Destination attractions things to do in germany

Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest

Trying to see everything that there is to see in Germany in a limited amount of time is like trying to get to know someone with only an hour to do so. Germany is so large and so full of many amazing pieces of history that it would take several visits to even begin to make a dent. There are, however, some parts of Germany that simply can not be missed. So, if you only have a week or two to visit Germany and you do not mind wearing down a pair of walking shoes, then the following is a list of important places throughout Germany that will definitely make your trip worth remembering.

THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. BARTHOLEMEW/DOM ST. BARTHOLOMAUS - FRANKFURT, GERMANY:

This historical religious site was originally built in 1235 as a parish church. In 1356, it was decreed that all of the German emperors were to be elected here. Because of this decree, the church received cathedral status. The cathedral suffered through two major destructions; it had to be rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1867 and again after World War II. To look at the reconstruction of the cathedral after the World War, you will notice that the only parts of the original church that survived the bombings are the frieze of St. Bartholemew, the choir stalls and the Maria-Schlaf altar. Everything else was reconstructed. Some of the treasures of the cathedral are being held in the museums throughout Frankfurt.

ST. PAULS CHURCH/PAULSKIRCHE - FRANKFURT, GERMANY:

This historical religious site is where the kings and emperors of Germany were crowned. It was originally built to replace the Church of the Barefooted and was opened in 1833. The first German parliament sat here in 1848. 59 articles that are still part of the German constitution were passed here. The church was destroyed during the bombings of the World War in 1944 but was rebuilt in 1947/48 as a memorial. The German Peace Prize ceremony is still held here today.

OPEL-ZOO - FRANKFURT, GERMANY:

There is only one zoo in Frankfurt. The Opel-zoo is found in the middle of the forest near Kronberg. Its name is derived from Adam Opel who was the founder of the motor company which bears his name. The zoo has a wonderful variety of wild animals from all over the world. There are elephants, tigers, lions, zebras, hippos and many more. The cages are not really cages, but large enclosures where the animals can live in a more suitable, comfortable environment. Within the zoo, there are two special sections. The first section contains a petting zoo where children can feed and pet the animals and the second section contains various play areas. These areas include slides, trampolines and a miniature railway system.

THE PALMENGARTEN - FRANKFURT, GERMANY:

The park is also a botanical garden. It includes a perennial garden, an expanded rock garden and an amazing rose garden. The Palm house, which was built in 1869, serves as a gallery for shows and other exhibitions. The Tropicarium hosts tropical vegetation, the Sub-Antarctic House displays plants from South American lands and the Entrance Conservatory houses insectivorous plants. There are also many other collections of plants to be seen. The park area of the Palmengarten includes a small lake, fountains and a place for concerts to be held, including a dance area.

ALLIED MUSEUM - BERLIN, GERMANY:

This museum includes exhibits showing the roles of the United States, Britain and France during the years 1945 to 1994. This includes exhibits from the Occupation and the Cold War.

THE BERLIN ZOO AND AQUARIUM - BERLIN, GERMANY:

The Berlin Zoo and Aquarium are the largest of their kind in the world. They both have the largest collections of animals found anywhere in the world. The zoo has over 74 acres and around 13,000 different animal species or more. It concentrates on preserving and breeding endangered species. The most amazing part of the zoo is the Elephant Gate, which is an oriental gate with sculptures of elephants on it. The aquarium has almost 300 tanks with all different varieties of fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects.

THE BRANKDENBURG GATE/BRANDENBURGER TOR - BERLIN, GERMANY:

One of the greatest symbols of unity of Germany is the Brandenburg gate. When the Berlin Wall was taken down in 1989, this gate was the last to remain standing.

MUSEUM ISLAND/MUSEUMSINSEL - BERLIN, GERMANY:

Four museums make up this group of buildings. As you walk through the buildings, you will notice the development of modern design for over more than a century. The buildings included in the group are The National Gallery, The Old Museum/Altes Museum, The Pergamon Museum and The Bode Museum. Each museum houses it own amazing and different collection. The National Gallery houses a collection of works from the 19th and 20th centuries. The Old Museum houses paintings and statues from the 18th through the early 20th century. The Bode Museum houses relics from the Byzantine and early Christian period. The Pergamon Museum is so large that is needed to be divided into five sections. These sections include the Antiquities Collection, the Islamic Museum, the Far East Collection, the Middle East Museum and the Museum of Popular Art. This will definitely take a few days to truly explore and enjoy.

NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE - MUNICH, GERMANY:

This famous castle is what Walt Disney based his Sleeping Beauty castle on. It is a magnificent castle built between 1869 and 1886 for King Ludwig of Bavaria. The styles included within the castle range from Byzantine to Romanesque to even Gothic. To look at it during the winter shows a real fairy-tale castle up in the clouds among the Alps. The castle is not actually completed though. Only one third of the building was finished which include 15 amazing rooms. Just Ludwigs bedroom alone took 4 carpenters, four and a half years to complete! Walking around the grounds of the castle will bring you to a nearby waterfall and bridge. The unbelievable views from the castle alone make this worth the trip.

GLOCKENSPIEL - MUNICH, GERMANY:

This giant cuckoo clock is 279 feet and consists of 43 bells that chime for 11 minutes at 11 am, 12 noon and again at 9 pm. The 43 bells are accompanied by large mechanical marionettes that perform scenes from the history of Munich. The show from this clock begins soon after the church bells stop striking the hour. It is very hard to see from the center square, but enjoyable the first time you hear it.

HOFBRAUHAUS - MUNICH, GERMANY:

The Hofbr?uhaus was founded in 1589 and is world-famous. It has become one of Munich's most popular tourist attractions. Those unable to visit Germany to attend Oktoberfest get to enjoy the feeling of it all the time in this pub/restaurant. Traditional food is served here by servers in traditional costumes and accompanied by an oompa band and sometimes dancers. Combine this with the nice, homelike atmosphere, a lot of beer and you will understand how the Hofbrauhaus is a must for every interested tourist.