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Germany

Cultural sightseeing in Germany. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

Hamburg_From St. Michaelis Germany is the third country in the world for popularity among tourists. The high interest is associated with the safety of visits, lush nightlife, and an incredible number of cultural attractions. The capital of Germany, Berlin, has a rich history. There is a large number of large museums, galleries, ancient cathedrals, and monuments. There is a museum island on the territory of the former East Berlin. The 5 major museums: Bode, Pergamon, Old National Gallery, Old and New Museums are situated there. They feature sculptures from ancient times to the modern age, works of arts, and a series of ancient coins. The main landmarks of Berlin is the TV tower and the Brandenburg Gate. In the capital, you should definitely visit the Unter den Linden boulevard with numerous sights, Paris Square, and Charlottenburg Palace.
Traditional German cuisine has ancient roots, so it’s very diverse. Each region has its own peculiarities and traditions. In the south-west of the …
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A lot of attractions can be seen in Hamburg, the second largest city in Germany. This ancient city has preserved medieval buildings. You can find houses built in the 17th century on its streets like Raimerstvite and Deichstrasse. The main attraction is the city center. It boasts the neo-Renaissance Town Hall of the 19th century, the neo-Gothic church of St. Nicholas, which is 147 meters high, and the monument to Bismarck. There are about 60 museums, one of the most famous is the art museum Hamburg Kunsthalle with a total exhibition area of ​​13 thousand square meters. It exhibits mainly art pieces dating back to 19th century. Another museum, dedicated to Ernst Barlach, contains an extensive collection of sculptures and drawings of this sculptor and writer. In Hamburg, the first opera house in Germany, the German National Theater, is located. Not long ago, the Elbe Philharmonic was opened too.
Munich is also the focal point of cultural monuments and sites. The particular interest of travelers is paid to the Old Town, which houses a large number of churches. The key among them is the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin, a symbol of the city, founded in the 16th century. The cathedral is located not far from the central square of Marienplatz, where the old and new Town Hall, and the historical market of Viktualienmarkt are located. Another incredibly gorgeous church is the Azamkirge of the 18th century, constructed in the style of the classical baroque. Munich is a city of museums that have been created here centuries ago. The most visited museum of the city, the Old Pinotek, was founded by King Louis I of Bavaria. It stores about 9 000 paintings. Modern art is represented in the House of Arts, which exhibits paintings by such authors as Picasso, Emil Nolde, Klee, and August Macke. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
German mentality is associated with pragmatism, discipline, and pedantry. Lawmaking, diligence and a logical approach to everything allow the country …
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Cologne was badly damaged during the bombing in the Second World War, but most of the monuments of architecture were restored. The ensemble of 12 Romanesque churches is among them. The oldest of them, the Church of Saint Gereon, was founded in the 4th century. The main attraction of the city, the Cologne Cathedral, was built in the Gothic style. The edifice suffered even a direct hit of a bomb; today it is one of the few original surviving in the city. Cologne has always been the capital of Catholicism in Germany, and, therefore, there is a huge number of churches of different times. One of the most famous water castles - the White House of the 10th century - can be seen close to the city.
Munich Olympiastadium The center of Stuttgart can boast with three major museums, which feature one of the largest ethnographic collections in Europe, luxury items of medieval times, archaeological exposition, and a collection of musical instruments. Also, travelers will be interested to visit the museums of Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. In the old part of the city in Düsseldorf, there are more than 250 old and modern restaurants and bars. The central street is the elegant Royal Alley. Heltorf, Kalkum, and Dusseldorf Castle are situated close to the city. The spirit of history is preserved in ancient buildings and churches in Dortmund, Frankfurt am Main, and Hannover.
Germany guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Fantastic City Tours and Excursions in Germany

Reference information
Map of all art museums
Art galleries in Germany
♥   Art museum 'Abteiberg Museum' Mönchengladbach. On the map   Photos
♥   Art museum 'Alte Nationalgalerie' Berlin. On the map   Photos
♥   Art museum 'Alte Pinakothek' Munich. On the map   Photos
♥   Art museum 'Altes Museum' Berlin. On the map   Photos
♥   Art museum 'Angermuseum' Erfurt. On the map   Photos
Map of all churches
Cathedrals and basilicas in Germany
♥   Basilika of St. Benedikt, Benediktbeuern. On the map   Photos
♥   Basilika Mariä Himmelfahrt, Uhldingen-Birnau. On the map   Photos
♥   Basilika St. Martin von Tours und St. Oswald, Weingarten. On the map   Photos
♥   Basilika St. Michael, Altenstadt. On the map   Photos
♥   Basilika Mariä Himmelfahrt, Tuntenhausen. On the map   Photos
♥   Münster Unserer Lieben Frau, Freiburg. On the map   Photos
♥   Erzabtei St. Martin, Beuron. On the map   Photos
Map of all palaces
Palaces in Germany
♥   Palace 'Alte Hofhaltung and Neue Residenz' Bamberg. On the map   Photos
♥   Palace 'Altenburg Castle' . On the map   Photos
♥   Palace 'Ansbach Castle' Ansbach. On the map   Photos
♥   Palace 'Babelsberg Palace' Potsdam. On the map   Photos
♥   Palace 'Bellevue Palace' . On the map   Photos

