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Home , Aachen Cathedral, Bremen Roland, Cologne Cathedral, Eisleben, Fagus Factory, Goslar

UNESCO World ­Heritage in Where history comes to life

Kirchenchurches AltsthistOricadt-a l Scchlösserastles industrie-iNdustrial nNaatur,ture, G gärtenarde N s weitereOther W Orld & Klösterabbeys tOensemblesWN ceNtres & Bpaurgenlaces kheritulturage & LalaNndschdscapesaften Wheritelterbestättenage sites

Find us on UNESCO-Welterbestätten www.-welterbe.de facebook Deutschland e.V. www.germany.travel contents

Kirchenchurches AltsthistOricadt-a l cSchlösserastles industrie-iNdustrial nNaatur,ture, G gärtenarde N s weitereOther W Orld & Klösterabbeys tOensemblesWN ceNtres & pBaurgenlaces kheritulturage & LalaNndschdscapesaften Wheritelterbestättenage sites

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Lorsch – Benedictine Abbey Germany – Where history comes to life. . . 4 and Altmünster Monastery...... 24 – The ...... 6 Lübeck – Historic City Centre...... 25 – Monastery Complex . . . . . 26 – The . 7 Pit Site ...... 27 – Old ...... 8 Muskauer Park...... 28 – The Margravial House. . . 9 Upper Middle Valley ...... 29 – The Island. 10 Pfaffenwinkel – Berlin – Modernism Housing Estates . 11 Pilgrimage ...... 30 – Town Hall and Prehistoric Pile Dwellings Statue in the Market Square. . . . 12 Around the ...... 31 Potsdam and Berlin – Brühl – The Castles of Augustusburg Prussian Palaces and Parks...... 32 and Falkenlust ...... 13 – ...... 33 The Ancient Beech Forests of Germany. . 14 Compare this culture to other travel destinations – Old Town Where can you still fi nd vast areas of untouched nature? In the Amazons? How about Germany’s und – with Stadtamhof. 34 ancient Beech Forests? Five National Parks in Germany, each with its own unique fl ora and fauna, have The Sites . 15 Reichenau – The Monastic Island of been awarded the UNESCO’s World accolade. And once you have fi lled your lungs with Dessau-Wörlitz – The Garden Kingdom. . 16 Reichenau...... 35 their fresh forest air, discover the other „ UNESCO Highlights in Germany – full of enchanting traditions, – The Cathedral...... 36 Eisenach – Castle . 17 charm and plenty of history. Knowing where to fi nd it: www.germany.travel and – and – Historical Centres...... 37 Memorials...... 18 – Roman Monuments, Cathedral Essen – Zollverein Coal Mine of St. Peter and Church of Our Lady. . . . . 38 Industrial Complex...... 19 Völklingen Ironworks...... 39 Mines, Historic Town The ...... 40 of and Upper Water Weimar – Classical Weimar...... 41 Management System ...... 20 Würzburg – The Residence with Court – St. ‘s Church Gardens and Residence Square. 42 and the Cathedral . 21 Recommended tours...... 45 – The Cathedral ...... 22 Production credits...... 53 The Upper Germanic-Rhaetian . . . 23 Map of World Heritage Sites ...... 54

in cooperation with Contact UNESCO-Welterbestätten Deutschland e.V. Palais Salfeldt · Kornmarkt 6 © JOCHEN www.aeroverde.eu KNOBLOCH, 06484 Quedlinburg Tel.: +49 (0)3946-81 12 -53 /-54 Fax: +49 (0)3946-81 12 56 Email: [email protected] Website: www.unesco-welterbe.de United Nations German UNESCO World Educational,Scientific and Heritage Sites Association Cultural Organization 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in germany

The Wadden Sea Maulbronn – Monastery Complex Eisleben – Luther Memorials Prussian Palaces and Parks Fossil Site PotsdamThe Zollverein Schloss Coal Sanssouci Mine

Old Town Ensemble of Lübeck Classical Weimar Upper Middle Rhine Valley Bremen – Roland Statue Cologne – The Cathedral Old Town Ensemble of Quedlinburg

Where history comes to life

UNESCO World Heritage Sites are outstanding its most fascinating examples. Examine the The uNescO limited resources may also receive financial testimonies to the history of mankind and earliest traces of world history at the Messel Pit World Heritage Convention assistance. The convention aims to promote and nature: silent yet eloquent witnesses to Fossil Site in Hessen. Combine a visit to Berlin intensify both cooperation between all people magnificent cultural achievements and with a stroll through 6,000 years of cultural and nations and the protection of natural and natural phenomena. history, or let yourself be inspired by the clarity The ‘Convention concerning the Protection cultural heritage. Sustainable travel can be a way of Bauhaus in Dessau and Weimar. of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage’ of contributing to the protection of World Herit- Only the most exceptional examples are inscribed All the World Heritage Sites in Germany are well was adopted by the General Conference of age Sites. The German UNESCO World Heritage on the UNESCO World Heritage list and enjoy worth a visit. Succumb to the magic of these UNESCO in 1972. It charges all of mankind with Sites Association seeks to increase the popularity the special international protection associated historical locations. Explore different stages of the protection of cultural and natural heritage of German World Heritage Sites and to promote with that status. Sites range from individual the history of mankind. UNESCO World Heritage of ‘out-standing universal value’. By signing the low-impact and specialised tourism to the sites architectural monuments to entire , and is always truly remarkable – as are journeys to convention, each country pledges to protect the on a sustainable scale. This is seen as an oppor- from industrial heritage to extraordinary natural the German World Heritage Sites. This brochure monuments located within its borders and to tunity not only to provide information about landscapes. Travelling to UNESCO World Heritage provides information and suggestions on how to preserve them for future generations. In return, and access to the World Heritage Sites, but also Sites is a remarkable journey back into history – experience history while enjoying the beauty of UNESCO member states receive specialist advice to ensure their continued preservation from the a unique experience. Discover history through each region. on preserving their monuments. Countries with funding provided by tourism income.

4 www.unesco-welterbe.de 5 aachen Alfeld

The Fagus FactoryA UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011

Construction of the Fagus Factory began under the manufacture of Fagus shoe lasts, has con- , the leading architect of the tinued uninterrupted to the present day since Bauhaus movement, in 1911. It is considered the foundation of the company by the visionary throughout the world to be one of the first entrepreneur Carl Benscheidt. Fagus is the Latin buildings of the Modernist era. word for beech and used to be the material most used for shoe lasts. Gropius succeeded in endowing a medium- sized business with a quite unfamiliar, untra- Our tip: ditional appearance. Two of the trademarks of Take a tour to explore this enduring monument and vis- the New Building movement are the glass and it the exhibition about Gropius and the Fagus Factory steel façade and the unsupported, fully glazed in the former warehouse. Carefully chosen events, such corners which lend the buildings a weightless as concerts and art exhibitions, guarantee a perfect cul- tural experience in these very special surroundings. elegance. The functionalistic industrial complex was constructed in three stages from 1911 to 1925. 100 years later, the timeless factory build- Information & booking ing, which has protected monument status, Fagus-GreCon continues to fulfil its original purpose and is Hannoversche Straße 58, 31061 Alfeld Tel.: +49 (0)5181-790 now considered a leading example of the indus- Fax: +49 (0)5181-794 06 trial culture of the 20th century. Production at Email: [email protected] this still functioning monument, which includes Website: www.fagus-grecon.de The CathedralA UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978

In 786, began construction of the significance in Germany to be included in the Church of St. Mary, a for his imperial UNESCO list of world heritage sites. palace, in the city that is now Aachen. His vision was to build a ‘new ’. Our tip: He was laying the foundations of one of the Use the ‘Aachen vielfältig [Many sides of Aachen]’ most important buildings in . The Cathe- package to explore Emperor Charlemagne’s­ city dral in Aachen, which over its 1000-year history and the Cathedral with its treasures. For more information go to: has grown up around Charlemagne’s church www.aachen-pauschalen.de to become the building we see today. The sin- gle was consecrated on the 600th anniversary of Charlemagne’s death. The bold Information & booking architecture of the ‘Glass House’ of Aachen is aachen tourist service e.v. as impressive now as it was then. In the 600 Tourist Info Elisenbrunnen years from 936 to 1531, 30 German kings were Friedrich-Wilhelm-Platz crowned in . It has lost none of 52062 Aachen Tel.: +49 (0)241-180 29 -60 oder -61 the splendour of its past. Its outstanding impor- Fax: +49 (0)241-180 29 30 tance was underlined in 1978 when it was the Email: [email protected] first ensemble with architectural and historical Website: www.aachen-tourist.de

6 www.unesco-welterbe.de 7 bamberg Bayreuth

Old Town A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993

This city, the seat of and emperors of original buildings, the continuing existence throughout its 1000-year history, stands on of the mediaeval structure and the pleasing 7 hills at the heart of the Franconian cultural harmony of town, landscape and river make landscape. ­Bamberg a worthy recipient of world heritage status. Its founder and patron Emperor Heinrich II (died 1024) elevated Bamberg to the centre of the Holy and made it his . Its appearance is defined by exceptional build- Our tip: ings such as the Cathedral, the Old Town Hall, Find out about the history of Bamberg in an entertaining performance by the Theater der the New Palace and St Michael’s Monastery and Schatten, the Theatre of Shadows, or immerse by the River Regnitz. Its many watercourses and yourself in Bamberg‘s rich beer culture on a bridges contribute to the romantic atmosphere BierSchmecker®Tour, a beer-tasting tour. You that pervades the town. Bamberg is essentially can enjoy some outstanding classical music at concerts with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. a city of the , although it has not lost its mediaeval structure. Almost untouched by The Margravial wars, it today represents the largest coherent ensemble of buildings in a historic city centre Information & booking A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012 in Germany. Uniquely, it is divided into three BAMBERG Tourismus & Kongress Service very different and also extremely lively districts: Geyerswörthstraße 5 Bergstadt, Inselstadt and Gärtnerstadt, which 96047 Bamberg The in Bayreuth is con- painted to look like marble. The Opera House is Tel.: +49 (0)951-297 62 00 are demarcated by the course of the Regnitz. Fax: +49 (0)951-297 62 22 sidered a masterpiece of 18th century baroque currently closed for restoration, but visitors can Bamberg is a living city of culture which appeals Email: [email protected] theatre architecture. view a small section and take in an exhibition to its visitors on every level. The combination Website: www.bamberg.info about the Opera House from May 2013. Visitors find themselves almost overwhelmed by the colourful splendour of its interior. Built from 1744-1748 by Giuseppe Galli Bibiena and his Our tip: son Carlo, the leading theatre architects of their Visit the Margravial Opera House during the time, it is the most beautiful baroque theatre Bayreuther­ Residenztage Festival in September. still in existence in Europe. In 1744, Wilhelmine, This is a series of events which will introduce you to Marchioness of Bayreuth and sister of the Prus- interesting, exciting and amusing aspects of other sian king , engaged them to historic buildings built in and around Bayreuth by the provide the interior architecture for her newly ruling family, such as the New Palace, the Hermitage and the Fantaisie Palace. built opera house. Today, the Margravial Opera House in Bayreuth is still considered their most spectacular work, an unparalleled masterpiece of late Italian Baroque. Even in the 18th century Information the Opera House in Bayreuth was considered Bayreuth Marketing & Tourismus GmbH, out of the ordinary. The interior is not rendered Opernstraße 22 95444 Bayreuth from stone and marble but only from wood; Tel.: +49 (0)921-885 88 even the columns were made of wood to Email: [email protected] improve the acoustic and covered with paper Website: www.bayreuth-tourismus.de

