Bruges in West Flanders, Belgium.
Bruges was once the center of the textile industry and is counted among the birthplaces of early capitalism. Under the rule of the Dukes of Burgundy, the city became one of the wealthiest in Europe. Because Bruges has never been destroyed or damaged, the medieval cityscape in all its glory has survived to this day.
Bruges was once the center of the textile industry and is counted among the birthplaces of early capitalism. Under the rule of the Dukes of Burgundy, the city became one of the wealthiest in Europe. Because Bruges has never been destroyed or damaged, the medieval cityscape in all its glory has survived to this day.
Antwerp in Antwerp, Belgium.
Antwerp in Flanders is the biggest city in Belgium and part of the metropolitan area Vlaamse Ruit. The port city is the world's most important diamond trading center and home to three UNESCO world heritage sites. The painters Rubens, van Dyck, Jan Brueghel the Elder and the Younger all hail from Antwerp.
Antwerp in Flanders is the biggest city in Belgium and part of the metropolitan area Vlaamse Ruit. The port city is the world's most important diamond trading center and home to three UNESCO world heritage sites. The painters Rubens, van Dyck, Jan Brueghel the Elder and the Younger all hail from Antwerp.
Erfurt in Thuringia, Germany.
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the most central German city. The University of Erfurt is the oldest in the region in what is now modern Germany. Its most famous graduate is Martin Luther, who later became a monk in Erfurt. The city is home to 77 churches and is therefore nicknamed “Thuringia’s Rome”.
Ulm in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Ulm is a city in Baden-Württemberg close to the border to Bavaria. The city at the Danube is famous for the Ulm Minster, which is the largest protestant church in Germany and the church with the world's tallest spire. The best known former inhabitants of Ulm are Albert Einstein and siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl.
Ulm is a city in Baden-Württemberg close to the border to Bavaria. The city at the Danube is famous for the Ulm Minster, which is the largest protestant church in Germany and the church with the world's tallest spire. The best known former inhabitants of Ulm are Albert Einstein and siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl.
Friedrichshafen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Friedrichshafen is a city in Baden-Württemberg on the northern shores of Lake Constance. The city was created by joining the city Buchhorn with the village Hofen under King Friedrich I of Württemberg. Friedrichshafen is famous for the Zeppelin airship, which was developed here by Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin.
Friedrichshafen is a city in Baden-Württemberg on the northern shores of Lake Constance. The city was created by joining the city Buchhorn with the village Hofen under King Friedrich I of Württemberg. Friedrichshafen is famous for the Zeppelin airship, which was developed here by Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin.
Dinkelsbühl in Bavaria, Germany.
Dinkelsbühl is a former free imperial city in Bavaria, located on the Romantic Road. The city calls itself the “most beautiful German Old Town” as about half of the houses were built around 1500. The historical center is surrounded by a 2,5 kilometer long wall with 27 towers, four of which are town gates.
Dinkelsbühl is a former free imperial city in Bavaria, located on the Romantic Road. The city calls itself the “most beautiful German Old Town” as about half of the houses were built around 1500. The historical center is surrounded by a 2,5 kilometer long wall with 27 towers, four of which are town gates.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, Germany.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a small city with a world-famous historic old town. The highly-touristic city's appeal is the very well-preserved town center that is completely surrounded by a city wall. That is why this Bavarian city close to Nuremberg is seen as a romanticized example of medieval Germany.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a small city with a world-famous historic old town. The highly-touristic city's appeal is the very well-preserved town center that is completely surrounded by a city wall. That is why this Bavarian city close to Nuremberg is seen as a romanticized example of medieval Germany.
Bamberg in Bavaria, Germany.
Bamberg is the largest city in Upper Franconia. The old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994 and is one of the largest well-preserved historic old towns in Germany. The city was built on seven hills and is divided into an ecclesiastical part on the mountain, the bourgeois island and the garden city.
Karlstadt in Bavaria, Germany.
Karlstadt is located north of Würzburg in the Franconian wine region on the foothills of the Spessart directly on the Main. The Main Cycle Path that leads through the city makes it a loved destination for cyclists and campers. The ruins of the Karlsburg, built by Konrad von Querfurt around 1200, towers over the city.
Lohr am Main in Bavaria, Germany.
Lohr am Main is a small town in the west of Lower Franconia, directly on the banks of the Main. The picturesque town centre consists of many historic half-timbered houses. The city claims to be the home of Snowwhite, who allegedly grew up in Lohr Castle, which once belonged to the Counts of Rieneck.
Castell in Bavaria, Germany.
Castell is a tiny village in the wine region of Lower Franconia. The place is the home of the Princely House of Castell-Castell, who until this day own the Castell Palace and are involved in viticulture. On the hill “Herrenberg”, in the middle of vineyards lie the ruins of the old castle and the actual castle “Castell”.
Kitzingen in Bavaria, Germany.