Extreme Guinness-type places in Germany

Oberkirche

From the series “Falling towers and buildings”
The unique old Oberkirche Church is located in Bad Frankenhausen, Germany. The angle of its tower is a record for the country. The tower is 56 meters high. Its spire is deviated from the vertical by 4.6 meters. The Gothic church was built in 1382. It has remained the main city church for hundreds of years since its construction. Initially, many unique relics and valuables were kept in the church. It was luxuriously decorated.

The peasant war began in the city in 1525. The church lost all its values at this time. The church has been at the epicenter of various battles and wars for hundreds of years. It was repeatedly destroyed by invaders. The church also suffered from numerous fires. It was possible to restore the building every time. But the Oberkirche has gone from being the richest … Read all

Suurhusen Church Tower

From the series “Falling towers and buildings”
The German village Suurhusen also has its unusual character. This is the leaning tower of a medieval church. It ranks second in the world in terms of leaning. The tower is second only to the ancient gate located in Abu Dhabi. The level of inclination of the spire of this tower is 1.22 degrees higher than that of the leaning tower of Pisa, famous all over the world. The old church in Suurhusen is a typical architectural building in the Gothic style. It was built in the 14th century. Initially, the church had a rather impressive scale. The building was 32 meters long and about 9 meters wide.

The church was completely rebuilt in the middle of the 15th century. Its area has been reduced by 4 times as a result. It was during this rebuilding that its current tower was built. The tilt of the … Read all
All unique sightseeing Germany
Country maps Maps of Germany
Car rental on OrangeSmile.com Car rental in Germany
Map of cities Cities map of Germany
Map of sights Map of sights in Germany

Preferred to Open 9 New Hotels in 2022

In September 2022, the Sommerro hotel in Oslo will start operating in a carefully restored 1930s Art Deco building. This building is a true landmark of Frogner, a historic neighborhood of the Norwegian capital. A multi-million-dollar renovation carefully turned the largest preservation project in Norway into a modern hotel with 231 rooms, including 56 residences. Preferred will open five more hotels in 2022, namely, The Wall Street Hotel in New York, Amrit Ocean Resort & Residences on Singer Island (Florida, the US), TOA Hotel & Spa in Zanzibar, Pendry hotel in Washington, and Pendry Park City hotel in Utah. Read this

29.03.2024

Top cultural sites of Germany: monuments, theaters and churches

Aachen Cathedral, Aachen

Location on the map:     Interesting facts:
» The Roman Emperor wanted to build a palace with a prayer room. For this, architects from Rome and Byzantium were invited. Charles the Great was buried here. The sacred place with his remains has survived to this day.
»  The prayer room is octagonal. Arched vaults are decorated with colorful stones. Wall panels are covered with mosaics.
»  A 12-m forged chandelier is lead. It symbolizes celestial Jerusalem. It was gifted by Frederick Barbarossa, one of the rulers in medieval Europe.
»  In the hall, there is a preserved marble chair. It was gilded over time. Here, German kings were crowned.
»  In the treasure trove, there are Christian relics: the white underwear of the Virgin Mary, the blanket of newborn Jesus, and the belt he wore when he was crucified. The authenticity of artifacts brought from the East has never been proven but they are spiritually invaluable.
»  There is a belief that it had to take money from Satan to construct the cathedral. In this case, he must have taken the souls of the first person entering the house. Cunning citizens let a wolf in. You can see its statue at the entrance.