8 www.unesco-welterbe.de 9 berlin berlin Modernism Housing Estates

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008

The Modernism Housing Estates in Berlin repre- promotes the heritage and preservation of two sent the artistic and social vision of a new type estates: the Falkenberg Garden City and the Schil- of urban and housing development. lerpark Estate. The foundation is a member of the German UNESCO World Heritage Sites Association These flats were affordable, efficiently laid out through which it has regular dialogue with other and equipped with modern facilities, a kitchen, UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany a bathroom and balcony. They were situated in (www.welterbe-berlin.de). buildings without courtyards and side wings and were intended to alleviate the housing shortage Our tip: The Museum IslandA UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999 of the early 20th century and provide a better Combine a guided tour of the estates with a visit to standard of living for poorer people. the Bauhaus Archive Museum of Design in Berlin. – Falkenberg Garden City (Treptow), 1913–15 There are tourist information centres at the main Lying between the River Spree and the Kupfer- ing of the splendidly restored New Museum in – Schillerpark Estate (Wedding), 1924–30 railway station, at Brandenburg Gate and at Neues graben, the contains master- October 2009, all five on the island – Britz Estate – the ‘Horseshoe Estate’ Kranzler Eck (Kurfürstendamm). For opening times and addresses, go to pieces spanning 6000 years of the history of are now open again for the first time since (Neukölln), 1925–31 www.visitBerlin.de mankind. they were closed due to war damage. The Old – C arl Legien Residential Estate National Gallery had already opened to the (Prenzlauer Berg), 1928–30 The period from 1830-1930 saw the develop- ­public in 2001, the Museum in 2006 with – Weiße Stadt Estate (Reinickendorf), 1929–31 Information & booking ment of an outstanding architectural ensemble the Colonnades following in 2010. – S iemensstadt Estate Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH Am Karlsbad 11 occupying less than 1 square kilometre on an (Charlottenburg and Spandau), 1929–31 10785 Berlin island in the River Spree. This ensemble was Our tip: The ‘Gartenstadt Falkenberg und Schillerpark Tel.: +49 (0)30-25 00 25 declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in The cultural mecca of Berlin offers over 170 mu- Siedlung der Berliner Moderne’ foundation Website: www.visitBerlin.de 1999. It began in 1830 with the completion of seums and 1500 events every day. They make up a the Old Museum, which was designed by Karl broad mix of serious culture, entertainment, avant- Friedrich Schinkel. In 1841 his pupil, Friedrich garde and the latest trends. August Stüler, produced the first designs for the The ‚Long Night of the Museums‘ in mid-March and development of the whole Museum Island; they at the end of August featuring concerts, theatre and special guided tours into the early hours is a were used in 1859 to build the New Museum major fixture in the calendar of cultural events in and in 1876 the Old National Gallery. The Kaiser Berlin and can always be relied upon to open up Friedrich Museum (today the Bode Museum) new areas and perspectives. was opened in 1904. The opening of the Perga- There are tourist information centres at the main mon Museum in 1930 concluded construction railway station, at Brandenburg Gate and at Neues work on the Museum Island for a time. Almost Kranzler Eck (Kurfürstendamm). For opening times and addresses, go to www.visitBerlin.de 70% of the museum buildings were destroyed in the Second World War. Under the ‘Museum Island Master­ Plan’, the historical buildings are Information & booking being renovated and modern structures added. Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH Am Karlsbad 11 A closer thematic link between the collections 10785 Berlin is being established to create a comprehensive Tel.: +49 (0)30-25 00 25 overview of western culture. With the open- Website: www.visitBerlin.de

10 www.unesco-welterbe.de 11 bremen brühl Town Hall and Roland Statue in the Market­ Square A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004

The justification for the inclusion of the Town Our tip: Hall in Bremen in the list of world heritage sites With over 170 festively decorated stalls set specifically emphasises that it is ‘an outstand- up around the Town Hall and the Roland ing example of late architecture in statue, the Christmas market in Bremen is , a period called the perfect for a leisurely stroll. Renaissance’. In September, the city reveals a musical side during the Bremen Music Festival. The The building has remained almost unchanged opening ‚Eine große Nachtmusik‘ event for 600 years. The two large and magnificent features concerts in various parts of the Gothic halls which lie one above the other, still Market Square, which is transformed into represent Bremen’s political importance as a free a vibrant piazza with atmospheric lighting and delicious food and drink. Hanseatic city. UNESCO experts describe the Roland statue as ‘one of the most representa- The Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust tive and oldest of the Roland statues which were erected as symbols of freedom and market A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984 rights’. Bremen’s Roland statue does indeed Information & booking embody the ideal of liberty. ‘I manifest your Bremer Touristik-Zentrale freedom’ says the inscription on the shield of the Findorffstraße 105 The Augustusburg and Falkenlust Castles and Our tip: stone statue, which was erected in 1404. As long 28215 Bremen their gardens in Brühl have been included in the There are plenty of events at Castle as that inscription remains, say the local people, Service-Telefon: +49 (0)421-30 800 10 list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a fine ex- Augustusburg and at Falkenlust, includ- Bremen will stay free. The Town Hall and the Email: [email protected] ample of German architecture. They are ing a range of themed guided tours of Website: www.bremen-tourismus.de both buildings and their gardens that Roland statue in Bremen bear unique witness to Tourist Information in Bremen: now museums and open to the public. illustrate many aspects of life at an the civic autonomy and sovereignty which devel- Obernstraße/Liebfrauenkirchhof 18thcentury court. oped during the . and at main railway station Work on Castle Augustusburg, the favourite The Brühl Castle Concerts are interna- residence of Clemens August of , Elector tional performances of classical music and (1700–1761), began that take place from May to September in 1725 under the Westphalian architect Johann against the backdrop of the famous Grand Staircase. Conrad Schlaun. From 1728 until 1768, it was transformed into an imposing palace under the guidance of the Bavarian court architect Fran- çois de Cuvilliés. The famous Grand Staircase which until 1996 was still used for official recep- Information & booking tions by the German President was designed by Service Telefon: +49 (0)2232-44 000 . The baroque gardens were Brühl Info created by Dominique Girard and modelled on Uhlstraße 1 French designs. Falkenlust, a small summer resi- 50321 Brühl dence and hunting lodge, was also built by Cuvil- Tel.: +49 (0)2232-793 45 Fax: +49 (0)2232-793 46 liés in a relatively short time (1729-37). It is one of Email: [email protected] the most intimate and exquisite creations of the Website: www.schlossbruehl.de, German Rococo period. www.bruehl.de

12 www.unesco-welterbe.de 13 Beech Forests dessau und weimar The Ancient Beech Forests of Germany

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011

These most precious forests of European Beech Our tip: in Germany are located in five nature reserves. The National Park Visitor Centre at KÖNIGSSTUHL with an interactive They represent different types of beech forest exhibition; Müritzeum – the Nature from the coast to the Central German Uplands. Discovery Centre for the Lake District; NABU Nature Discovery With six primeval forests in Ukraine and four in Centre for the Blumberger Mill; the Slovakia, they form the ‘Primeval Beech Forests National Park Visitor Centre at Thiems- of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech For- burg with exhibition and tree-top walk; ests of Germany’ World Heritage Site. Interactive exhibition with 4-D sensory Germany lies at the heart of the European cinema in the Kellerwald National Park Visitor Centre. Beech Forest. The European beech grows only in The Bauhaus SitesA UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 Europe and was the original natural vegetation of Germany. Today contiguous areas of ancient beech forests are valuable and to be treasured. The Bauhaus movement was founded in 1919 in Our tip: More than 10,000 species of plants, animals and Information & booking Weimar under the leadership of Walter Gropius The Bauhaus Museum and its collections and the fungi can be found in these forests. These spec- Nationalpark-Zentrum KÖNIGSSTUHL, and signalled a design revolution. Bauhaus walking tour with students from the Bauhaus tacular landscapes help visitors to understand www.koenigsstuhl.com University. Trace the early Bauhaus movement through how Germany would appear in the absence of Tourismusverband Mecklenburgische Seenplatte e.V., Henry van de Velde, the designer, architect and historic locations and discover the past and the present of the Bauhaus artists in Weimar. www.weimar.de human intervention. Marked hiking routes and www.mecklenburgische-seenplatte.de consummate Bauhaus pioneer, created the NABU-Informationszentrum Blumberger Mühle, paths invite visitors to undertake unforgettable ideal conditions in which the movement could The Kurt Weill Festival is held every year at the begin- www.blumberger-muehle.de ning of March in Dessau. Famous international singers, journeys of discovery. For more information, go Tourismusverband Hainichland, www.hainichland.de develop. His buildings in Weimar – the former musicians and actors perform at some 40 events in vari- to www.weltnaturerbe-buchenwaelder.de. Edersee Touristic GmbH, www.edersee.com Art College and the School of Arts and Crafts ous venues around the town. – were the original home of the Bauhaus move- Following in the tradition of the Dessau Bauhaus festi- ment and now enjoy UNESCO World Heritage vals of the 1920s, the Colour Festival at the beginning of status. The model house called Am Horn built by September starts with an evening parade to the Bau- Georg Muche in 1923 for the great Bauhaus Exhi- haus where celebrations continue throughout the night. A different colour is chosen every year as the theme for bition bears eloquent testimony to the artists’ activities and guests. www.bauhaus-dessau.de revolutionary ideas and is also part of Weimar’s UNESCO World Heritage. In 1925, the Bauhaus school moved to Dessau and in 1926, the Bau- Information & booking haus building designed by Walter Gropius was Tourist-Information Weimar inaugurated. It is still considered a groundbreak- Markt 10, 99423 Weimar ing example of of the early Tel.: +49 (0)3643-74 50 Fax: +49 (0)3643-74 54 20 20th century. The houses for the families of the Email: [email protected] ‘Masters’ – Gropius, Moholy-Nagy, Feininger, Website: www.weimar.de Muche, Schlemmer, Kandinsky and Klee – were Tourist-Information Dessau-Roßlau built at the same time. The Bauhaus building, Zerbster Straße 4, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau Tel.: +49 (0)340-204 14 42 which is today the headquarters of the Bauhaus Fax: +49 (0)340-220 30 03 Dessau foundation, and the Masters’ houses are Email: [email protected] open to visitors. Website: www.dessau-rosslau-tourismus.de

