961 Best Sights in Germany

Germany's southernmost lighthouse stands sentinel with the Bavarian Lion across the inner harbor's passageway. A viewing platform at the top is open in good weather from April until the end of September. Climb the 139 steps for views over the harbor.

Here, you'll immediately notice the architectural potpourri of the Rathaus. The pink baroque facade from the 18th century hides a wonderful 13th-century Gothic building underneath. The Town Hall spouts seven slender, decorative towers that look like candles on a peculiar birthday cake. Walk around the back to see more of the Gothic elements. Historic gabled houses surround the rest of the square.

Neuer Markt (New Market) square has baroque-style architecture similar to that of the Alter Markt square and a handful of the city’s best-preserved buildings, some of which date back to the 18th century.

Anything but medieval, this museum is devoted to international design since 1945. The collection, supplemented by changing exhibitions, is in a slick, modern edifice that achieves the perfect synthesis between old and new. It's mostly built of traditional pink-sandstone ashlars, while the facade is a flowing, transparent composition of glass. The interior is a work of art in itself—cool stone, with a ramp that slowly spirals up to the gallery. Extraordinary things await, including a Joseph Beuys installation (Ausfegen, or Sweep-out) and Avalanche by François Morellet, a striking collection of violet, argon-gas-filled fluorescent tubes. The café-restaurant adjoining the museum contains modern art, silver-wrapped candies, and video projections.

The massive New Town Hall was built at the start of the 20th century in Wilhelmine style (named for Kaiser Wilhelm). The pomp and circumstance were important ingredients of the German bureaucracy of the time. Four scale models on the ground floor depict Hannover in various stages of development and destruction: as a medieval walled city, in the years before World War II, immediately following World War II, and in its present-day form. An elevator rises diagonally to the dome for a splendid view.

This glamorous 18th-century palace was built by the Margravine Wilhelmine, a woman of enormous energy and decided tastes. Though Wagner is the man most closely associated with Bayreuth, his choice of this setting is largely due to the work of this woman, who lived 100 years before him. Wilhelmine devoured books, wrote plays and operas (which she directed and acted in), and had buildings constructed, transforming much of the town and bringing it near bankruptcy. Her distinctive touch is evident at the palace, rebuilt when a mysterious fire conveniently destroyed parts of the original one. Anyone with a taste for the wilder flights of rococo decoration will love it. Some rooms have been given over to one of Europe's finest collections of faience pottery.

The spacious and elegant "New Castle" is directly across from its predecessor. Designed by Christoph Gessinger at the beginning of the 18th century, it took nearly 50 years to complete. The grand double staircase, with its intricate grillwork and heroic statues, was the work of Balthasar Neumann. The interior's other standout is the glittering Spiegelsaal (Hall of Mirrors).

Duke Wilhelm V found the perfect peaceful retreat outside Munich, and in 1598 built what is now known as the Altes Schloss Schleissheim (Schleissheim Old Palace). In 1685 Elector Max Emanuel added Lustheim, which houses one of Germany's most impressive collections of Meissen porcelain, and at the beginning of the 18th century the Neues Schloss Schleissheim (Schleissheim New Palace). This baroque palace's rooms display great works of art and outstanding interior decoration.

One of Berlin’s heavy hitters, this Mitte gallery with a seemingly unpronounceable name (it’s actually the names of the two founders combined), has either represented or hosted shows by such art world luminaries as Olafur Eliasson, Ai Weiwei, Billy Childish, and Keith Edmier.

Prior to 1519, this oversized square was once the heart of the Jewish ghetto. The Neupfarrkirche (New Parish Church) here, built as a pilgrimage church, was given to the Protestants, hence its bare-bones interior. In the late 1990s, excavation work on the square uncovered well-kept cellars and, to the west of the church, the old synagogue, including the foundations of its Romanesque predecessor. Archaeologists salvaged the few items they could from the old stones. Recovered items were carefully restored and are on exhibit in the Historisches Museum. Only one small underground area to the south of the church, the Document, accommodates viewing of the foundations. In a former cellar, surrounded by the original walls, visitors can watch a short video reconstructing life in the old Jewish ghetto. Over the old synagogue, the Israeli artist Dani Karavan designed a stylized plaza where people can sit and meet.

The solid bulk of Hanau's 18th-century Rathaus stands behind the Grimm brothers statue. Every day at noon its bells play tribute to another of the city's famous sons, the composer Paul Hindemith (1895–1963), by chiming out one of his canons. Every Wednesday and Saturday, a farmer's market fills the square in front of the baroque building.