Abbey of St. Maximin, Trier

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The imperial abbey is one of the oldest monasteries in Western Europe.
»  It was named after the clergyman Maximin when the bishop died in 353. The crypt with the clergyman’s body has survived to this day. You can see the sarcophagus in the courtyard of the monastery.
»  The temple was built in the 4th century. The complex is located near the city market square.
»  Over the years of its existence, the building was repeatedly damaged by the fire and looted during the war.
»  In 1674, buildings of the church complex were demolished. They were rebuilt by a new plan. During the Second World War, the houses were destroyed again. The original exterior has not been preserved.
»  Only the central entrance and the church has remained undamaged. The religious building served not only as the House of God. There are barracks for soldiers and cells for prisoners.
»  In 1996, the territory of the abbey became the property of the private person. Now, there is a concert hall that can accommodate 1 200 guests and the Catholic school in updated rooms.

Andreaskirche, Dusseldorf

Location on the map:     Interesting facts:
» The Church of St. Andreas was built from 1622 to 1629 and belonged to the Jesuit order. Over time, the building of the Jesuit College was attached to it.
»  In 1717 they built a tomb of the Wittelsbach family. The sarcophagus of Johann Wilhelm is placed exactly here. A monument located in front of the Dusseldorf City Hall is also designated to him.
»  In 1773, after the dissolution of the Jesuit order, the church became a parish, and in 2005 it was transferred to the Dominican order. Since 1984, the church has been protected by the state.
»  The modest appearance of the temple is in contrast to the rich interior decoration: the sculptures of 12 apostles and saints and the altar with stairs of white marble.
»  The pipe organ, created in 1782, was repaired after the war in 1953 and 1971. Citizens like to come on Sundays to the concerts of organ music.
»  The temple hosts the relics of several dozen saints, including Saint Andrew, John the Baptist of the Prophet, the Apostles Peter and Paul, and others.

Basilica of Constantine, Trier

Location on the map:     Interesting facts:
» The Basilica of Constantine is the monument of the past because there is the preserved old throne hall.
»  It is 67 m long, 26 m wide, and 33 m high. The floor is covered with black-and-white marble tiles. It is heated. The heating system is also integrated into the walls. Wall panels are inlaid with natural stone. Windows are adorned with mosaics. There are statues in the niches. Foreign guests were welcomed here.
»  The building built in 310 served as the residence of the first Christian Emperor. It is named after him.
»  The residence was not reconstructed many times, even though it changed many owners.
»  The big house is built of red bricks. The masonry is plastered.
»  The age of the Roman Empire was changed by the period of the reign of Frankish kings that loved staying here. In the 12th century, the local diocese occupied the palace. In the 17th century, Aula Palatina became the part of the prince’s castle. The army of Napoleon used its rooms as barracks. In 1856, the building served as an Evangelical refuge, the Church of Our Savior.
»  It had existed for 1500 years but was blown up during the Second World War. The ancient building was reconstructed in 1956.

Basilica of St. Severin, Cologne

Location on the map:     Interesting facts:
» Basilica of St. Severin is the Catholic Church, which is the second highest of all the Romanesque churches of Cologne.
» The western church tower has a height of almost 73 m in total; it’s only 3 m inferior to Great St. Martin Church.
» The church was consecrated in honor of St. Severin, the Catholic saint known as a Christian educator and assistant to the poor. His relics are kept in this church.
» After the World War II, the church had long time to recover. However, despite of the military bombing of Cologne, the church has still preserved furnishing items, the crypt of the 10th century and frescoes of the 16th century dedicated to St. Severin.
» At the time of the church liturgy tours around the temple are allowed just outside.

Basilica of St. Ursula, Cologne

Location on the map:     Interesting facts:
» Basilica of St. Ursula is the Roman Catholic church in the northern part of the old town, built in honor of the holy martyr St. Ursula.
» Already in the 4th century on the site of the church there had been a chapel in memory of the holy virgins, Early Christian Martyrs of Rome.
» The church houses the sarcophagus of St. Ursula with sculpture of alabaster. However, this sarcophagus is empty; it only serves to honor the saint. Her relics are kept in a casket on the altar.
» The church has a lot of interesting details. The amazing sculpture depicts St. Ursula protecting her friends with her cloak. The sculpture was created in the middle of the 15th century.
» There was built a separate room, called the Golden Chamber, for storing sacred relics in the church of St. Ursula.
» Walls of Golden Chamber are lined with bones, where prayers are written.

Basilica of the Holy Apostles, Cologne

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The Basilica of the Holy Apostles is another Catholic church in Cologne that is the basilica with two transepts and three Romanesque naves.
» The church is decorated with three towers; the height of the highest is 67 m. This tower is the third highest among all the Romanesque churches of Cologne.
» The church was built in the 9th century, and later the Basilica of the Holy Apostles was erected there.
» In 1860, the gymnasium, which still exists today, was open in the church.
» After World War II, the church was badly damaged. However, funds for the restoration of the temple were collected, and in 1957 the building was renovated.

