MORE CASTLES!
There are SO many great castles and palaces to visit in Germany. I don’t want to turn this into a “castles of Germany” article but these deserve a look too!
Reichsburg Cochem Castle
It is my opinion that there are few castles as cute as this 11th century Gothic Revival beauty! Reichsburg Cochem Castle is the quintessential “every child’s dream” castle! One night when I spotted it sitting atop a hill overlooking Cochem and the Mosel River I felt quite sure that I was seeing Hogwarts in all its glowing glory.
Lichtenstein castle (Schloss Lichtenstein)
This tiny 19th century cliff side castle situated high above the little town of Liechtenstein, is in a category all to itself. In the 19th century nostalgia for medieval times and Gothic architecture inspired the construction of these types of romantic structures. Lichtenstein Castle is located south of Stuttgart.
PALACES!
What is the difference between a castle and a palace? By the 1600s, people didn’t want to live in cold and damp castles anymore, so they built grand sprawling palaces and filled them with every kind of flashy glittering riches they could lay their hands on.
In my experience, a visit to a German palace in will leave you feeling a little disadvantaged in life and spending the rest of the day wondering how to get all of that bronze and gold out of your head! It’s amazing so make sure you hit at least one of Germany’s grand palaces on your next trip!
Here are some of the best:
Würzburg Residence Palace (Residenz Würzburg)
Wurzburg Palace is a Baroque style place that deserves its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Extensive damage was inflicted on this beautiful 18th century palace during World War II, but they have done a fantastic job of bringing this palace back to glory!
Wurzburg Palace is an easy trip from Frankfurt International airport. It’s just 1 hour east of the airport (1 hour 45 minutes by train.)
Herrenchiemsee New Palace (Neues Schloss Herrenchiemsee)
King Ludwig strikes again! This sprawling palace is his answer to Versailles! On strict orders from the King, it was imperative that everything in this palace be done in the French style. King Ludwig ran out of money and died at an early age before the place was complete, but it’s still worth a visit!
Make a day of it! Herrenchiemsee Palace is located about an hour from Munich on an island in Chiemsee Lake so you will need to take a ferry over. I recently had the pleasure of visiting this palace. There is so much to do in this area. I would recommend that you plan to spend the whole day. Contact me for more information.
Schwerin Castle (Schloss Schwerin)
This 1,000 year old “romantic Historicism” style castle, often called the Neuschwanstein of the north, is a sight to behold! Schwerin Castle is located on an island in Schweriner Lake in northern Germany.
New Palace Potsdam (Neues Palais)
The sprawling New Palace Potsdam, part of the “Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin” UNESCO World Heritage designation, is simply stunning! It is located in Potsdam, just outside of Berlin, and is considered to be the last great Prussian Baroque Palace.
Churches and Cathedrals
Religious Monuments Germany: Germany has some of the World’s most spectacular churches and cathedrals. Here are some of the very best:
Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom)
The massive gothic style Cologne Cathedral, with its beautiful stained glass windows, is located in Cologne Germany. At the time of its completion in 1880 it was the world’s tallest building.
Today the Gothic cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the “tallest twin-spire church in the world, the Second tallest church in Europe after Ulm Minster, and the third tallest church of any kind in the world.” -Wikipedia.
Be sure not to miss a night viewing when the church is lit up in all of its glory! The last time I was in this stunner I was a child, but still remember passing through those massive doors so many years ago. Add it to your list to make a lasting memory of your own.
Duo of UNESCO Churches in Trier
We find ourselves in lovely Trier once again. Along with the Roman monuments these churches are included on the “Trier UNESCO World Heritage collection.”
- Church of our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche) Trier (Pfarrei Liebfrauen Trier). This French high gothic style Catholic church dates from the year 1260 AD.
- Trier Saint Peter’s Cathedral (aka Dom Trier.) This Roman Catholic Church is the oldest church in Germany, having opened its doors in the year 1270 AD
Ulm Minster (Ulmer Münster)
is a Lutheran church located in Ulm, between Stuttgart and Munch. The church steeple measures 161.5 meters. (over 500 feet.) Ulm Minster is currently the tallest church in the world. This 19th century gothic structure holds up to 2,000 worshipers at one time.
Aachen Cathedral (Aachener Dom)
The stunning Aachen Cathedral, located in Aachen in western Germany, is also a UNESCO site. This Roman Catholic church is one of the oldest churches in all of Europe. Construction began in the year 796 AD, a project of Roman Emperor Charlemagne who was later buried in the cathedral.
Parish Church of St. Sebastian
The St. Sebastian Church is located in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden in the lovely Bavarian Alps. This adorable little church with the mountains in the background, and the little brook and bridge in the foreground, was on my travel bucket list for quite some time. I am absolutely thrilled to say that I was recently able to see it for myself.
Can you guess how stunned I was to find out that the church is in town??? That’s right, a road runs right through the middle of this picturesque scene and my rental car is parked just down the way in front of the local grocery store…go anyway! This beautiful place is a popular spot so if you want to get some photos sans people, I recommend getting there EARLY!
There’s a walking trail through the forest that runs from here to Hintersee Lake. Contact me if you need details! Either through the comments or my contact page.
