GERMANY Portrait of a fascinating country GERMANY AT THE HEART OF EUROPE 2 | GERMANY The great poet and illustrator Wilhelm Busch was right when he poked fun at all there are so many to be discovered in Germany. The next few pages pay hom- GERMANY those who had a yearning for far-away lands. “It’s also nice elsewhere, here I am age to the overwhelming beauties extending between the Baltic Sea and the anyway”, he wrote, quite as if this book had inspired him to write in verse. Here Alps, between Friesland and the Fichtelgebirge, between Lusatia and the Palati- AT THE HEART OF EUROPE is the perfect proof that you need not venture far to find a world of wonders, for nate Forest, between Berlin’s Museum Island and Hamburg’s Inner Alster Lake. 2 | GERMANY GERMANY | 3 Greetsiel is a district in the town of Krummhörn in East Friesland. And while the region may be able to boast very many beautiful villages, Greetsiel is recognizable from afar by its twin mills. 4 | GERMANY Greetsiel is a district in the town of Krummhörn in East Friesland. And while the region may be able to boast Germany is also a seafaring nation, with proud harbour towns packed with impressive ships, as for example very many beautiful villages, Greetsiel is recognizable from afar by its twin mills. Bremerhaven, which once was the home base of a world-class shipping company: the Norddeutscher Lloyd. 4 | GERMANY GERMANY | 5 Germany is a land of knights and castles, and a particularly fine example is the Imperial Castle of Cochem, sitting enthroned high above the town of the same name. 10 | GERMANY Germany is a land of knights and castles, and a particularly fine example is the Imperial Castle of Cochem, One of the best-known sights, famous not only in Germany but in the entire world, is Neuschwanstein Cas- sitting enthroned high above the town of the same name. tle, the most spectacular legacy of Bavaria’s unhappy fairytale King Ludwig II. 10 | GERMANY GERMANY | 11 ABOUT THIS BOOK If you think that Germany has no glamorous seaside towns like Nice or Cannes, like San Remo or San Se- bastián, you haven’t been to Sellin. The resorts on the Baltic Sea need not shy away from comparison. When you go on a journey through Ger- of the incredible diversity that is to be few dozen miles in Germany and you’ll very quickly you’ll understand that to ex- many, whether in photographs or in discovered in this country between the encounter a change in landscape, ar- perience the whole wealth of beauty reality, you will at first be amazed and coasts in the north and the mountains chitecture and local dialect. There is no spots in Germany you’ll need a lot of soon spellbound as you become aware in the south. You need only travel for a better remedy against boredom. And time. 12 | GERMANY ZU DIESEM BUCH ABOUT THIS BOOK If you think that Germany has no glamorous seaside towns like Nice or Cannes, like San Remo or San Se- Emperors and kings took their breaks at the seaside, and in their wake followed not only rich and beautiful bastián, you haven’t been to Sellin. The resorts on the Baltic Sea need not shy away from comparison. commoners, but also painters, poets and most of all bon-vivants. When you go on a journey through Ger- of the incredible diversity that is to be few dozen miles in Germany and you’ll very quickly you’ll understand that to ex- With this book, however, you can at least into the country’s every nook and cran- magnificent towns and cities that have themselves that you would want to make many, whether in photographs or in discovered in this country between the encounter a change in landscape, ar- perience the whole wealth of beauty marvel and dream of Germany’s gran- ny, encountering fantastic sights all along been turned into veritable treasure chests your way there straightaway. All this you reality, you will at first be amazed and coasts in the north and the mountains chitecture and local dialect. There is no spots in Germany you’ll need a lot of deur and diversity. This photographic the way – wild, untouched landscapes by historical events; and remote and en- will find in this book’s pages: a country of soon spellbound as you become aware in the south. You need only travel for a better remedy against boredom. And time. volume takes its readers on a voyage that have resisted all human intervention; chanted areas, so much at peace within marvels, like a fantastic goodie bag. 12 | GERMANY GERMANY | 13 CONTENTS Over the course of time, Germany has undergone many metamorphoses. And its industries were similarly affected. Yet they have made the most of structural change and found new destinies. GERMANY’S NORTH Angeln region 32 HAMBURG BREMEN Emden 68 Schleswig 34 Hamburg 42 Bremen 56 Papenburg 69 SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN The Vikings 35 Hamburg, Old Town and New Town 44 Bremen, Old Town 58 Lüneburg Heath 70 Helgoland 24 Kiel Week 36 Hamburg, St Pauli 46 Bremerhaven 60 Lüneburg 71 Sylt 26 Lübeck 38 Hamburg, St Pauli Piers and Port 48 Celle 72 Föhr, Amrum, Pellworm 28 Holstein Switzerland 40 Hamburg, City of Culture 50 LOWER SAXONY Wendland 74 Halligen 29 Ratzeburg 41 Hamburg, Speicherstadt 52 Between Elbe and Weser 62 Hannover 76 Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea Hamburg, HafenCity 54 Eastern Friesland 64 Hildesheim 78 National Park 30 Hamburg, Port 55 East Frisian Islands 66 Braunschweig 80 14 | GERMANY CONTENTS CONTENTS Over the course of time, Germany has undergone many metamorphoses. And its industries were similarly Today, the places where once iron and steel were made, have preserved the heritage of an industrial past, affected. Yet they have made the most of structural change and found new destinies. and the old plants have also been turned into venues for art and culture. GERMANY’S NORTH Angeln region 32 HAMBURG BREMEN Emden 68 Wolfenbüttel 82 SAXONY-ANHALT Halle (Saale) 104 Fischland-Darss-Zingst 112 BRANDENBURG Schleswig 34 Hamburg 42 Bremen 56 Papenburg 69 Wolfsburg, Autostadt 84 Harz and Harz Foreland 94 Naumburg (Saale) 105 Hiddensee 114 Rheinsberg 124 SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN The Vikings 35 Hamburg, Old Town and New Town 44 Bremen, Old Town 58 Lüneburg Heath 70 Königslutter 86 Quedlinburg 96 Stralsund 115 Uckermark 126 Helgoland 24 Kiel Week 36 Hamburg, St Pauli 46 Bremerhaven 60 Lüneburg 71 Bückeburg 87 Wernigerode 97 MECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN Rügen, Jasmund National Park 116 Lower Oder Valley National Park 128 Sylt 26 Lübeck 38 Hamburg, St Pauli Piers and Port 48 Celle 72 Weser Uplands 88 Magdeburg 98 Schwerin 106 Rügen, Seaside resorts 118 Neuzelle Monastery 130 Föhr, Amrum, Pellworm 28 Holstein Switzerland 40 Hamburg, City of Culture 50 LOWER SAXONY Wendland 74 Upper Harz 90 Lutherstadt Eisleben 99 Lake Schaalsee 108 Usedom, Kaiserbäder 119 Potsdam 132 Halligen 29 Ratzeburg 41 Hamburg, Speicherstadt 52 Between Elbe and Weser 62 Hannover 76 Goslar 92 Bauhaus 100 Wismar 109 Mecklenburg Switzerland 120 Sanssouci Palace and Park 134 Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea Hamburg, HafenCity 54 Eastern Friesland 64 Hildesheim 78 Wörlitz 101 Rostock and Warnemünde 110 Mecklenburg Lake District 121 Spreewald 136 National Park 30 Hamburg, Port 55 East Frisian Islands 66 Braunschweig 80 Lutherstadt Wittenberg 102 Bad Doberan 111 Müritz National Park 122 14 | GERMANY GERMANY | 15 CONTENTS The Roman Empire has also left its traces in Germany, and these are still visible today. Thus, for example, the city of Regensburg on the Danube was founded by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius in AD 179. BERLIN Berlin, Art City 152 CENTRAL GERMANY Essen 167 Aachen, Cathedral 180 Berlin 138 Berlin, Theatre City 153 Düsseldorf 168 Altenberg Abbey 182 Berlin, Brandenburg Gate 140 Berlin, Kurfürstendamm 154 NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA Cologne 170 Sauerland 183 Berlin, Gendarmenmarkt 142 Berlin, Charlottenburg Palace 155 Münster 158 Cologne, Cathedral 172 Berlin, Museum Island 144 Münster, Water palaces 159 Cologne, Romanesque churches 174 Berlin, Government District 146 Ruhr Region, “Coal and steel” 160 Cologne, Museums 175 The Wall 148 Dortmund 162 Brühl 176 Berlin, East Side Gallery 149 Ruhr Region, Industrial monuments 164 Bonn 177 Berlin, Potsdamer Platz 150 Duisburg 166 Brown gold 178 16 | GERMANY CONTENTS CONTENTS The Roman Empire has also left its traces in Germany, and these are still visible today. Thus, for example, And Regensburg has since made use of its long history and become one of Germany’s most beautiful cities. the city of Regensburg on the Danube was founded by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius in AD 179. Its Old Town alone guards a treasure of well over 1,000 listed buildings. BERLIN Berlin, Art City 152 CENTRAL GERMANY Essen 167 Aachen, Cathedral 180 RHINELAND-PALATINATE Speyer, Cathedral 194 HESSE Museums in Frankfurt 214 THURINGIA Berlin 138 Berlin, Theatre City 153 Düsseldorf 168 Altenberg Abbey 182 Eifel 184 Palatinate Forest 195 Reinhardswald 202 Wiesbaden 216 Hainich National Park 220 Berlin, Brandenburg Gate 140 Berlin, Kurfürstendamm 154 NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA Cologne 170 Sauerland 183 Eltz Castle 185 Kassel – City of Art, “documenta” 204 Darmstadt, Mathildenhöhe 217 Wartburg 221 Berlin, Gendarmenmarkt 142 Berlin, Charlottenburg Palace 155 Münster 158 Cologne, Cathedral 172 Moselle Valley 186 SAARLAND Kassel, Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe 205 Eberbach Abbey 218 Erfurt 222 Berlin, Museum Island 144 Münster, Water palaces 159 Cologne, Romanesque churches 174 Trier 188 Saar Region 196 Marburg 206 Lorsch 219 Thuringian Forest 224 Berlin, Government District 146 Ruhr Region, “Coal and steel” 160 Cologne, Museums 175 Middle Rhine, Saarbrücken 197 Fulda 207 Weimar 226 The Wall 148 Dortmund 162 Brühl 176 St Goarshausen and Lorelei 190 Völklingen Ironworks 198 Limburg 208 Weimar Classicism 228 Berlin, East Side Gallery 149 Ruhr Region, Industrial monuments 164 Bonn 177 Mainz 192 The Bliesgau 200 Frankfurt 210 Berlin, Potsdamer Platz 150 Duisburg 166 Brown gold 178 Worms, Cathedral 193 Frankfurt, Römerberg 212 16 | GERMANY GERMANY | 17 CONTENTS When overseas visitors to Germany are confronted with testimonies of history like the moated castle of Ir- melshausen, their spontaneous first question tends to be: Is all this for real? Assuredly it is.