GERMANY
Vacations and Sightseeing

Basic information
Official language	German
Capital	Berlin
Area	357.022 km²
Population	82,229,585  (2021)
Currency	euro  (EUR)
Web	.de
Code.	DEU
Tel.	+49

Cities in GERMANY

Berlin	Cologne	Dortmund
Frankfurt	Hamburg	Heidelberg

Popular destinations GERMANY

Bavaria

Vacations and Sightseeing

Germany is a very popular holiday destination and the tourism industry sets new records every year. The main countries of origin of the foreign travelers are the Netherlands, the United States and England. Bavaria remains Germany's top destination in terms of overnight stays, followed by Baden-Württemberg at a great distance. The main flight destination for the Germans themselves is Spain.

Berlin is the capital of Germany. Tiergarten is the park of no less than 210 hectares in Berlin. It is located right in the center and is truly an oasis of peace. In this beautiful park you can enjoy walking, cycling and picnicking. This park used to be the royal hunting ground, hence the name Tiergarten. The Reichstag is the German parliament building. It is a beautiful building in which a modern architectural style is tastefully combined with the classical. The building's glass dome is the most eye-catching element. The dome can be climbed and from the top point you have a beautiful view of Berlin. The entrance is free and it is a unique experience. There are long lines in front of the Reichstag on most days, so you have to be patient. An extensive and impressive memorial to the Holocaust can be found on Berlin's Eberstrasse. The monument was designed by the architect Peter Eisenman. He based the monument on the phrase: "It happened and therefore it can happen again." by the Italian writer and Auschwitz survivor Primo Levi. Read more on the Berlin page of TheWorldOfInfo.

Reichstag building, seat of the German parliament, built from 1884-1894P_{hoto: Magnus Manske CC 2.0 Generic no changes made}

Cologne is a beautiful city and lies on the banks of the Rhine. The city's most famous monument and the symbol of its inhabitants is Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom). Construction of this remarkable Gothic church started in 1248 and was completed in 1880. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1996. The cathedral houses the shrine of the Three Kings and is said to have the relics of the Three Biblical Magi. Medieval houses from the inner city are of particular interest to tourists. The town hall (Kölner Rathaus) from the 12th century is the oldest town hall in Germany and still in use. The Renaissance style loggia and tower were added in the 15th century. Other famous houses are the Gürzenich, the Haus Saaleck and the Overstolzenhaus. Cologne has many famous museums, which are a must to visit. The most important are: The Roman-Germanic museum with art and architecture from antiquity. The Ludwig Museum has one of the most important collections of modern art in Europe, including a Picasso collection that is matched only by the collections in the museums of Barcelona and Paris. The Schnütgen Museum of Religious Art is housed in one of the city's twelve Romanesque churches, the Church of St. Cecilia. Read more on the Cologne page of countries web.

Cologne Cathedral_{Photo: Neuwieser CC 2.0 Generic no changes made}

Hamburg is Germany's second city. Speicherstad is the oldest collection of red brick warehouses in the world. It is known for the storage of various goods from different corners of the world. The collection of the history museum of the city of Hamburg covers the period from the 8th century to the 20th century. The changing history of Hamburg is documented in this museum. The Hamburger Kunsthalle is Hamburg's most important art museum. The collection consists of works of art from the Middle Ages to the present day. Works by Rembrandt, Monet and Rodin are on display. Read more on the Hamburg page of TheWorldOfInfo.

Kunsthalle of Hamburg_{Photo: Membeth in the public domain}

Frankfurt is one of the largest cities in Germany. The Frankfurter Messe is one of the largest exhibition centers in the world. About 40-50 fairs are held annually and attract a great many visitors. St. Bartholomew's Cathedral (Dom Sankt Bartholomaeus) is a Gothic building built in the 14th and 15th centuries on the foundation of an earlier church from the Merovingian era. It is Frankfurt's main church. The tower can be climbed in the summer season. The famous old opera house (Alte Oper) was built in 1880 by the architect Richard Lucae. It was one of the great opera houses in Germany until it was badly damaged in World War II.

Until the late 1970s it was in ruins. It was even thought of simply blowing up the remains. Due to public pressure, the building was finally completely renovated and reopened in 1981. Today it functions as a concert hall, operas are performed at the Oper Frankfurt. Read more on the Frankfurt page of TheWorldOfInfo.

Alte Oper, Frankfurt_{Photo: Daderot in the public domain}

Numerous churches and bell towers dominate the center of Dortmund. The Reinoldikirche (St. Reinoldus Church) and the Marienkirche are gems of medieval architecture. Dortmund city center still has the characteristics of a medieval city. A ring has been built on the site of the old city wall and the Hellweg, a former part of the medieval trade route is still the main (car-free) street that divides the center of the city into two parts. There are a number of remarkable sights and places that you must see in Dortmund. Read more on the Dortmund page of TheWorldOfInfo.

Reinoldi church in Dortmund_{Photo: H.Helmlechner CC 4.0 International no changes made}

Heidelberg has many great tourist attractions, visitors fall in love with the charming medieval architecture and the river. The atmospheric old town offers endless narrow streets, historic sights and a handful of beautiful churches, all overshadowed by the imposing Heidelberg Castle. For the best views of Heidelbergs, you can walk along the high Philosophenweg or, as a comfortable alternative, enjoy the landscape via the Bergbahn (cable car). Read more on the Heidelberg page of TheWorldOfInfo.

View on Heidelberg, Germany_{Photo: Filius humanitas CC 4.0 International no changes made}

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Sources

Ayer, E.H. / Germany
Lucent Books

Egert-Romanowska, J. / Duitsland
Van Reemst

Europese Unie : vijftien landendocumentaties
Europees Platform voor het Nederlandse Onderwijs

Mark, D.F.W. van der / De Bondsrepubliek Duitsland voor en na 1990 : geschiedenis, politiek, economie en ruimtelijke ontwikkeling
Landensurveys

Tatsachen über Deutschland

CIA - World Factbook

BBC - Country Profiles

Last updated September 2024
Copyright: Team The World of Info