This stunning sight-and-sound exhibition is dedicated to Das Nibelungenlied (Song of the Nibelungs), the epic German poem dating to around 1200. Cleverly installed in two medieval towers and the portion of the Old Town wall between them, the exhibition brings to life the saga of the dragon slayer Siegfried. The architecture of the structure itself is also fascinating, and the rampart provides a wonderful view of the town. There is a choice of two tours: the Song of the Nibelungs, and Wagner's Ring of the Nibelungs. Each tour script (via multimedia guide) is offered in English. Allow two hours for a thorough visit.

The Niederburg, the oldest part of Konstanz, is a tangle of twisting streets leading to the Rhine. From the river take a look at two of the city's old towers: the Rheintorturm (Rhine Tower), the one nearer the lake, and the aptly named Pulverturm (Powder Tower), the former city arsenal.

High above Rüdesheim and visible for miles stands Germania, a colossal female statue crowning the Niederwald Monument. This tribute to German nationalism was built between 1877 and 1883 to commemorate the rebirth of the German Empire after the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71). Germania faces across the Rhine toward its eternal enemy, France. At her base are the words to a stirring patriotic song: "Dear Fatherland rest peacefully! Fast and true stands the watch, the watch on the Rhine!" There are splendid panoramic views from the monument and from other vantage points on the edge of the forested plateau. You can reach the monument on foot, by car (via Grabenstrasse), or over the vineyards in the Seilbahn (cable car). There's also a Sessellift (chairlift) to and from Assmannshausen, a red-wine enclave, on the other side of the hill; a "Ring-ticket" will take you from the Old Town to Niederwald by cable car, from Niederwald to Assmannshausen by chairlift, and back to Rüdesheim by boat. Allow three to four hours for the trip.

The Niersteiner Winzergenossenschaft (Nierstein Wine Cooperative) makes a great starting point to an easy hike or drive to the vineyard heights and the vantage point at the Wartturm (watchtower). When you return to the bottom of the hill, drop in to the Weintreff Nierstein to try some wines, including Silvaner, the typical specialty of the Rhinehessen wine region. In the summer, the Niersteiner Weinwanderung (wine walk) takes place along the Roter Hang, or "red slope," of the vineyards—the soil here has a lot of red clay in it—with food and wine-tasting stands set up along the way. From up there, there's a stunning view of the Rhine.

The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's family lived in Naumburg from 1858 to 1897, in a small classical house in the Weingarten. The Nietzsche Haus Museum documents the life and times of one of Naumburg's most controversial residents. The exhibition does not delve too deeply into Nietzsche's philosophy, but focuses a great deal on his bizarre relationship with his sister and her manipulation of his manuscripts.

This church, with its rough undistinguished facade, was center stage during the demonstrations that helped bring down the Communist regime. Every Monday for months before the government collapsed, thousands of citizens gathered in front of the church chanting "Wir sind das Volk" (We are the people). There is a lingering spiritual power inside, with a soaring Gothic choir and nave. Note the unusual patterned ceiling supported by classical pillars that end in palm-tree-like flourishes. Martin Luther is said to have preached from the ornate 16th-century pulpit. The prayers for peace that began the revolution in 1989 are still held Monday at 5 pm.

Near the porcelain works, this church holds the largest set of porcelain figures ever crafted (8¼ feet tall) as well as the remains of early Gothic frescoes.

Renovated in the 1980s and a tad concrete-heavy as a result, this tiny quarter grew up around Berlin's oldest parish church, the medieval, twin-spire St. Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas's Church), dating from 1230 (though rebuilt in 1987) and now a museum. The adjacent Fischerinsel (Fisherman's Island) area was the heart of Berlin almost 800 years ago, and retains a bit of its medieval character. At Breite Strasse you'll find two of Berlin's oldest buildings: No. 35 is the Ribbeckhaus, the city's only surviving Renaissance structure, dating from 1624, and No. 36 is the early-baroque Marstall, built by Michael Matthais between 1666 and 1669. The area feels rather artificial, but draws tourists to its gift stores, cafés, and restaurants.

Nördlingen lies in the center of a huge, basinlike depression, the Ries, that until the beginning of this century was believed to be the remains of an extinct volcano. In 1960 it was proven by two Americans that the 24-km-wide (15-mile-wide) crater was caused by an asteroid at least 1 km (½ mile) in diameter. The compressed rock, or Suevit, formed by the explosive impact of the meteorite was used to construct many of the town's buildings, including St. Georg's tower. If you want, you can bike around the crater.

