrowing region and, not least, as a city with exceptional places of interest. Würzburg is full of contrasts: a former episcopal seat and a young university town, baroque architecture and a distinctly mediterranean feel combined with Franconian hospitality. The architectural splendours that define the city reflect a range of periods. Art, culture and Franconian wine are essential parts of Würzburg life and create a feast for all the senses. Visitors will find themselves on a captivating and exhilarating tour of discovery through different eras and styles. Even from afar, the two imposing towers of St. Kilian’s Cathedral point the way to the city. Built by Bishop

Bruno in 1040, it is the fourth largest Romanesque church in Germany at a total length of 105 metres. Würzburg’s famous landmarks are the UNESCO World Heritage Residenz Palace, with its palace gardens and square, the Marienberg Citadel and the 180-metre-long Old Main Bridge, which is lined with impressive statues of saints. Straddling the banks of the Main river amid idyllic vineyards, the location alone is reason enough to visit Würzburg. Another reason is the local wine served in Bocksbeutel bottles, whose characteristic flattened round shape has become a trademark for the entire

region. It is not known for sure whether the shape is derived from the traditional water bottles once used in the fields, but it does have a significant advantage: it prevents the bottles from rolling away. Quaint pubs and traditional wine taverns offering local Franconian cuisine as well as top-class international restaurants can be found throughout the city. And, because this is Würzburg, it’s only right to order a Bocksbeutel of wine along with your meal. Further information: www.germany.travel/wuerzburg

TOP 100 sights

Medieval magnificence: Marienberg Citadel

Regal splendour: the prince bishops’ Residenz Palace

Towering over the river Main, well-fortified and yet full of charm, Marienberg Citadel is a fine example of a medieval castle. Originally built as a Renaissance palace and later converted into a baroque fortress, it is one of Germany’s oldest ancestral seats. A Celtic fortified refuge stood here in 1000 BC, a Church of St. Mary was consecrated here in 706 and the castle was founded in around 1200. The Fürstenbau Museum can be visited in the innermost ward of the medieval fortress which, in addition to exquisite furniture, tapestries and paintings, also houses the Prince’s Hall and the prince-bishops’ treasury and vestry. www.germany.travel/wuerzburg/marienberg-citadel

Completed in 1780, the former residence of the prince bishops of Würzburg is one of the most important baroque palaces in Europe. Three generations of artists and artisans from all over Europe worked on the interior, which was extraordinary for its time. The ceiling frescos created in 1751-53 by Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo in the Imperial Hall and on the stairway are regarded as a masterly achievement. In addition to the palace, there’s also the court chapel and a total of 40 rooms reflecting the styles of different periods and filled with a wealth of furniture, tapestries, paintings and other works of art from the 18th century. www.germany.travel/unesco/residenz-palace

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Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg

Stylish spa town The summer capital of Europe during the belle époque and a rendezvous for the rich and the beautiful, Baden-Baden today is famous worldwide as a spa town with a cultural tradition and a top-class reputation for healthcare. Glittering festivals and unrivalled elegance make it a byword for exclusivity, elegance and luxury living. Baden-Baden excels in everything it does, whether it’s cures or culture. Situated in beautiful countryside on the fringes of the Black Forest, Baden-Baden provides the most stylish setting imaginable for a cultural or health-related break. Baden-Baden’s hot springs well up from a depth of 2,000 metres, supplying the town’s twelve thermal spas, for example the modern Caracalla Therme and the historical Roman-Irish Friedrichsbad. The water, which reaches temperatures of up to 68°C, is used to treat a wide range of conditions, including cardiovascular problems, rheumatism, joint complaints, metabolic disorders and respiratory ailments. But even if you’re fighting fit, Baden-Baden’s waters will work wonders for your health and wellbeing. The same can be said of the deluxe hotels and the magnificent Lichtentaler Allee park with