Kitzingen is a small town in Weinfranken at the Main. The city with its surroundings is considered the largest wine producer in Bavaria. The first Franconian wine law was passed here in 1482. The main sight of Kitzingen is the Falterturm with a crooked tower spire, and there's also Germany's first carnival museum.
Weikersheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Weikersheim is a town recognised as a health resort in the northeast of Baden-Württemberg. The town on the Romantic Road is home to the princely House of Hohenlohe, who have their seat here in “Schloss Weikersheim”. The palace's Renaissance garden is one of the most beautiful gardens in Germany.
Volkach in Bavaria, Germany.
Volkach is a historic small town in Weinfranken at the Mainschleife. From 1258 to 1520 the city belonged to the county of Castell. Today the place is characterised by viticulture and tourism. The ensemble of the old town with two city gates, the market square and the Renaissance town hall are worth seeing.
Königsberg in Bavaria, Germany.
Königsberg is a small country town on the edge of the Hassberge in Franconia. It lies in the shadow of the king's vineyard, on which the Königsberg castle, built under Frederick Barbarossa, stands. The city, which was the centre of the area around 1600, changed ownership over 60 times in its history.
Zwickau in Saxony, Germany.
Zwickau is the fourth largest city in Saxony and located in the southeast of the Free State. The former imperial city for several centuries prospered from coal mining and later became a centre of the automotive industry in the 20th century. The city's most famous son is the composer Robert Schumann.
Dresden in Saxony, Germany.
Dresden is the capital and the second-largest city in Saxony. The international cultural city on the Elbe is known for numerous important buildings such as the baroque Zwinger, the reconstructed Frauenkirche, the Residenzschloss and the Semperoper. Dresden is one of the greenest cities in Europe.
Moritzburg in Saxony, Germany.
Moritzburg is a small town in the middle of Saxony around the baroque Moritzburg Castle. The previous Renaissance-style hunting lodge was converted into a summer palace in 1733 at the instigation of Augustus the Strong. In 1945 Prince Ernst Heinrich of Saxony hid the Saxon treasure in 40 crates in the castle park.
Meissen in Saxony, Germany.
Meissen is a city in Saxony that is known worldwide for the Meissen porcelain manufactory. The city's silhouette is formed by the Meissen Cathedral and the castle Albrechtsburg. The castle is considered the first German palace. The city itself shows many ceramic murals made from Meissen porcelain.
Leipzig in Saxony, Germany.
Leipzig is the largest city in Saxony and a historical centre for culture and industry. In 1190 one of the oldest trade fairs in the world was founded here. The University of Leipzig is also one of the three oldest in the country. The local Monument to the Battle of the Nations commemorates the 1813 Battle of Leipzig.
Wittenberg in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
Wittenberg is located in the east of Saxony-Anhalt. In the 16th century, the city gained great importance as a centre of German culture and politics. On the doors of the castle church, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on October 31, 1517. The reformer Philip Melanchthon also temporarily lived in Wittenberg.
Potsdam in Brandenburg, Germany.
Potsdam is the capital of Brandenburg and the former residence of the kings of Prussia. The city is rich in parks and castles and the cultural landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Babelsberg film park is one of Europe most modern film studios, in 1926 “Metropolis” by Fritz Lang was produced here.
Berlin in Berlin, Germany.
Berlin is the capital of Germany and the most populous city in the European Union. Since 1991, the city has been the seat of the federal government, the Bundestag and many embassies. Well-known sights are the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag building, the entire Museum Island in the Spree and many more.
Magdeburg in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
Magdeburg is the capital of Saxony-Anhalt. In the late Middle Ages, due to the “Magdeburg rights”, the city was one of the largest cities in Germany and later the most powerful fortress in Prussia. The Green Citadel in Magdeburg is a large pink building, the last project by architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
Quedlinburg in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
Quedlinburg is a town in the Harz Mountains in Saxony-Anhalt. The old town, with about 2,000 half-timbered houses from eight centuries and some Art Nouveau villas, is one of the largest area monuments in Germany and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city also has a railway station for the Harzer Schmalspurbahn.
Goslar in Lower Saxony, Germany.
Goslar is a city in the east of Lower Saxony. The former mining town was a free imperial city from 1290 and already had an important imperial palace around the year 1000. Today, both the old town with its magnificent slate buildings and the nearby Rammelsberg mine both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Hanover in Lower Saxony, Germany.
Hanover was the capital of Kurhannover (from 1692), the Kingdom of Hanover (from 1814), the Prussian Province of Hanover (from 1866) and the State of Hanover. It has been the capital of Lower Saxony since 1946 and UNESCO City of Music since 2014. The new town hall and the mountain garden are worth seeing.
Battenberg in Hesse, Germany.
Battenberg is a small town in Hesse on the Eder river. From 1214 the counts of Battenberg ruled here. The noble family of the same name was founded in 1815 and is now known as Mountbatten. The descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, are called "Mountbatten-Windsor".
