Germany Attraction

8/6/2019 Germany Attraction

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The Wadden Sea

The Wadden Sea is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This natural heritage is located on the North Sea coast. Covering an

area of about 10,000 square kilometers, it includes the two Wadden Sea National Parks of Schleswig Holstein and Lower

Saxony.

The diversity of the Wadden Sea landscape makes it a unique habitat for more than 10,000 species of plants and wildlife

Mussel beds, dense sea grass meadows and soft mud flats provide food for many animals. Flowering salt marshes in the

transitional zone along the dykes and on the islands give way to white sandy beaches and dunes. For millions of migratory

birds, the Wadden Sea is an essential stop over or resting place. Geologically, it is a very young area, only 10,000 years old,

and constantly being re-shaped by the winds and tides. High and low tide alternate every six hours, transforming the

landscape as if by magic.


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Cologne Cathedral

Building first began in 1248 on what eventually became one of the finest ecclesiastical edifices in the world and the

epitome of high-Gothic cathedral architecture in its purest possible form.

The scale ofCologne Cathedral is evident from its two mighty towers. Completed in 1880, they dominate both the city and

the surrounding region. At the time of its completion in the 19thcentury, the cathedral was the biggest building in the

world. The design of the west side was truly ground breaking. It has the largest exterior surface of any church in the world,

said to be around 7,000 square metres, and is flanked by two huge towers, each rising to a height of 157metres. The

cathedral houses a wealth of important art treasures, including colourful stained glass windows that bathe the church

interior in a mysterious light; the Ottonian Gero Cross(aroun d 980 AD), the oldest large-scale sculpture in the western

world; the shrine housing the relics of the Three Kings (1190 -1225), an outstanding example of Rhenish gold work; the altar

of the patron saints ofCologne by Stefan Lochner (around 1450), a masterpiece of the Cologne school.


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Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen

In its heyday, the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen was one of the largest and most modern collieries and

coking plants in the world.

The outstanding features of Shaft 12 set new standards in industrial design, based on the principles of the New Objectivity.

Its two architects, Fritz Schupp and Martin Kremmer, created a harmonious blend of geometric shapes and symmetrical

features arranged around two axes. Today, the colliery and the functionally integrat ed Zollverein coking plant built by Fritz

Schupp together form a remarkable industrial landscape of international importance. At the same time, they are also a

vibrant cultural venue. Regarded as the most beautiful colliery in the world, the complex is a testament to the modern

architectural movement of the 1920s and1930s and the rise of heavy industry. The Denkmalpfad Zollverein discovery trail

runs through an open-cast mine left in its original condition, where expert guides help visitors to understand the different

stages involved in coal production. The tour us es models, video clips and interactive museum tech nology to illustrate the

process along with a soundtrack of authentic noises.

Reichstag (building)

The Reichstag building is a historical edifice in Berlin, Germany, constructed to house the Reichstag(parliament) of the

German Empire. It was opened in 1894 and housed the Reichstaguntil 1933, when it was severely damaged i n a fire

supposedly set by DutchcommunistMarinus van der Lubbe. During the Nazi era, the few meetings of members of the


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Reichstagas a group were held in the Kroll Opera House. After the Second World War the Reichstag building fell into disuse

as theparliament of the German Democratic Republic met in the Palace of the Republic in East Berlin and theparliament of

the Federal Republic of Germany met in the Bundeshaus in Bonn.

The building was made safe against the elements and partially refurbished in the 1960s, but no attempt at full restoration wa s

made until after the reunification of Germany on October 3, 1990, when it underwent reconstruction led by internationally

renowned architectNorman Foster. After its completion in 1999, it became the meeting place of the modern German

parliament, the Bundestag.

Reichstag building seen from the west

Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle(German:Schloss Neuschwanstein,pronounced [nvantan]) is a 19th-century Gothic

Revivalpalace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau nearFssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The

palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner.

Thepalace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was opened to th epayingpublic immediately after

his death in 1886. Since then over 60 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle. More than 1.3 million people visit

annually, with up to 6,000per day in the summer. The palace has appearedprominently in several m ovies and was the

inspiration forDisneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle[ and later, similar structures.


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Modern panorama from Neuschwanstein (1,008 m/3,307 ft) showing (left to right): palace access road; Alpsee with locality

ofHohenschwangau in front; 19th century Hohenschwangau Castle on a hill with Schwansee behind it on the right (west);

locality ofAlterschrofen with town ofFssen behind it; core of Schwangau in front of large Forggensee reservoir (1952);

Bannwaldsee (north)

Palace Roof


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Gate house

View from location of unrealized chapel along upper courtyard level: Bower (left), Palas front, and Knights' House (right )

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Germany Attraction