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its 3km tree-lined avenue. The alabasterwhite Kurhaus is a Baden-Baden landmark and one of the world’s most beautiful casinos, while the Festspielhaus – Europe’s second largest opera house and concert hall – provides a splendid venue for the festival held in honour of Herbert von Karajan every Whitsun. Lichtentaler Allee park is also home to the fascinating Frieder Burda Museum, which was designed by Richard

Fabergé Museum and Baden-Baden State Art Gallery as well as the theatre and philharmonic orchestra. Attracting people from all over the world, the famous horse races at the Iffezheim racecourse have been annual society events since 1858. Whatever the time of year, the beautiful old quarter is ideal for a leisurely shopping spree. Award-winning restaurants offer international specialities and refined local

“Baden-Baden: for the finer things in life.” www.germany.travel/baden-baden Meier and opened in 2004. Regarded as one of the best collections of modern art in the world, the permanent exhibition includes such well-known names as Georg Baselitz, Max Beckmann, Anselm Kiefer, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Willem de Kooning, Markus Lüpertz, Pablo Picasso, Sigmar Polke, Jackson Pollock and Gerhard Richter. Other notable institutions are the Baden-Baden Museum,

cuisine. Wine lovers will also appreciate the nearby wine region where, against a sweeping backdrop of vineyards, cosy inns and exquisite restaurants offer a culinary voyage of great distinction. And it must be clear by now that Baden-Baden is a destination of great distinction.

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PRODUCTION CREDITS Design and layout M.A.D. Kommunikation, Offenbach www.mad-kommunikation.de