Marburg in Hesse, Germany.
Marburg is a city on the Lahn in Hesse. The city lies on the former border (Marc) between Thuringia and Mainz. The Philipps University of Marburg is the worlds oldest Protestant university still in existence. In addition to the university, the Elisabeth Church and the castle “Landgrafenschloss” are also well worth seeing.
Alsfels in Hesse, Germany.
The city of Alsfeld is centrally located in Hesse and was declared a “European Model City” in 1975. Thus the historic old town, with some of the oldest houses in Germany (from 1350), has been extensively restored. Alsfeld is located on the Märchenstraße and describes itself as the city of Little Red Riding Hood.
Haßfurt in Bavaria, Germany.
Haßfurt was built as a border post between the dioceses of Bamberg and Würzburg, am Main. The cityscape is characterised by the Knight's Chapel of St. Maria, one of the most important late Gothic buildings in Franconia, the upper and lower towers, as well as the Bamberg and Würzburg gates.
Schmalkalden in Thuringia, Germany.
Schmalkalden is a small town in Thuringia that was part of Hesse for many centuries. The city is best known for the Schmalkaldic League, founded in 1531, which is considered the political arm of the Reformation. The cityscape is characterized by beautiful late medieval half-timbered houses around the market square.
Meiningen in Thuringia, Germany.
Meiningen is a city in the Franconian part of Thuringia. From 1008 it belonged to the high diocese of Würzburg, later to the Henneberger Land. Under Duke Georg II of Saxony-Meiningen, the city flourished as a city of culture and theatre. The court orchestra and the Meiningen Court Theatre still exist today.
Detmold in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Detmold is a university town in East Westphalia-Lippe. The town was the royal seat of the lords, counts and princes of Lippe for almost 500 years and later from 1918 to 1947 the capital of the Free State and the Land of Lippe. The city is widely known for the Hermannsdenkmal and the LWL open-air museum.
Kassel in Hesse, Germany.
Kassel is the third largest-city in Hesse. It once was the capital of the Landgraviate and later of the Electorate of Hesse. That's why the city impresses with castles and parks such as the orangery or the Wilhelmshöhe mountain park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The documenta Kassel is also well known.
Iphofen in Bavaria, Germany.
Iphofen is a small town in Lower Franconia north of the Main. It is known for its completely preserved medieval townscape with four city gates and four towers. Also, Iphofen is a well-known wine-growing place with four vineyards and thus the home of over 20 winemaking families and a well-known wine shop.
Kulmbach in Bavaria, Germany.
Kulmbach is a city in Upper Franconia that is known for Plassenburg Castle, one of Germanys greatest Renaissance castles. At times it was a residence of the Hohenzollern and now houses the German Tin Soldier Museum. South of the city, the River Main begins at the confluence of the White Main and the Red Main.
Nördlingen in Bavaria, Germany.
Nördlingen is a former Free Imperial City in Bavaria, which lies in the impact crater of a meteorite, the Nordlinger Ries. Due to its location, the city was an important trading centre, but lost its importance after the Thirty Years' War. As a result, the old town with its city wall is still in excellent condition today.
Augsburg in Bavaria, Germany.
Augsburg is the third-largest city in Bavaria. It was founded around 15 BC as a Roman camp and was a Free Imperial City starting in 1316. Under the influence of the extremely wealthy Fugger and Welser families, Augsburg became one of the most important and largest cities in the Holy Roman Empire.
Regensburg in Bavaria, Germany.
Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian district of Upper Palatinate and lies on the Danube. From 1663 to 1806 it was the seat of the Perpetual Diet of the Holy Roman Empire. Since 1748 the noble family Thurn and Taxis are residing in St. Emmeram Castle. The old town with Stadtamhof is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Donaustauf in Bavaria, Germany.
Donaustauf is a market town in Upper Palatinate near Regensburg. The place is located at the Danube and was created below a medieval castle, which has been in ruins since the Thirty Years' War. Donaustauf is known for the Walhalla, a memorial for important German personalities that was opened in 1842.
Ebrach in Bavaria, Germany.
Ebrach is a town with market rights in Upper Franconia between Würzburg and Bamberg. It was founded in 1127 as Cistercian monastery “Kloster Ebrach” by Berno and Richwin von Eberau. The monastery's church is famous for its beautiful rose window. Since 1815 the former monastery building serves as a prison.
Gerolzhofen in Bavaria, Germany.
Gerolzhofen is a small town in Lower Franconia at the northwestern borders of the Steigerwald. The city is known for its fortifications with double surrounding walls and many towers. The local catholic church with its two “Julius-Towers” is also known as Steigerwalddom (Cathedral of the Steigerwald).
Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany.
Würzburg, located in Lower Franconia at the river Main, is the sixth-largest city in Bavaria. In medieval times the city was an important center for theology and industry. For these reasons Würzburg is also a classic German university city and boasts many lovely churches and a breathtaking baroque palace.