Basilika St. Lambertus, Dusseldorf

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » St. Lambert's Basilica is the oldest building in Düsseldorf. In the 8th century, the first chapel in honor of St. Lambert was built by Saint Willeick.
»  In 1288, the village of Düssel received the status of a city and the construction of a wooden church began. After several fires that destroyed the wooden structure, the Duke Wilhelm I continued the construction of the temple, and in 1394 the basilica was consecrated.
»  This event is considered as the year of the church foundation. At the same time, the relic of St. Apollinaris, the patron of Dusseldorf, were brought into the basilica.
»  To this day, the temple keeps the relic of the head of St. Willeick. Apart from this, the church hosts two miraculous images of the Blessed Virgin dated from 1100 and 1334, and the tomb of the Duke Wilhelm V, buried in 1592. A valuable relic also is the Gothic tabernacle, which depicts the most ancient coat of arms of Dusseldorf.
»  In 1974, the Pope awarded the status of a "small Basilica" to the church of St. Lambert.

Culture and monuments in popular cities of Germany

Berlin
Local cultural institutions usually feature large collections of historical and archaeological artifacts, works of art and national costumes. Unter den Linden Boulevard also deserves your closest attention as many notable architectural sights are located along it. During the walk guests will see Humboldt University, Palace of Princess, Brandenburg Gate, Palace of Crown Prince, Berlin Cathedral, and the world famous Adlon hotel. Each of these buildings is considered a valuable historical … Read more
Munich
Hall of Fame (Siegestor) is one of the symbols of the city. The look of the building resembles the famous Arc de Triomphe. The landmark has one more name - the "Victory Gateway". The monument, which is dedicated to the brave Bavarian troops, has been built by order of Ludwig I. The suburban area of Munich is the location of Bavaria statue - the main symbol of the country. The opening of the monument took place in 1850. Since that time the grand Germanic character captured by the sculptor has … Read more
Hamburg
Hamburg is home to a huge number of religious sites, each of which has its own unique architectural style and unique history. The beautiful Sankt-Jacobi-Kirche was built in the beginning of the 16th century. The halls of the church still keep valuable religious artifacts. In the main hall of the church you will see one of the largest baroque organs in Europe. It was donated to the church in 1693. Beautiful medieval altars are a no less remarkable element of the church. They were installed … Read more
Cologne
Rhine Park in Cologne remains one of favorite places for walking among both residents and guests of the city. Without a doubt, beautiful dancing fountains are the main decoration of the park. You will also find a swimming pool, several dancing zones and areas for picnics on the territory of the park. This park will be truly loved by fans of active pastime. Among other prominent attractions in Cologne that are recommended for visiting are Chocolate Museum, the local Town Hall, and beautiful … Read more
Frankfurt am Main
One of the most important historical monuments of the country is the Paulskirche founded at the turn of 18th-19th centuries. During the revolution of 1848, the first Parliament, which was elected democratically, was housed in church walls. At present, the old church with a luxurious interior is used for a variety of cultural activities. Alte Oper is considered the most important monument of the late 19th century; it has been one of the most important opera halls of the country for more than a … Read more
Dusseldorf
The building of the town hall is a striking architectural landmark. It was built in the 16th century. Not far away from the building you will find the house of Heinrich Heine. This is the place where the world-renowned poet was born. In addition to historical sites this part of the city is home to a large number of entertainment and catering venues for every taste. Speaking of the famous poet, it is worth mentioning one more attraction - Heinrich Heine University. The story of this … Read more
Dresden
Fans of painting should visit Dresden Art Gallery, which exhibits masterpieces by Rubens, Titian and Van Dyck. A stunning painting of Madonna by Raphael is considered the main decoration of the gallery. In Armory visitors can see a large collection of ceremonial weapons, historical textiles, and antique armor. The museum exhibits around 10,000 historical artifacts in total. Lovers of natural and architectural attractions will find much interesting in making a walk through the valley of the … Read more
Stuttgart
Among architectural monuments Altes Schloss is the indisputable leader; it is located in the center of Stuttgart and resembles a solid fortress. The first fortification in its place has been built in the mid-10th century; in the 14th century it was expanded and served as the residence of the Württemberg Counts. The castle was badly damaged during the Second World War, but through the efforts of modern architects it was fully restored by 1971. Schloss Solitude deserves special attention and … Read more

Germany map of cultural and historical sites

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