14 www.unesco-welterbe.de 15 dessau-wörlitz eisenach The Garden Kingdom

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000

The Garden Kingdom was created by Prince Our tip: ­Leopold III Friedrich Franz von Anhalt-Dessau Every year on Garden Kingdom Day at the be- (1740-1817) whose many reforms were aimed ginning of August, numerous events are staged at fostering a harmonious interaction of man, in all the parks; visitors are encouraged to move from one to another and experience the Garden ­nature and art. Kingdom as a whole. Sophisticated and enter- taining events are held under the umbrella of He created the Garden Kingdom in a landscape the Garden Kingdom Summer Festival in the of rivers, wet woodlands and broad meadows. parks and palaces of the Garden Kingdom. Palaces, gardens, avenues, small buildings, The lakeside concerts held in Wörlitz Park from bridges and other structures blend in with the May to August are a special tradition. natural surroundings so that the whole area acquires the character of a park of infinite dimen- sions. Around the outskirts of Dessau lie the neo- classical Luisium Palace with its gardens in the English style, the rococo ensemble of Mosigkau, Information & booking the Großkühnau country park and the Georgium Touristinformation Dessau-Roßlau Palace which houses the House of Anhalt’s col- Zerbster Straße 4 Wartburg Castle A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999 lection of paintings. They form a single unit with 06844 Dessau-Roßlau the baroque ensemble comprising the Oranien- Tel.: +49 (0)340-204 14 42 Fax: +49 (0)340-220 30 03 baum town, palace and park and the most Email: [email protected] Wartburg Castle is one of the best-preserved visitors to Wartburg Castle, which can offer a important part of the Garden Kingdom – Wörlitz Website: www.dessau-rosslau-tourismus.de mediaeval castles in Germany. First built in 1067, delightful experience in a fabulous landscape at Park and Wörlitz Palace. www.gartenreich.com it developed into an extensive fortress complex any time of year. over the course of centuries.

Wartburg Castle is one of the best-preserved Our tip: mediaeval castles in Germany. First built in 1067, The romantic atmosphere of the Castle it developed into an extensive fortress complex makes it a perfect place to enjoy concerts over the course of centuries, with Romanesque, in the ceremonial hall from May to Octo- Gothic and 19th century architectural structures. ber and at the ‘Summer Nights’ events. Like a book, the Romanesque Great Hall illus- A popular traditional Christmas market is trates 900 years of history: courtly art from the held on the weekends during Advent. , the life and deeds of St. Elizabeth, ’s translation of the New Testa- ment and the symbolism of the Castle as a place Information & booking in which to commemorate German integration Wartburg-Stiftung and unity. Today, the art treasures, mediaeval tap- Auf der Wartburg 1 estries, the ‘Dürer cupboard’, paintings by Lucas 99817 Eisenach Tel.: +49 (0)3691-25 00 Cranach the Elder, a probably unique collection Fax: +49 (0)3691-20 33 42 of cutlery and European arts and crafts from the Email: [email protected] 11th to the 19th century attract large numbers of Website: www.wartburg.de, www.eisenach.de

16 www.unesco-welterbe.de 17 eisleben und wittenberg essen Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001

While it was still in operation, the Zollverein col- VISITORCENTRE, the portal for industrial culture liery and coking plant in Essen, now a UNESCO and the Museum, the regional museum for World Heritage Site, was considered one of the the Ruhr area. largest and most modern in the world. Our tip: Constructed by the architects Fritz Schupp and In Summer: ExtraSchicht, (‘Late Shift’) a long night of in- Martin Kremmer in the New Objectivity style, dustrial culture; last weekend in September: ‘Zechenfest’ Luther Memorials a uNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 mine shaft 12 represented a unique example of (Miners’ Gala) – music and theatre performances, live its kind. Today, the mine and the functionally acts, children’s activities, fireworks; all year: ZOLLVEREIN® heritage trail, guided tours of the Zollverein mine and integrated coking plant built adjacent to it by Fritz coking plant; Ruhr Museum – culture, nature and history Visitors to Eisleben and Wittenberg can still he received the building as a gift. His living room Schupp form a unique industrial landscape of of the Ruhr; portal for industrial culture: a panorama of sense the atmosphere of the and remains as it was when he was alive and can be international standing which also provides a lively metropolitan Ruhr; red dot design museum: exhibition of the Renaissance. seen in the world’s largest museum of the history of venue for cultural events. contemporary design; The Palace of Projects: a palace of the Reformation, the Luther House in Wittenberg. At the ‘most beautiful colliery in the world’ it is ideas and dreams, walk-in ‘total installations’ by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov; concerts, exhibitions and guided tours: Martin Luther was born in Eisleben and he also possible to appreciate the Modernist style of the www.zollverein.de died there. A tour of the town’s old quarter reveals Our tip: 1920s and 1930s and trace the evolution of heavy the historic market square with its splendid town- Eisleben 2nd weekend in June: Luther Festival on the industry. The ZOLLVEREIN® heritage trail takes houses, the Luther statue and the old Town Hall. It historic Market Square; last weekend in August: Luther in an open-cast mine in its original state and the Information & booking tour with many activities; 3rd weekend in September: Besucherzentrum Zollverein to the house where Luther was born, to the the ‘Eisleber Wiese’ – the biggest traditional funfair and ‘black side’ of the coking plant. Guided by experts, 14, Schacht XII [A14] church of St. Peter and St Paul where he was bap- beer festival in central Germany; December: Advent in visitors can follow the route of the black from Gelsenkirchener Str. 181, 45309 Essen Luther’s courtyards tised, the Church of St. Andrew with the original extraction from the mine to processing in the Tel.: +49 (0)201-24 68 10 from which he preached, to the Church of Wittenberg Luther’s wedding – a festival to celebrate coking plant. The former coal handling plant, the Email: [email protected] St. Anne with the only stone-carved biblical scenes Luther’s marriage to Katharina v. Bora takes place on the largest building in the colliery, is now the RUHR. Website: www.zollverein.de in Europe and to the house where he died, which is 2nd weekend in June; Wittenberger Pottery Market in September – the largest pottery market in central Ger- now a museum commemorating his death on 18th many; Wittenberg Festival of Renaissance Music in Octo- February 1546. A stroll through the historic centre ber; Reformation Festival – Festival of sacred and secular of Wittenberg brings visitors to the Castle chapel music to celebrate on 31st October with the world-famous door where Luther nailed up his theses and in which he and Melanchthon Information & booking are buried, to Cranach the painter’s courtyards, to Tourist-Information Eisleben the Town Church with its striking Cranach und Stadt e.V and to Luther’s and Melanchthon’s houses. From Hallesche Straße 4, 06295 Lutherstadt Eisleben the end of the 15th century, Wittenberg was the Tel.: +49 (0)3475-60 21 24 Fax: +49 (0)3475-60 26 34 seat of the Elector Frederick the Wise. His astute Email: [email protected] politics, the university founded in 1502 and the Website: www.eisleben-tourist.de influence of Luther and other Reformers combined Tourist-Information Lutherstadt Wittenberg to make it a leading centre of religious and cultural Schlossplatz 2, 06886 Lutherstadt Wittenberg Tel.: +49 (0)3491-49 86 10 life in Europe. From 1511, Martin Luther lived as a Fax: +49 (0)3491-49 86 11 monk and a teacher in the Augustinian monas- Email: [email protected] tery in the town. Following his marriage in 1525, Website: www.lutherstadt-wittenberg.de

18 www.unesco-welterbe.de 19 goslar hildesheim Rammelsberg Mines, Historic Town of Goslar and Water Management­ System

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992, extended in 2010

One of the largest contiguous deposits of , trails, in mines and in the Cistercian Museum at Walk- and in the world was once found enried Abbey, visitors to this special world heritage site in Rammelsberg on the outskirts of the historic can discover nature and culture in perfect harmony. town of Goslar. Our tip: St. Michael’s Church and the Cathedral What remains today is an outstanding ensemble of An adventure tour of the Rammelsberg mines through historic structures and a unique cultural land- the Rathstiefsten tunnel, which dates from 1150: dark, A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985 scape. Since mining ceased in 1988, the ore mines yet full of colour; includes lunch underground. have become one of Germany’s largest and most Advance booking required; open daily unusual museums. It provides engrossing insight into St. Michael’s Church and the Cathedral of represented a previously unheard-of achieve- 850 years of mining and includes a mine accessible Information & booking St. Mary are outstanding examples of early ment at the time. They are currently displayed to visitors. Also part of the World Heritage Site is the ­. to full advantage in the Roemer and Pelizaeus WELTKULTURERBE RAMMELSBERG historic centre of Goslar which was shaped by min- Museum & Besucherbergwerk Museum. ing traditions and which offers cultural monuments Bergtal 19, 38640 Goslar Both World Heritage churches symbolise the Tel.: +49 (0)5321-75 00 such as the Town Hall with its ‘Hall of Homage’, creative skill of Bernward (993-1022) and Our tip: numerous churches and imposing town houses to Fax: +49 (0)5321-75 01 30 have retained a significant number of excep- Email: [email protected] The UNESCO World Heritage package offers two which it still owes its splendid appearance today. The tional historic decorative features: the most Website: www.rammelsberg.de nights in a 4-star hotel with breakfast buffet plus a Upper Harz Water Management System, the largest www.goslar.de/tourismus.htm impressive of these in St. Michael’s is the painted guided tour of the UNESCO world heritage churches and most important system of ponds and ditches in Das Oberharzer Bergwerksmuseum wooden ceiling from the 13th century which and a ticket for the Fagus Factory in Alfeld. Guided the world, gained UNESCO World Heritage status in Museum für Technik und Kulturgeschichte depicts the Tree of Jesse. It is the only flat church tours of the town covering the world heritage sites 2010. Construction started in the 16th century and Bornhardtstraße 16, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld ceiling in Germany and a fascinating example of and themed on ‘On the trail of Bishop Bernward’. ­Organ recitals in the churches with their incomparable for over 400 years it was a crucial supplier of energy Tel: +49 (0)5323-989 50 monumental Romanesque painting. The spec- Fax: +49 (0)5323-98 95 69 acoustic are special events. to the mines. It comprises 107 ponds, 310 kilometres Email: [email protected] tacular cathedral treasure, the Column of Christ Other highlights: Jazz Time (Whitsun), Magdalen of ditches and 31 kilometres of underground water Website: www.bergwerksmuseum.de and the Bernward doors are characteristic of the ­Festival (June), Marienrode Abbey Concert (July), courses, many of which still channel water. On hiking www.harzinfo.de Bernwardian period. Market Square Music Days (June to August), Famers’ The Cathedral is being renovated for the anni- Market (September), Christmas Market (November/ versary of the in 2015 and is therefore December) closed until August 2014. The important valu- ables, including the monumental bronzes, have Service & booking been moved and can be seen elsewhere in tourist-information Hildesheim Hildesheim until 2014. The Column of Christ, Rathausstraße 20 (Tempelhaus) for example, which shows scenes from the 31134 Hildesheim New Testament, has been lent to the Church Tel.: +49 (0)5121-17 98 0 Fax: +49 (0)5121-17 98 88 of St. Michael. The two Bernward doors which Email: [email protected] are almost five meters high, were similarly Website: www.hildesheim.de/tourismus, cast from one piece using new technology and www.domsanierung.de

20 www.unesco-welterbe.de 21 köln / Cologne The Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes

The CathedralA UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996

Of all the major ecclesiastical buildings in the oldest known large-scale sculpture in the west- world, , on which construc- ern world, the shrine housing the of the tion commenced in 1248, epitomises high-Goth- Three Kings (1190-1225), an outstanding work of ic cathedral architecture in its purest and most Rhenish goldsmithery and the altar celebrating perfect form. With over six million visitors annu- the patron saints of Cologne (around 1440) by ally, it is one of Germany’s most popular tourist , the masterpiece of the Cologne attractions. School.