Lithography Venus.Werbeagentur GmbH, Bogen www. venus-werbung.de

Printed by Vogel Druck und Medienservice GmbH, Höchberg www. vogel-druck.de

Translation LingServe Ltd. www. lingserve.co.uk

Photo credits: All photographs from front to back and left to right. Title: picture alliance C0ntents: Getty Berlin: Getty; Foto: Friedrichstadt-Palast / Robert Grischek (Kostüm: Uta, Loher, Conny Lüders); DZT; Max 2001 (Foto: Norbert Meise); Scholvien; Bernd Schüttke; DZT Bremen/BremerhaVen: Getty; Glow Images; Deutsches Auswandererhaus; imago; Panther Media GmbH Dresden: Matthias Creutziger, Semperoper Dresden; DZT; Archiv der Gläsernen Manufaktur von Volkswagen; DZT; Archiv SFV / Dr. Semechin; picture alliance / ZB; TMGS / Katja Fouad Vollmer; HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste Dresden; Panther Media GmbH Düsseldorf / Neuss & Ratingen: Düsseldorf Marketing & Tourismus GmbH; Destination Düsseldorf Veranstaltungs GmbH; Düsseldorf Marketing & Tourismus GmbH; picture alliance/dpa; imago; Getty; Panther Media GmbH; Panther Media GmbH Erfurt: imago; picture alliance / ZB Hamburg: www.mediaserver.hamburg.de / C. Spahrbier; DZT; www.mediaserver.hamburg.de / R. Hegeler; Stage Entertainment; Miniatur Wunderland GmbH 2011; imago; Panther Media GmbH; DZT; Herzog und deMeuron Hannover: Deutsche Messe AG; imago; picture alliance; picture alliance / dpa; picture alliance / dpa; Axel Hindemith / Wikipedia; Tom Kidd / Wikipedia; Zoo Hannover GmbH; Hannover Marketing und Tourismus Gesellschaft (HMTG) 2011 Kiel: imago; Landeshauptstadt Kiel / Bodo Quante; Panther Media GmbH Magdeburg: dpa; DZT Mainz: Landeshauptstadt Mainz, Bildarchiv; dpa Munich: Getty; BMW AG; picture alliance / HB Verlag; DZT; picture alliance / Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo; Panther Media GmbH; Panther Media GmbH Potsdam: dpa; imago saarbrücken: Wikimedia / Wolfgang Staudt; Kongress- und Touristik Service Saarbrücken; Glow Images schwerin: Getty; dpa; DZT stuttgart / sindelfingen: Daimler AG; DZT; Stuttgart Marketing GmbH; Stuttgart Marketing GmbH; Thomas Niedermüller; Outlet City Metzingen; Stuttgart Marketing GmbH; Wirtschaftsförderung Sindelfingen GmbH wiesbaden: DZT; Rheingau Musik Festival / Ansgar Klostermann; DZT Aachen: DZT; dpa Augsburg: Kongress am Park Augsburg / N. Liesz.; Deutsche Mozartstadt Augsburg Bielefeld: Dirk Topel Bonn: picture alliance / JOKER; picture alliance / ZB; Barbara Frommann; DZT; imago Braunschweig: DZT chemnitz: Panther Media GmbH; picture alliance / ZB; dpa; Dieter Wuschanski; Stadt Chemnitz (Fotograf: Sven Gleisberg) Darmstadt: Panther Media GmbH Frankfurt / Offenbach: Norbert Miguletz (Abgebildete Werke: VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2013; The Estate of Francis Bacon; Succession Picasso); DZT / Jochen Keute; DZT / Palmengarten Frankfurt; DZT; Tourismus+Congress GmbH Frankfurt am Main; H. Ullmann; Panther Media GmbH; Amt für Öffentlichkeitsarbeit der Stadt Offenbach am Main Freiburg: picture alliance / dpa; picture alliance / Bildagentur Huber; Panther Media GmbH Göttingen: imago Heidelberg: DZT; DZT / Andrew Cowin Ingolstadt: Value Retail Management Germany GmbH Jena: imago Karlsruhe: picture alliance / Bildagentur Huber; Eifel Touristik Agentur NRW GmbH; Karlsruhe Messe- und Kongress-GmbH/Tourismus Kassel: documenta und Museum Fridericianum Veranstaltungs-GmbH, 2012 (Fotograf: Nils Klinger); GrimmHeimat NordHessen / Paavo Blåfield Koblenz: imago; Glow Images COlogne: DZT; KölnTourismus GmbH / Andreas Möltgen; Koelnmesse GmbH / Sven Otte; Skydeck © Ingrid Fiebak; www.koelntourismus.de Krefeld: Glow Images Leipzig: LTM / Gert Mothes; LTM / Dirk Brzoska; imago; DZT; LTM / Gert Mothes; thinkstock; Leipziger Messe Leverkusen: picture alliance / Hartmut Junker Lübeck: Getty; Panther Media GmbH Ludwigshafen: imago Mannheim: m:con; m:con Mönchengladbach: Mönchengladbach / MGMG Münster: Tourismus NRW e.V. / Oliver Franke; Kunstmuseum Pablo Picasso Münster Nuremberg / Erlangen & Fürth: picture alliance / Bildagentur Huber; imago; Bayern Tourismus Marketing GmbH; picture alliance / dpa; picture alliance / dpa; Wikimedia / Daniel Arnold; picture alliance / HB-Verlag Osnabrück: AES+F: The Feast of Trimalchio, 2009; DZT / Rainer Kiedrowski Regensburg: DZT; Regensburg Tourismus GmbH; Regensburg Tourismus GmbH Rostock: DZT / Norbert Krüger; Irma Schmidt Ruhr Region: Ruhr Tourismus / Ziese; ADFC; picture alliance / dpa; imago; imago; picture alliance / dpa; Stadt Bochum / Presse- und Informationsamt; Dortmund, Kongress Tourismus Service Trier: Getty; Getty Ulm: Christoph Seeberger; Ulm, Verkehrsamt; dpa – Report weimar: DZT; DZT wolfsburg: phaeno Deutschland; Autostadt GmbH; Autostadt GmbH wuppertal: Panther Media GmbH; picture alliance / dpa würzburg: DZT / Foto-Design Ernst Wrba; Glow Images; DZT baden-baden: Glow Images

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