Honorable mention
There are SO many “not to be missed” Germany landmarks. Here are a few more that you might want to consider on your next trip.
Cathedrals and Churches
Erfurt Cathedral ( Erfurter Dom) also known as St Mary’s Cathedral, is a 12th century Gothic Romanesque style Catholic cathedral located in Erfurt in the central part of Germany.
Why it deserves a spot on the “ Famous Landmarks in Germany ” list: a commanding figure in the Erfurt skyline with all of its many spears, this cathedral puts me in mind of an ornate temple. Stunning and warmly lit at night!
More World Heritage Famous Monuments in Germany
If you’re into World Heritage Sites here are two more of particular interest:
Bergpark (mountain park) Wilhelmshöhe
Bergpark (mountain park) Wilhelmshöhe is a most unique park located in Kassel in north central Germany. Construction of the park began in 1689 and took 150 years to complete. The park was built on a hill that covers 2.4 square kilometers (2400 square meters) ; it is the second largest park on a hill slope in the world.
Why it deserves a spot on the “ Famous Landmarks in Germany ” list:
The uniqueness of this park earns it a spot on the list. At the summit of this hill is a monument dedicated to Hercules, the Roman God of Strength. The water that gathers in the reservoirs at the top makes its way down to the Great Fountain through a series of channels, aqueducts, and water-wheels. The water tumbles through a Baroque water theater, grotto, fountains, hydraulic organs, and several waterfalls. The Great foundation was at one time the largest fountain in all of Europe. The stunning baroque architecture as well as the unique fountains and water features earned Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe UNESCO World Heritage distinction.
Quedlinburg Germany
A trio of historic landmarks in Germany can be found in the small town of Quedlinburg (located between Leipzig and Hanover) and have together earned the town a spot on UNESCO’s World Heritage list: Quedlinburg Abbey, the Collegiate Church, and Quedlinburg Old Towne.
- Quedlinburg Old Town’s (Altstadt) has exceptionally well preserved medieval streets and half timbered houses that transport visitors to Quedlinburg back in time. If you’re looking for quintessential historic Germany you’ll find it here!
Looking out over Quedlinburg old town is Castle Hill, where we will find the other two spots that earned this town its UNESCO distinction.
- Collegiate Church St. Servatius (Stiftskirche St. Servatius) This old 12th century Romanesque church is said to contain “a treasure trove of sculptures, paintings, manuscripts & relics.” -Wikipedia
- The Imperial Abbey of Quedlinburg facing the church is the Abbey, founded in the year 936 AD which now houses the castle museum (Schlossmuseum Quedlinburg.)
Why it deserves a spot on the “ Famous Landmarks in Germany ” list:
The historic buildings in Quedlinburg alone easily earn it a spot on our list, but coupled with the Collegiate Church and Abbey, this town is deserving of recognition as one of Germanys landmarks. It makes a great addition to any Germany Travel Itinerary.
More castles and palaces!
Ok ok, more castles? With thousands of castle, palaces and ruins scattered around Germany there were bound to be a few deserving of honorable mention.
Sanssouci Palace
Potsdam, just outside of Berlin, is home to another famous landmark in Germany, In addition to the Brandenburg Gate, Prussian King Frederick the Great also built Sanssouci Palace as his summer retreat.
Why it deserves a spot on the “ Famous Landmarks in Germany ” list:
Sanssouci Palace is often considered one of Germany’s rivals to Versailles…and we like that! Stop by when you’re in the area and let us know, is the comparison warranted???
Nymphenburg palace
Is a French Baroque style Palace in Munich. Be sure to leave time in your schedule to explore the beautiful gardens that have remained virtually unchanged for over 150 years.
Why it deserves a spot on the “ Famous Landmarks in Germany ” list:
This one’s another Versailles contender! This palace has a faccade that actually surpasses that of Versailles! (Nymphenburg: frontal width of 632 m (2,073 ft) Versailles: 402 meters (1,319 ft)
Landmark Germany: modern architectural structures
Here are some of the beautiful buildings in Germany…from more recent history.
- The Twin Towers located in Frankfurt am Main are the headquarters of the Deutsche Bank, the facade of the towers are covered in glass windows.
- Main Tower: In the same area of Frankfurt, you’ll find the Main Tower, a double skyscraper with a cylinder shaped tower that is attached to a cube shaped tower.
- The Reichstag building,(Reichstagsgebäude) an impressive glass dome, located in Berlin, that serves as the German parliament building
- The Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall in Hamburg is one of the largest in the world. The glass top portion of the building resembles a hoisted sail sitting atop a brick building.
more Landmarks of Germany with Historical significance
World War II and Holocaust sites and memorials are a sad but important reminder of the tragedies of the past. These two WWII sites are landmarks of significant historical importance in Germany’s history.
- Dachau Concentration Camp (KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau) is located north of Munich. In WWII over 40,00 prisoners of war were put to death at Dachau. Today it is open to the public as a museum and place of remembrance.
- Holocaust Memorial, also known as The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is located in Berlin. This park dedicated to the murdered Jews consists of 2 ,711 concrete slab monuments.
There you have it! the Best of the Famous Landmarks in Germany!
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