The scale of Cologne Cathedral is evident from Our tip: its two mighty towers. Completed in 1880, they Once a month from September to June, well-known dominate the city and the surrounding area like guest choirs or the Cathedral’s own choirs sing in front no other building. At the time of its comple- of the Three Kings Shrine between the choir screens. tion in the 19th century, the Cathedral was the There are organ recitals in the Cathedral every Tuesday largest building in the world. The design of the during the summer months. west front ignored all previous conventions; The Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes – larger than the façade of any other church in the Information world, said to be around 7000 square meters, KölnTourismus GmbH Frontiers of the Roman Empire it is flanked by two huge towers each rising Kardinal-Höffner-Platz 1 to a height of 157 meters. The Cathedral has a 50667 Köln A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005 Tel.: +49 (0)221-22 13 04 00 wealth of important works of art: the stained Fax: +49 (0)221-22 13 04 10 glass windows that fill the space with a mysteri- Email: [email protected] ous light, the Gero cross (around 980 AD), the Website: www.koelntourismus.de The Limes, an ancient fortified boundary wall, boards indicating particular monuments and is one of the most exceptional archaeological ­ information offices. Imposing views and fasci- monuments in and also a nating insights into the Roman past of the area ­reminder of Roman civilisation and culture of are easily combined with rest and relaxation 2000 years ago. in the outstandingly beautiful and varied land- scapes of the Roman border regions. The Limes runs from Bad Hönningen/Rheinbrohl on the Rhine to the Regensburg area on the River Our tip: Danube. Along its 550 kilometres, there are pre- Roman Festivals, guided tours of Roman sites served Roman remains, reconstructions, excava- and guided hikes, special exhibitions, family tions and replicas. The German Limes Road has and activity days. A wide programme of events become one of the most-travelled tourist routes in the towns and villages along the Limes. in Germany and links over 93 towns, villages and Information at: www.limesstrasse.de districts along its length. In some places it is still possible to make out the unwavering course of Information the Limes as it passes through forests and fields. Verein Deutsche Limes-Straße Visitors travelling on the 800 kilometre hiking St.-Johann-Straße 5 and cycling route will encounter widely varied 73430 landscapes and many sights and historic monu- Tel.: +49 (0)7361-52 82 87 23 Fax: +49 (0)7361-52 82 87 10 ments from eras other than that of the Romans. Email: [email protected] There are special signposts and information Website: www.limesstrasse.de

22 www.unesco-welterbe.de 23 lorsch LÜBECK

Benedictine Abbey and Historic City Centre A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 Altmünster ­Monastery A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991 Lübeck, the Queen of the , was Museum in Lübeck has a very effective exhibi- founded in 1143 as ‘the first western city on the tion on the fascinating world of the mediaeval Baltic coast’. merchants And finally, the visit is not complete without a piece of delicious marzipan cake at Today, it is characterised by a mediaeval atmos- Café Niederegger. phere and by cultural and historical attractions which hark back to its glorious past as a free imperial and Hanseatic city. The historic centre Our tip: which is completely surrounded by water is In December when the historic city centre one of the foremost examples of Gothic is filled with festive aromas, a visit to the architecture. The towers of 7 churches have unique arts and craft market in the cells dominated the skyline since mediaeval times. of the 14th century Hospital of the Holy The Holstentor (the Holsten Gate) is Lübeck’s Ghost is an unforgettable experience. landmark and recognised all over the world. The Buddenbrooks House, one of Lübeck’s many splendid town houses, is a memorial to the Information & booking Nobel Laureate, Thomas Mann, who was born Welcome Center der Lübeck und in Lübeck. The Günter Grass House and the Willy Travemünde Marketing GmbH Brandt House commemorate the life and work Holstentorplatz 1 of two other Nobel Laureates. A shopping trip 23552 Lübeck Tel.: +49 (0)451-889 97 00 in the narrow lanes of the old quarter reveals Fax: +49 (0)451-409 19 92 over 80 secluded mediaeval passageways and Email: [email protected] numerous courtyards. The European Hanse Website: www.luebeck-tourismus.de The famous Carolingian Gate Hall or ‘King’s Hall’ Middle Ages. One of its best-known manuscripts in Lorsch is one of Germany’s most important is the Lorsch pharmacopoeia, which can be seen pre-Romanesque architectural relics. as marking the beginning of modern medicine in post-antiquity Europe.

Neither the exact time of the construction nor Our tip: the original function of the building is known Close encounters with the Middle Ages: but the magnificent decorations on its façade Lorsch offers educational activities in and on the upper floor give an indication of the its museums for schools and families quality of other magnificent buildings that have throughout the year. been lost at Lorsch, one of the largest and most important abbeys in central Europe. Founded Guided tours & information around 764, the Abbey survived until the Ref- Verwaltung der Staatlichen Schlösser ormation (1557). It has been almost completely und Gärten Hessen destroyed since the Thirty Years’ War. At one Nibelungenstraße 32 time, it owned estates from the North Sea coast 64653 Lorsch Tel.: +49 (0)6251-10 38 20 in what is now Holland all the way to Switzer- Fax: +49 (0)6251-58 7 1 40 land. Lorsch once housed a formidable library Email: [email protected] and was a centre of learning and teaching in the Website: www.kloster-lorsch.de

24 www.unesco-welterbe.de 25 maulbronn messel

Monastery Complex A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993 Messel Pit Fossil Site

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995 The Monastery Complex in Maulbronn is the Our tip: best preserved of its kind north of the Alps. Special guided tours and tours tailored specifically for children can be arranged in addition to those Construction of the Cistercian abbey began taking place regularly for the general public. They all present a many-facetted view of monastery. in 1147 and its triple-naved was conse- Concerts at the Monastery, outdoor theatre and crated in 1178. The narthex or portico, which various markets such as the Herb and Harvest was built around 1220 in a style characteristic Market and the festive Christmas market are all of the transition from the Romanesque to the well worth a visit. Gothic period, is a masterpiece of western architecture. In the separate monks’ chancel, Information & booking the 15th century choir stall with 92 seats, illus- Stadtverwaltung Maulbronn trates the size that the monastery had reached Klosterhof 31, 75433 Maulbronn at that time. The resources required to supply Tel.: +49 (0)7043-103 0 and maintain a monastery on this scale are Fax: +49 (0)7043-103 45 indicated by the farmyard with the adjacent Email: [email protected] Website: www.maulbronn.de agricultural land and by the sophisticated water system. They have both been preserved, Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg along with the mediaeval . The mon- Infozentrum Kloster Maulbronn astery was dissolved during the Reformation Klosterhof 5, 75433 Maulbronn Tel.: +49 (0)7043-92 66 10 and converted to a monastery school after Fax: +49 (0)7043-92 66 11 1556. It still exists in a different form within the Email: [email protected] Website: www.kloster-maulbronn.de The Messel Pit, a UNESCO World Natural Our tip: ­Heritage Site since 1995, holds one of the richest The ‘Time and the Worlds of Messel’ Visitor deposits of mammal in the world. Centre is open all year round daily from 10am to 5pm, last admission at 4pm. It is also pos- sible to enter the Visitor Centre without a To date, geoscientists have unearthed approxi- guided tour. mately 50,000 individual finds from the former The Messel Pit Fossil Site can only be visited as volcanic crater lake which formed around 47 mil- part of a guided tour. There are 1-hour tours to lion years ago. Notable finds include mammals the Pit from April to October: such as prehistoric horses, , insects, reptiles, Sat/Sun and public holidays at 11am, 12.30pm, amphibians and plants. The preservation of full 2pm and 3.30pm. Please wear sturdy footwear and weatherproof clothing. Additional tours skeletons, impressions of skin and hair, unborn are available by arrangement foetuses and stomach contents that reveal the animal’s last meal is truly remarkable. Fascinat- ing exhibits are displayed in museums in Darm- stadt, am Main and Messel. The ‘Time Information and Worlds of Messel’ exhibition in the new Welterbe Grube Messel gGmbH visitor centre presents them in an innovative Roßdörfer Str. 108 fashion. This window on our environment of 47 64409 Messel Tel.: +49 (0)6159-717 59 0 million years ago is situated approximately 10km Fax: +49 (0)6159-717 59 222 east of in the forests of the Messel Email: [email protected] hills and is easily accessible from Frankfurt. Website: www.grube-messel.de

26 www.unesco-welterbe.de 27 muskauer park Upper Middle Rhine Valley Upper Middle Rhine Valley

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002

In 2002, UNESCO inscribed the Upper Middle­ Our tip: Rhine Valley, ‘a cultural landscape of great World Heritage hosts: an alliance of certified diversity and beauty’, on its list of World hosts who enjoy sharing their enthusiasm ­Heritage Sites. for the Middle Rhine Valley with their guests. They offer regional specialities, local Riesling Over a stretch of 65 kilometres, the Rhine cuts and well-appointed accommodation and are official ambassadors for the World Heritage a spectacular course through the Rhenish Slate ­Upper Middle Rhine Valley region. Range between Bingen, Rüdesheim and Kob- www.welterbe-gastgeber.de lenz. With terraces covered in vines, towns and villages huddling on its narrow banks and cas- tles strung like pearls high along its cliffs, the Information & booking valley epitomises the romantic landscape of Rhein-Touristik Tal der Loreley the Rhine. Always closely entwined with Ger- Loreley Besucherzentrum man destiny, the Rhine has transported cargo, 56346 St. Goarshausen influences and artistic ideas along with people Tel.: +49 (0)6771-59 90 93 Fax: +49 (0)6771-59 90 94 of many races and nations. In particular, the Muskauer Park Email: [email protected] sacred buildings along the river bear eloquent Website: www.tal-der-loreley.de, www. 526-593.de, A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004 testimony to this. www.welterbe-mittelrheintal.de

Muskauer Park is an exceptional example of Our tip: a landscaped park Visit both sides of the park on a bicycle (hire on site) or by horse-drawn carriage. It was laid out between 1815 and 1845 to plans Event highlights: drawn up by Hermann Fürst von Pückler- Annual German-Polish Park Festival (end of May); Muskau, a prince, landscape gardener and Open-air and Picnic event (beginning of July) and the ‘Kitchen Garden Festival’ (September). travel writer. Subsequent owners developed the The ‘Pückler! Catch him if you can!’ Exhibition at park in accordance with von Pückler’s original the New Palace and the Palace nursery (April to designs and substantially extended it. The park October) lies either side of the River Neisse, straddling the German-Polish border. It is spaciously laid out over an area of approximately 830 hectares and offers broad vistas and different intensi- Information ties of landscaping. As they walk through the Stiftung ‘Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau’ park, visitors experience constantly changing Tourismuszentrum Muskauer Park three-dimensional images created with natural Neues Schloss resources and the landscape. Thanks to the 02953 Bad Muskau Tel.: +49 (0)35771-63 100 concerted efforts of German and Polish conser- Fax: +49 (0)35771-63 109 vationists, this traditionally landscaped park has Email: [email protected] been fully renovated over recent years. Website: www.muskauer-park.de

28 www.unesco-welterbe.de 29 pfaffenwinkel Prehistoric Pile Dwellings Wieskirche

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983

The ‘Pilgrimage Church of the Scourged ­Saviour’ magnificent but never ostentatious decoration at the of the Alps is considered one of serves to create a harmonious visual impression; the most perfect examples of Bavarian rococo the Wieskirche brings architecture, imagery and ­architecture. stucco together into a whole greater than its parts, a work of art as a framework with which It is one of the few 18th century churches to to adorn the holy statue. have been preserved in its original state and its stunning interior is a celebrated icon of art Our tip: history. The church was built between 1745 and A musical treat – from May to September the 1754 by Dominikus Zimmermann who worked Wieskirche is the venue for performances of music with the best artists of the age to create an from the Baroque to the Late Romantic. The new Prehistoric Pile Dwellings Around the Alps undisputed masterpiece of specifically Bavar- organ, which was inaugurated in 2010, makes the ian rococo architecture. After tears were seen events even more memorable. Themed guided tours A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011 in and around the church take place every Friday on the statue of the Flagellated Christ on 14 June 1738, the Wieskirche rapidly became the most important place of pilgrimage of the 18th Information & booking The Prehistoric Pile Dwellings Around the Alps Württemberg. They can be found in the shallo- century. The church stands on a small hill sur- Tourismusverband Pfaffenwinkel World Heritage Site is made up of 111 pile- wer waters of Lake Constance and of Starnber- rounded by meadows and can be seen from Bauerngasse 5 dwelling settlements. A total of approximately ger Lake and in the silted areas of the Federsee, some distance away. The theme of pilgrimage 86956 Schongau 900 such settlements are known to exist in small lakes and moors in Upper Swabia and in Tel.: +49 (0)8861-211 32 00 with its preoccupation with suffering, penance Fax: +49 (0)8861-211 40 00 throughout six Alpine countries: Switzerland, river valleys. and salvation determines the architecture and Email: [email protected] Austria, , Germany, Italy and Slovenia. decoration of the church. Every detail of the Website: www.pfaffen-winkel.de Prehistoric pile dwellings are among the most Our tip: important sources of evidence for early human The World Heritage Sites are not visible on the sur- history from 5000 to 500 B.C. The sites lie pro- face nor are they accessible. Original finds can be seen in museums and the dwellings have been recon- tected from the air in shallow water in lakes in structed in open-air museums to illustrate the results the foothills of the Alps, by the banks of rivers of archaeological research into the Neolithic Age and and in wetland areas. The extraordinary abun- the early Metal Ages (such as the Federsee Museum dance of finds and the excellent conditions for in Bad Buchau, the Archaeological Museum in Kon- the preservation of organic materials such as stanz, the Pile Dwelling Museum in Unteruhldingen, and the South Swabia Museum of Archaeology in wood, textiles and plant remains make it possi- Mindelheim). ble to glimpse the fascinating world of the early agrarian societies of Europe. Detailed informati- on about everyday life, farming, animal husban- Information dry and technical innovation has been acquired Pfahlbauten-Informationszentrum Baden-­ from scientific analyses. Dendrochronological Württemberg, Landesamt für Denkmalpflege dating has made the accurate reconstruction of Fischersteig 9, 78343 Gaienhofen-Hemmenhofen Tel.: +49 (0)7735-93 77 71 18 the development of whole villages possible. In Email: [email protected] Germany, 18 sites are protected by UNESCO, of Website: www.unesco-weltkulturerbe-pfahlbauten.de which 3 are located in Bavaria and 15 in Baden- Cross border information: www.palafittes.org

30 www.unesco-welterbe.de 31 potsdam and berlin quedlinburg Prussian Palaces and Parks

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990

Sanssouci – the Prussian Arcadia: Our tip: an outstanding example of architectural April: Tulip Festival in the Dutch quarter and landscape design June: Potsdam Sanssouci Music Festival July: Le Carrousel de Sanssouci The parks and gardens created over centu- August: Potsdam Palace Night with a special concert on the evening before the event ries under Prussian electors, kings and em- September: Pottery Market in the Dutch quarter perors form an ensemble without parallel. October: ‘Sanssouci Festival of Light’ Great architects, famous artists and lands- November and December: ‘Festival of Blue Lights’ – cape designers have left their mark on the Potsdam Christmas Market, Bohemian Christmas Market in Babelsberg, ‘Star Market’ in Kutschstallhof, important gardens and numerous buil- ‘Romantic Christmas Market’ at Bornstedt Crown dings which are linked with diverse paths ­Estate, Sinterklaas Fest in the Dutch quarter and views into an artistic synthesis. For more events go to www.events-in-potsdam.de www.events-in-potsdam.de The Potsdam and Berlin World Heritage Site encompasses Sanssouci Park, the New Information & booking Old Town with Burgberg, Garden, the parks and palaces of Babels- Tourist-Information des Potsdam Tourismus Service berg und Glienicke, Klein-Glienicke village, Brandenburger Straße 3 und St. Wigbert’s Church and Münzenberg Glienicke hunting lodge, Peacock Island, im Potsdamer Hauptbahnhof Sacrow Palace and Park with the Saviour‘s 14467 Potsdam A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994 Church and many other areas in Potsdam, Tel.: +49 (0)331-27 55 88 99 Fax: +49 (0)331-27 55 829 such as Pfingstberg Hill, Lindstedt Palace, Email: [email protected] the Russian colony Alexandrowka and the Website: www.potsdamtourismus.de The former imperial palace on the Romanesque tion and culture. The Lyonel Feininger Gallery, Bornstedt Crown Estate. www.potsdam-tourism.com Route is one of the most important historical which holds Europe’s largest collection of works sites in Germany. by the artist, is well worth a visit.

The main attraction is the town itself. Over 1300 half-timbered houses built over 8 centuries Our tip: and the historical layout make it an exceptional The traditional Quedlinburg Summer of Music Festival has taken place for the last 30 years, from example of a well-preserved mediaeval town. Whitsun to September; performances of classical One of the oldest half-timbered buildings, built music by well-known musicians in the Collegiate around 1340, houses the Museum of mediaeval Church are events to remember. Architecture. The Collegiate Church of St. Serva- tius, which contains the tombs of the first Information & booking German King, Heinrich I, and his wife Mathilde Quedlinburg Tourismus Marketing GmbH as well as the famous Cathedral treasures, is a Markt 4 Romanesque masterpiece. In an imperial docu- 06484 Quedlinburg ment dating from the 10th century, Quedlinburg Tel.: +49 (0)3946-90 56 24 Fax: +49 (0)3946-90 56 29 is named the ‘capital of the empire’. Under Email: [email protected] Heinrich I and his Ottonian successors, the town Website: www.quedlinburg.de became a centre for European politics, educa- www.adventsstadt.de

32 www.unesco-welterbe.de 33 regensburg reichenau Old Town with Stadtamhof The Monastic Island of Reichenau

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2006 A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000

The cultural landscape on the island of ­Reichenau as an artistic centre with its huge significance in Lake Constance is an outstanding example of for the history of art in Europe in the 10th and the religious and cultural role played by a large 11th centuries. Benedictine monastery in the Middle Ages. Our tip: The itinerant Bishop Pirmin founded a Benedic- In a tradition many centuries old, three church tine monastery on the island in 724. An imperial festivals are celebrated with a procession monastery, from the 8th to the it across the island – the Festival of St. Mark on became a spiritual centre of the . 25th April; the Festival of the Holy Blood on the The monastery produced outstanding theolo- Monday after Trinity Sunday; Assumption of our Lady on 15th August. gians, politicians, scientists, poets and musi- cians. It was also famous for its library and for goldsmithery. The ‘Reichenau School of Art’ had Information & booking a strong influence on the illumination of manu- Tourist-Information Reichenau scripts and on mural painting. The three Roman- Pirminstaße. 145 The 2000 year-old Roman town of Regensburg Regensburg on the Danube is also known as the esque churches on the island are well-preserved 78479 Reichenau Tel.: +49 (0)7534-92 07 0 at the most northern point of the Danube is ‘most northern town in Italy’. and superb examples of monastic architecture Fax: +49 (0)7534-92 07 77 known for the numerous outstanding Roman- of this time: the carefully restored murals still Email: [email protected] esque and Gothic buildings in its historic city Our tip: illustrate the special position Reichenau enjoyed Website: www.reichenau.de centre, which survived the Second World War Sundays and public holidays at 10am: almost completely unscathed. Chapter mass in St. Peter’s Cathedral with music from the Regensburger Domspatzen choir No other town in Central Europe still has archi- Whitsun: Festival of Early Music tecture which so vividly reflects the significant June / July: Regensburg Spectaculum, mediaeval market on Jahn Island political, economic and religious developments July: Thurn and Taxis Palace Festival – concerts and of the High Middle Ages. A walk through the theatre in the palace courtyard twisting alleyways of the pedestrian zone in December: Christmas concerts by the Regensburger the historic city centre will lead past the most Domspatzen choir in the Auditorium Maximum of important monuments in the town, such as the the University Cathedral, the Town Hall, the inner courtyards All year round: daily guided tours of the town for individuals and groups and/or UNESCO Visitor Centre and of the mediaeval town houses, the in the Salzstadel by the Stone Bridge Palace of the Dukes of Thurn and Taxis and the Romanesque and Gothic churches and mon- asteries. The centuries-old Stone Bridge was a Information & booking prime example of mediaeval European bridge- Regensburg Tourismus GmbH building and forms a picturesque backdrop to Roter Herzfleck 2 / Rathausplatz 4 a sightseeing trip. The view of almost 20 com- 93047 Regensburg Tel.: +49 (0)941-507 44 10 plete towers, the colourful houses and numer- Fax: +49 (0)941-507-44 18 ous street cafes conjures up a Mediterranean Email: [email protected] atmosphere, making it easy to understand why Website: www.regensburg.de

34 www.unesco-welterbe.de 35 speyer stralsund und wismar

The CathedralA UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981 Historical Centres A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002

Speyer is known for its magnificent Roman- and the West and the symmetrical arrangement esque imperial cathedral, which can be seen for of four towers on the corners of the section miles around. formed by the nave and the .

Built by emperors and chosen by them to be their final resting place, it stands as a symbol of Our tip: their power. Construction of the church started The International Music around 1030 under the Salian Emperor Konrad ­Festival takes place from September to October; II and it was consecrated in 1061. Laid out in the it is a wonderful festival with works for choirs, orchestras and the organ. form of a Latin cross, the imperial cathedral in Speyer is one of Germany’s largest and most important Romanesque buildings. The Salian Information & booking Emperors chose it as their burial site. With three Tourist-Information Speyer huge aisles, the vaulted basilica completes a Maximilianstraße 13 design which exerted considerable influence on 67346 Speyer Tel.: +49 (0)6232-14 23 92 the development of Romanesque architecture Fax: +49 (0)6232-14 23 32 in the 11th and 12th centuries. The Cathedral is Email: [email protected] notable for its balanced dimensions to the East Website: www.speyer.de

The historic centres of Stralsund and Wismar Our tip: are typical examples of established Hanseatic In June during the Harbour Festival, visitors can sail towns built when the trading alliance flour- out into the of Wismar on tall ships such as the ished in the 14th century. schooner ‘Atalanta’ and the replica of the ‘Poeler Kogge’. Every year in August, Wismar commemorates its time under Swedish rule with a ‘ Festival’ Every July, Both towns have retained the mediaeval layout Stralsund puts on the Wallenstein mediaeval spectacle of their centres and testify to the establish- and every 1st Saturday in September is ‘Open Monu- ment of maritime trading towns under Lübeck ment Night’ in the historic centre. law. The surviving buildings include many out- standing monuments and document vividly Information & booking the political importance and extraordinary Tourismuszentrale der Hansestadt Stralsund wealth enjoyed by the towns on the Baltic Alter Markt 9 during the Middle Ages. Wismar is the only 18439 Stralsund Hanseatic town of this size in the southern Tel.: +49 (0)3831-24 69 0 part of the Baltic to have remained almost Fax: +49 (0)3831-24 69 22 Email: [email protected] intact. Stralsund’s unique position on an island Website: www.stralsundtourismus.de between Strela Sound and lakes dammed Tourist-Information Wismar in the 13th century underlines its mediaeval Am Markt 11 character. A group of six monumental brick 23966pf Wismar Tel.: +49 (0)3841-194 33 churches forms a unique cross-section through Fax: +49 (0)3841-251 30 91 the famous ecclesiastical architecture of both Email: [email protected] Hanseatic towns. Website: www.wismar.de

36 www.unesco-welterbe.de 37 trier völklingen

Völklingen Ironworks A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994

The Völklingen Ironworks World Heritage is the coking plant where industrial culture and nature only ironworks in the world remaining from the enter into a dialogue. heyday of the iron and steel industry. Our tip: In 1994, this huge complex, which occupies an March/April to the end of October: At the Ferro- area of 600,000m2, was the first industrial drom® Science Center visitors can see how the raw monument to be included in the list of World materials and the iron were produced and trans- Heritage Sites and bears witness to a vanished ported and find out about the history of the works industrial age. The former Völklingen Ironworks and what life was like for those who worked there. The exhibition includes over 100 interactive hands-on ceased operating in 1986 and was designated elements and experiments. a protected monument. Today, it is an unusual visitor attraction which offers high-calibre cul- tural exhibitions and exciting projects. The enor- Information & booking mous machines in the 6000m2 blasting hall, Weltkulturerbe Völklinger Hütte – aktuelle the six blast furnaces, and the sloping ore lift, ­Ausstellungen, Veranstaltungen und Projekte: www.voelklinger-huette.org, which was installed at the beginning of the 20th Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter Gruppenbuchungen: Tel. +49 (0)6898-9 100 100 century and is the only example in the world, are oder [email protected] and Church of Our Lady exceptional feats of engineering. The charging Weitergehende Informationen zum Urlaubsland platform, 240m long and just under 30m high, ­Saarland & Reservierungen A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986 from which the furnaces were filled with coke Tourismus Zentrale Saarland and ore, is topped only by the 45m high viewing Franz-Josef-Röder-Straße 17, 66119 Saarbrücken Tel.: +49 (0)681-92 720 0 platform on the hot-blast stoves. The interesting Fax: +49 (0)681-92 720 40 ANTE ROMAM TREVERIS STETIT ANNIS MILLE Our tip: and well-signposted tour along over 6000m of Email: [email protected] TRECENTIS – ‘Trier stood one thousand and Interactive guided tours in Trier – paths also leads to the ‘Paradise’ in the former Website: www.tourismus.saarland.de three hundred years before Rome’ claims the in- Get close to history! scription on the Red House on the main market Trier’s many-facetted history with its politics, square. fame, treachery and power struggles can be experienced at close hand at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Guests taking the Although this is a mediaeval invention, it has a ­interactive tours through Trier are guided historical basis. There were indeed settlements through the Porta Nigra, the Amphitheatre ­ in the Trier valley in the 3rd century B.C. and Trier and the Imperial Thermal Baths by a was the first town north of the Alps which could centurion,­ a gladiator and a tribune. www.erlebnisfuehrungen.de rightly be designated as such. Augusta Trevero- rum, which later became Trier, was founded around 17/16 B.C. by the Romans under Caesar Augustus close to a holy site of the Celtic Treveri Information & booking tribe. Today, world-ranking architectural monu- Tourist Information Trier ments and art treasures remain to testify to An der Porta Nigra more than 2,000 years of history. However, the 54290 Trier Tel.: +49 (0)651-97 808 0 town is more than just a collection of antiqui- Fax: +49 (0)651-97 808 88

ties: it is precisely the close juxtaposition of old Email:[email protected] Kassner Hütte/Gerhard Völklinger Weltkulturerbe © and new that lends it its particular charm. Website: www.trier-info.de, www.welterbe-trier.de

38 www.unesco-welterbe.de 39 The Wadden Sea weimar

The Wadden Sea A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009

The Wadden Sea Natural World Heritage Site on Our tip: the North Sea coast comprises the Wadden Sea Take a Wadden Sea walk with an experienced National Parks in Schleswig-, National Park guide and experience the in- and Lower and the Wadden Sea Conser- terplay of the wind, water and waves at close vation area in the . It occupies an quarters, watch huge flocks of as they 2 wheel and dive and discover the fascinating area of approximately 10,000m . animals and plants of the Wadden Sea.

The diversity of the landscape makes the Wad- den Sea a habitat found nowhere else in the Information world. It supports more than 10,000 animals www.wattenmeer-weltnaturerbe.de and plant species. Mussel beds, dense sea grass Nationalparkverwaltung Niedersächsisches Wattenmeer meadows and soft mudflats provide food for Tel.: +49 (0)4421-91 10 many animals. The landscape changes from Nationalparkverwaltung flowering salt marshes along the dykes and on Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer the islands and ‘halligen’ to white beaches and Tel.: +49 (0)4861-61 60 sand dunes. The Wadden Sea is an essential Nationalparkverwaltung stop-over point for millions of migrating birds Hamburgisches Wattenmeer where they can rest and refuel. Geologically Tel: +49 (0)4721-692 71 speaking, it is a very young land- Website: www.wattenmeer-nationalparke.de Classical Weimar A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998 scape, just 10,000 years old and constantly reshaped by the wind Information & booking and the tides which rise and fall on Schleswig-Holstein: Weimar is an extraordinary reminder everyday objects draw a vivid picture of Classi- Nordsee-Tourismus-Service GmbH a six-hour cycle, transforming Tel.: +49 (0)4841-897 50 of a great era. cal Weimar. Among the buildings on view are the landscape from one Website: www.nordseetourismus.de the houses where Goethe and Schiller lived, the minute to the next Niedersachsen: Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Friedrich Schiller Palace of Weimar and the Belvedere, Ettersburg in an almost mag- Die Nordsee GmbH are the most famous representatives of Classical and Tiefurt Palaces with their parks. The Ducal Tel.: +49 (0)4421-956 09 90 ical process. Weimar. The creative partnership that devel- in the Historic Cemetery also has world Website: www.die-nordsee.de oped later on in their lives left its mark at the heritage status. high point of German national literature around 1800. It emerged in a unique, tolerant and artis- tically inclined atmosphere which under the Our tip: patronage of Duchess Anna Amalia and later Weimar Summer Festival: July/August Duke Carl August drew writers, philosophers Weimar Onion Market: 2nd weekend in October and artists from all over the world. Christmas in Weimar: every year at Advent UNESCO has celebrated this era with inscription on the list of World Heritage Sites. It bears wit- ness to a deeply humanistic cultural era that has Information & booking endured into our time. A remarkable plethora Tourist-Information Weimar of poets’ houses, monuments, palaces and Markt 10, 99423 Weimar parks offers visitors an authentic impression Tel.: +49 (0)3643-74 50 Fax: +49 (0)3643-74 54 20 of that time which still defines our view of the Email: [email protected] world. Museums, collections, manuscripts and Website: www.weimar.de

40 www.unesco-welterbe.de 41 würzburg

The Residence with Court Gardens and Residence Square A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981

The former residence of the prince-bishops Our tip: of Würzburg, built between 1720 and 1744, is May: Baroque Festivals – A festival for the senses with one of Europe’s foremost baroque ensembles Franconian wine and regional specialities, and its unity of style makes it one of the finest www.frankenwein-aktuell.de May/June: Mozart Festival with symphonic concerts south German baroque palaces. and chamber music by famous ensembles and orches- tras, www.mozartfest-wuerzburg.de Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp Franz von Schön- July: Italian Night with music from the Italian opera in born commissioned the architect Balthasar the staircase, Imperial Hall and Palace Garden, Neumann to design and build this ‘palace of www.theaterwuerzburg.de End of June/beginning of July: Hofgarten Wine Festival palaces’. The Venetian Giovanni Battista Tiepolo organised by the Staatlicher Hofkeller wine estate in painted the largest ceiling fresco in the world the picturesque garden of the Residence Palace, for Neumann’s world-famous unsupported www.hofkeller.de vaulted staircase in 1752/53. The sequence of grandiose state rooms in the Residence leads Information & booking from the vestibule and the Garden Hall through Schloss- und Gartenverwaltung Würzburg Bestellen Sie Ihr König-Plakat unter the staircase and the White Hall to the Imperial Residenzplatz 2,97070 Würzburg Hall, which is also decorated with a fresco by Tel.: +49 (0)931-35 51 70 Fax: +49 (0)931-35 517 25 G.B.Tiepolo. Other outstanding rooms are the Email: [email protected] reconstructed Mirrored Hall and the chapel, an Website: www.residenz-wuerzburg.de excellent example of church art in Würzburg. A Congress · Tourismus · Wirtschaft walk through the gardens of the Residence also Am Congress Centrum, 97070 Würzburg Tel.: +49 (0)931-37 23 35 offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy art and Fax: +49 (0)931-37 36 52 nature at its best. Email: [email protected] Website: www.wuerzburg.de

42 www.unesco-welterbe.de unesco-welterbestätten Deutschland e.v. recommended tours Like us! Route 1 Old Beech Forests 37 World Heritage Sites at a glance! From the Wadden Sea to Stralsund Jasmund National Park and Sassnitz via Bremen, Stralsund Sassnitz Lübeck and Wismar approx. 50 km

approx. 140 km approx. 68 km Let us share your photos and memories of the The Wadden Sea Lübeck Wismar World Heritage Sites ... ­heritage since 2004. approx. 181 km approx. 118 km Nearby is the monument to Link to us online and stay up- the world-famous Town Musicians of to-date and inspired: events, Bremen. special packages, tips ... Bremen The next stop is the Hanseatic city of Lübeck with its world-famous Holstentor (Holsten Gate), the Town Hall, the seven church tow- ers and over 80 historical mediaeval passage- Distance: approx. 557 km Find us on We recommend 5 overnight stays Lübeck facebook

This delightful route links the Wadden Sea World Natural Heritage Site on Germany’s North Sea coast with the cultural legacy of the Hanseatic League and classical style of the romantic turn- of-the-century resorts. The Wadden Sea is a unique habitat for more than 10,000 ani- mal and plant species. You can explore it on foot, in a horse-drawn carriage or by boat. From the Wadden Sea in , it’s not far to the Hanseatic city of Bremen. The Town Bremen Hall and the Roland statue have been world

The Wadden Sea

We can also send you ­information by post:

UNESCO Welterbestätten Deutschland e.V. Palais Salfeldt · Kornmarkt 6 06484 Quedlinburg Tel.: +49 (0)3946-8112 -53 / -54

www.unesco-welterbe.de [email protected]

44 www.unesco-welterbe.de 45 UNESCO World Heritage sites in germany Recommended tours

in this former Hanseatic power beckon from the distance. The OZEANEUM aquarium on the is- land in the harbour at Stralsund, in the Strela Sound, offers an underwater journey through the Baltic, the North Sea and the Atlantic right up to the Arctic Ocean. The route continues towards Rügen. On the far side of the Rügen Bridge lies the Jasmund ­National Park with one of the five beech for- ests which were awarded UNESCO world her- itage status in 2011. It extends from Sassnitz in the South to Lohme in the North. Visitors can Berlin: Modernism Housing Estates Wittenberg ­explore the natural beauty of this place on a guided tour with a Ranger or independently. Berlin’s Modernism Housing Estates were many others. The route follows the German The National Park Centre at Königsstuhl reveals among the first examples of social housing in ­Alleenstraße to the historic city of Köthen with Wismar the secrets of nature in a 2000m2 exhibition Germany. They are the work of renowned ar- its many associations with Bach and then on area. The hands-on, interactive exhibits take you chitects, most notably Bruno Taut, who was to Eisleben, where Martin Luther was born and on a journey through time, starting far back in responsible for the Schillerpark Estate and the also died. the prehistoric era. Falkenberg Garden City. The route continues via historic Potsdam, sur- rounded by the River Havel and many lakes, through heath land and along picturesque coun- Route 3 Route 2 try roads often lined with trees to Wittenberg, From Berlin to Eisleben via where Luther nailed up his theses on the door of From Alfeld and Hildesheim to Wart- ­Wittenberg and Dessau-Roßlau the church and where there are many other lo- burg Castle via Goslar and Quedlinburg National Park Centre at Königsstuhl cations associated with this great Reformer. Crossing the River , the route continues to Hildesheim Berlin Dessau-Roßlau, known for its association with approx. 28 km ways and courtyards in the Old Town. The fa- the Bauhaus movement. As well as the Bauhaus Alfeld approx. 60 km approx. 111 km approx. 60 km mous Lübeck marzipan tastes so delicious that itself, it is still possible to see the villas in which Goslar the l­ocals think it should be declared part of the the Bauhaus Masters lived. The area is ideal for Quedlinburg approx. 17 km World Heritage too! Dessau-Roßlau Wittenberg cyclists who can enjoy the Elbe cycle path and The journey continues to another Hanseatic approx. 75 km approx. 34 km town – Wismar. The brick architecture here, so Dessau-Roßlau: approx. 152 km typical of Northern Germany, is fascinating – Eisenach somehow rough and ready, yet with a charm all Eisleben Distance: approx. 220 km its own. The imposing late-Gothic churches of We recommend 2 overnight stays St. Nicholas, St. Mary and St. George tower over Distance: approx. 317 km this Hanseatic city. We recommend 3 overnight stays The landscape of the Baltic coast is charac- Berlin is the capital city of Germany and also terised by attractive little towns and villages, a major cultural centre offering countless cul- Alfeld on the Leine lies in a rural area, surrounded ­elegant manor houses, shady tree-lined avenues tural attractions which can only be done justice by charmingly varied landscapes which are just and fabulous beaches with crystal-clear wa- on a long tour of discovery. The world-famous asking to be enjoyed and explored. The Fagus fac- ter. After ­a drive through the West-Pomeranian Museum Island lies between the Spree and the tory, which is still in operation, became a UNESCO­ ­Boddenlandschaft National Park, the route ends Kupfergraben. It houses archaeological collec- World Heritage Site in 2011. The route continues to in Stralsund. Three imposing red-brick churches tions and art from the 19th century. Hildesheim via Sibesse and Diekholzen.

46 www.unesco-welterbe.de 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in germany Recommended tours

Hildesheim is a cultural centre between the Harz and Hannover. It is at the heart of the Route 4 Leinebergland region, which is popular with Through the Upper Middle Rhine Valley ­holidaymakers who like to enjoy both hiking and culture. to Brühl, Cologne, Aachen and Essen The towns of Goslar and Quedlinburg lie deep Essen in the centre of the picturesque Harz, an area of natural beauty, into which their historic quarters blend perfectly. approx. 124 km Historic Rammelsberg is known for more than Cologne approx. 14 km 1000 years of mining history, and for a sophis- Aachen ticated water supply system, the Upper Harz Brühl approx. 70 km Eisenach: Wartburg Castle Water Management System. From Goslar to Quedlinburg the route passes , approx. 162 km Koblenz which is a good place to embark on a hike in the Harz/ National Park. Just outside Blank- Upper Middle Rhine Valley enburg, the former Cistercian abbey of Michael- Rüdesheim Bingen stein is a favourite place to take a quiet break. Upper Middle Rhine Valley The historic centre of Quedlinburg boasts 1300 Distance: approx. 370 km half-timbered houses which originated over We recommend 3 or 4 overnight stays eight centuries. Over them presides the Roman- esque Collegiate Church with the famous Otto- Already in itself a fabulously beautiful route nian treasure and the burial site of Heinrich und along the River Rhine, the Upper Middle Rhine Mathilde. From here, the route continues through Valley World Heritage Site offers an exceptional Thuringia, which is steeped in culture, past a host abundance of cultural monuments. Starting­ Goslar: Upper Harz Water Management System of castles and palaces to the mighty Wartburg, in the traditional winery towns of Bingen and where visitors can experience over 900 years of Rüdesheim, the route follows the Rhine via Alfeld: The Fagus Factory German history and culture and where Luther ­Koblenz to Brühl, site of the rococo Castles of Au- laid the foundation for the gustusburg and Falkenlust with their wonderful with his translation of the . The magnificent gardens and grounds, where visitors can enjoy views of the Thuringia Forest are a rich reward for the architecture and the luxury of the 18th cen- the climb up from the town of Eisenach. tury in a perfectly and expertly preserved en- Aachen: The Cathedral semble. Cologne lies approximately 15 kilome- Hildesheim: St. Michael’s Church tres away. It is the cultural centre of the region Cologne: The Cathedral offering in addition to the famous cathedral a range of exceptional museums of international standing and a lively cultural scene. The next stop is Aachen, where the 1200-year-old cathe- dral awaits. Visitors will also enjoy a detour to the ‘Dreiländereck’, the ‘Three Countries Corner’, which straddles the borders of Germany, Belgium­ and Holland. The route continues through the mining heartland of the Ruhr valley to the final stop in Essen, where a visit to the original Zollver- ein colliery and coking plant provides memorable insight into a piece of industrial history.

48 www.unesco-welterbe.de 49 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in germany Recommended tours

route. Visitors can explore its castles, gardens and avenues, and its parks with their statuary, Route 6 bridges, small buildings and other structures on From Messel to Würzburg, Bamberg foot or by gondola. The next stop is Potsdam, known for its castles and palaces, notably Sans- and Regensburg via the Limes souci, Frederick the Great’s summer residence. As well as the Palace and Park of Sanssouci, the Russian colony Alexandrowka, the New Garden, the palaces of Babelsberg und Glienicke, Peacock Messel ­Island, Sacrow Palace and Park with the Saviour’s approx. 98 km Bamberg Church also form part of the World Heritage approx. 115 km Site. The journey then continues to Bad Muskau. Limes Würzburg It is worth making a detour to the Spree Forest approx. 163 km Garden Kingdom Dessau-Wörlitz which became a protected UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1991. In Bad Muskau visitors can trace the life of Prince Pückler, who not only designed Limes the imposing buildings there but also left per- Regensburg Route 5 sonal reminders of his presence in many places. The Park now straddles the German-Polish bor- From Weimar to Bad Muskau via Distance: approx. 376 km Dessau-Wörlitz and Potsdam der over an area of around 830 hectares. We recommend 2 overnight stays

Potsdam The route from Messel to Regensburg starts on Würzburg: The Residency Muskauer Park the east side of the Rhine Valley, south of Frank- approx. 99 km furt am Main and east of Darmstadt. approx. 193 km Dessau-Wörlitz The Messel Pit is one of two UNESCO Natural 550 kilometres. In many places along its length, World Heritage Sites in Germany. It is remark- such as Stockstadt and Aschaffenburg, parts of able for the mammal fossils found in its bitumi- the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes have been approx. 171 km Bad Muskau nous shale that date back approximately 47 mil- ­reconstructed in their original size and made lion years. On the way from Messel to Würzburg ­accessible to the public in archaeological visitor Weimar it is worth taking the time to look at the largest centres. monument in Central Europe, the Limes. This is Following this short diversion, the traveller finally an ancient boundary wall which extends over arrives in Würzburg, which offers much more than just the gilded Baroque of the Prince-Bishop’s ­Resi- Distance: approx. 463 km Weimar: Herzogin Anna Amalia Library Bamberg dence. There are numerous wine taverns bearing We recommend 3 to 4 overnight stays witness to its ancient wine-making tradition and which offer Franconian cuisine, delivering a total As the place where Goethe and Schiller lived culinary experience as a work of art. The journey and worked and the location of extensive parks continues through the Steigerwald Forest ­Nature and gardens dating from the era of Classicism, Park to Bamberg. The magnificent and fully pre- Weimar­ offers an abundance of attractions. served historic centre transports every visitor back The Bauhaus sites, which are also classed as to the past glories of the Baroque and to the Mid- UNESCO world heritage, are close by the park dle Ages. The final stage leads toRegens ­burg, a on the River Ilm. The model for this park, which 2,000-year-old city with such a strikingly Mediter- Goethe helped design, was the Garden King- ranean atmosphere that it has been dubbed the dom in Dessau-Wörlitz – the next stop on the ‘most northern city in Italy’.

50 www.unesco-welterbe.de 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in germany Recommended tours

city on the Upper­ Rhine. The final stop lies at the Route 7 centre of the Swabian wine-producing area: the Route 8 From Trier to Völklingen and Lorsch, monastery complex in Maulbronn. Surrounded From the Wieskirche in Pfaffenwinkel by the beautiful landscape of the Kraichgau- via Speyer to Maulbronn Stromberg region, this is a restful island rich in to the island of Reichenau attractions, deciduous woodland, meadows and sloping vineyards.

Trier Lorsch approx. 17 km Pfaffenwinkel Meersburg Island of Reichenau approx. 78 km Speyer: The Cathedral Reichenau approx. 52 km approx. 155 km approx. 150 km approx. 150 km approx. 71 km Völklingen Speyer Maulbronn Distance: approx. 212 km We recommend at least 1 overnight stay

Distance: approx. 383 km We recommend 2 overnight stays This route begins in southern Bavaria by the Wieskirche; the name is truly evocative of the ‘Wiesen’, the meadows, in which it stands on ‘Welcome to Roma Secunda’ is a cry often a slight elevation. There can be no more pic- Pfaffenwinkel: Wieskirche heard in Trier. From here, the route goes south- turesque route than that which leads to Lake wards through the Hunsrück Nature Park into Trier: Porta Nigra ­Constance: it runs along the Deutsche Alpen- Saarland, one of the most important indus- strasse, the German Alpine Road, via Füssen, burg. The ferry to Constance leaves here every trial landscapes characterised by iron and steel from which it is worth taking a detour to Neu- 15 minutes. The journey continues to the Island production. Today, Saarland is one of greenest schwanstein Castle. of Reichenau in Lake Constance. The poplar- regions of Germany and home to the ‘Iron Ca- Then the road runs through the Allgäu and the lined approach to the island, which is famous for thedral’, the Völklingen Ironworks World Her- Allgäu Alps to Lindau on Lake Constance and its churches from the 9th to the 11th centuries, is itage Site. The road to the next stop in Lorsch continues with fine views of the Lake to Meers- an experience in itself. passes by the Forest, which lies to the South, and, from here, follows the course of the Rhine to Speyer, the imperial cathedral Production credits Published by the German UNESCO World Heritage Sites Association (45), DZT/N. Krause (45), Wismar ­Tourismus (46, back page), DZT/ (UNESCO Welterbestätten Deutschland e.V.) Merkau (47), DZT/Colorvision H.R. Uthoff (47, 50), DZT/J. Keute (47, Völklingen Ironworks Edited by members of the marketing committee 48, Rückseite), Goslar CRW (48), RT8/Horizont (45), DZT/A. Cowin Photo credits (page): Wartburg Stiftung (Titel, 17), Regensburg Tour- (49, 49), DZT/Rathay (49), Muskauer Park (50), Saarland ­Tourismus ismus (Titel), Die Lübecker Museen (Titel), Verkehrsverein (52), DZT/D. Scherf (51), DZT/Wrba (51, 52), Jacobs (52),Keller ­ (53), Loki Reichenau/ Mende (Titel), Dr. H.-J. Aubert (13, 15, 18-20, 22, 23, 25-27, Lech (back page), GOSLAR marketing gmbh (back page), Weltkultur- 29, 30, 33-35, 38, 42, 51, 53), Quedlinburg Tourismus Marketing GmbH erbe Völklinger Hütte / Karl Heinrich Veith(back page) (5), Romantischer Rhein Tourismus GmbH/Kaub (4), Wattenmeer Layout: tigerworx/B. Stangl; Printed by: Q-Druck Quedlinburg Touristik (4, 40), Stadtarchiv Dessau (4), Fremdenverkehrsverein Status as of: February 2013 Lutherstadt Eisleben Mansfelder Land e.V. (4), Stadt Maulbronn (4), Ruhr­gebiet Tourismus/Schumacher (5), Bremen Touristik (5, 12), Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut u. Naturmuseum Frankfurt a. M. (5), Potsdam Tourismus GmbH (5, 32), Verkehrsverein Reichenau (5), Tourist Information Weimar, Weimar GmbH/Schuck (5, 41, 47), Bernd Schröder/ats (6), Fagus-GreCon (7, 48), Bamberg Tourismus und ­Kongress Service (8, 51), Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung/Frahm (9), W. Scholvien/visitBerlin.de (10), Berliner Bau- und Wohnungs­ genossenschaft­ von 1892 eG/T. Merkau (11, 47), Königsstuhl (14, 46), Lutherstadt Eisleben (18), Hirschler (20), Stadt Hildesheim (21, 48), Gerhard Lindemann (24), S.E. Arndt (25), Stiftung Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau (28), Regierungspraesidium , Landesamt fuer Denkmalpflege / W.Hohl (31) Klaus Landry (36), Hansestadt Stralsund/Pressestelle (37), DZT/O. Vernunft­ (45), DZT/N. Krüger

52 www.unesco-welterbe.de 53 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in germany UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Germany has 37 sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. They are all very different historical monuments in a range of categories. Jasmund

Stralsund Castles The castles and palaces on monasteries such as that on the island of and Palaces the list of UNESCO World Reichenau, the Cistercian abbey in Maulbronn, The Wadden Sea Lübeck Wismar Heritage Sites stand for grandness, magnifi- or the Benedictine abbey in Lorsch all bear Serrahn cence and elegance, but also for stout magnificent witness to past cultural achieve- Grumsin Hamburg defences: the Prussian palaces and gardens in ment. The towns of Wittenberg, Eisleben and Ancient Beech Forests Potsdam, the mighty Wartburg near Eisenach, Eisenach are closely associated with the name Elbe the Prince-Bishop’s Residence in Würzburg or of Martin Luther. Bremen the Augustusburg and Falkenlust palaces in Brühl. Würzburg and Brühl epitomise the work histOrical Monuments are only tOWN ceNtres Ems Berlin of the great architect of the Baroque, Balthasar inscribed on the world her- Weser Neumann. itage list when they meet the criteria of Hildesheim Potsdam ‘uniqueness’ and ‘authenticity’ set out in the Nature, gardens Natural heritage such as UNESCO convention. The historic city centres Alfeld & landscapes Dessau-Wörlitz the Messel Pit Fossil Site and ensembles inscribed on the list of World Goslar and the Wadden Sea, managed nature in the Heritage Sites in Germany are all unique in at Wittenberg Quedlinburg magnificent gardens and grounds of Dessau- least one respect, in absolute and global terms. Essen Bad Muskau Wörlitz, Bad Muskau and Potsdam-Sanssouci This applies equally to the ensembles of Lübeck, Düsseldorf Eisleben Rhine Elbe and natural and cultural landscapes, such as Wismar, Stralsund, Quedlinburg, Goslar, Bam- Kellerwald the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, which have berg and Regensburg, which have been placed Cologne Hainich Eisenach evolved over time bringing together nature and under UNESCO protection. Brühl Weimar architecture, townscapes and landscapes: Aachen nature and culture merging in different ways Other WOrld The Berlin Modernism and declared part of mankind’s world heritage. heritage sites Estates are not only exam- ples of early 20th century architecture, but Industrial Upper Middle Rhine Valley Frankfurt Main Mining and industry have left have also defined the development of social Messel Bayreuth Heritage deep impressions on German housing. Well-known architects played a part in Trier history; the traces and outstanding monu- their design as they did in the Bauhaus move- Bamberg Lorsch Würzburg ments they have left behind are as much part ment - first in Weimar and then later in Dessau Völklingen of human heritage as any other culture. Exam- – where it is still possible to feel the fresh, free ples are the 1020-year-old tradition of ore min- spirit of the Masters. The Town Hall in Bremen Speyer Regensburg Limes ing in Rammelsberg (Goslar), with its unique epitomises the Renaissance in northern Ger- water supply system, the Völklingen ironworks, many and together with the impressive Roland Maulbronn the largest of its kind in the Saar region, and Statue also stands for autonomy and market Rhine Schwäbische Alb the industrial landscape of the Zollverein Coal rights. The Classical Weimar ensemble with its Danube Mine in Essen. famous buildings from the time of Goethe, Federsee + Oberschwaben Schiller and Herder is also unique. The Upper Prehistoric Pile Dwellings Churches & Sacred buildings have long Germanic-Rhaetian Limes, once the boundary Loosbachtal Starnberger See Abbeys Bodensee been viewed as cultural of the Roman Empire, extends over approxi- Bodensee Pfaffenwinkel monuments and offered special protection. mately 550km from Bad Hönningen to the area Reichenau Great ecclesiastical buildings such as the around Regensburg on the Danube. Along with Wieskirche and the in Aachen, Roman remains, reconstructions and replicas Cologne, Speyer, Trier and Hildesheim, unique can be seen today.

54 www.unesco-welterbe.de