The victorious Allies put Nazi leaders and German organizations on trial here in 1945 and 1946 as part of the first International War Crimes Tribunal. The trials took place in the Landgericht (Regional Court) in courtroom No. 600 and resulted in 11 death sentences, among other convictions. The actual courtroom is no longer in use but can close for special events. Guided tours in English by special request only.

This museum dedicated to local traditions displays historic examples of the wood craftsman's art and an outstanding collection of Christmas crèches dating from the mid-18th century. There's a bit about Oberammergau's role in organ-building and the influence local organs had on the design of U.S. churches. It's gotten a modern update with multimedia storytelling from the region while maintaining the traditional exhibits of wood-carved animals and puppetry.

This immense theater is where the world-famous Passion Play showing the crucifixion is performed every 10 years. In the off-season (for this ten-year period any year that's not 2022), the theater does host other concerts and plays. Tours providing a glimpse of the costumes, the sceneries, the stage, and even the auditorium are held in German at 2 pm Wednesday and Sunday.

Bamberg's wealthy burghers built no fewer than 50 churches. The Church of Our Lady, known simply as the Obere Pfarre (Upper Parish), dates back to around 1325 and is unusual because the exterior is entirely Gothic, while the interior is heavily baroque. The grand choir, which lacks any windows, was added much later. An odd squarish box tops the church tower; this watchman's post was placed there to keep the tower smaller than the neighboring cathedral, thus avoiding a medieval scandal. Note the slanted floor, which allowed crowds of pilgrims to see the object of their veneration, a 14th-century Madonna. Don't miss the Ascension of Mary by Tintoretto at the rear of the church. Around Christmas, the Obere Pfarre is the site of the city's greatest Nativity scene. Avoid the church during services, unless you've come to worship.

The richly decorated Renaissance homes and warehouses on the Obermarkt are a vivid legacy of the city's wealthy past. During the late Middle Ages the most common merchandise here was cloth, which was bought and sold from covered wagons and on the ground floors of many buildings. Napoléon addressed his troops from the balcony of the house at No. 29.

The site of Oktoberfest and the winter Tollwood music festival, the approximately 100-acre grounds are named after Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen, who celebrated her marriage to the future King Ludwig I here in 1810 with thousands of Münchners. The event was so successful that it grew into an international beer and fair-ride bonanza lasting 16 to 18 days  and attracting more than 6 million people annually. While Oktoberfest originally began in October, it now starts in September to take advantage of better weather. Note that unless a festival is happening, there's really no reason to visit the grounds, which is little more than an empty field.

In the Middle Ages Erfurt hosted a large Jewish community, as is evident in a large synagogue that is one of the oldest in Central Europe. A pogrom destroyed the community in the 14th century, and the city repurposed the building, renovating it several times. During renovations in 1999, workers uncovered a collection of over 30 kg of gold in coins and objects buried by the community during the pogrom. The Erfurt Treasure is the heart of the museum.

Built for the 1972 Olympic Games on the staggering quantities of rubble delivered from the wartime destruction of Munich, the Olympiapark was—and still is—considered an architectural and landscape wonder. The jewel in the crown is the Olympic Stadium, former home of Bayern Munich soccer team. With its truly avant-garde sweeping canopy roof, winding its way across various parts of the complex, it was an inspired design for the big events of the 1972 Olympic Games. Tragically, a bigger event relegated what was heading to be the most successful Games to date to the sidelines. It was from the adjacent accommodation area that a terrorist attack on the Israeli team began, eventually leaving 17 people dead.

Unlike many former Olympic sites around the world, today the area is heavily used; it's home to numerous concerts and sporting events, and is a haven for joggers, swimmers, and people just wishing to relax. Tours of the park are conducted on a Disneyland-style train throughout the day. For the more adventurous, how about climbing the roof of the Olympic Stadium and rappelling down or zip-lining 115 feet in the air across the stadium? For the best view of the whole city and the Alps, take the elevator up 623 feet to the viewing platform of the Olympiaturm (Olympic Tower) or try out the revolving Restaurant 181, at 181 meters (or 594 feet) above Munich. l.

Berlin's famous sports attraction is the 1936 Olympic Stadium, which received a thorough modernization in 2004. American sprinter Jesse Owens won his stunning four gold medals here in 1936; these days, the local soccer team Hertha BSC is the star of the arena. The stadium hosted the World Cup soccer final match in July 2006 and served as a spectacular backdrop to the first European Athletics Championships in 2018. Different themed tours are offered throughout the year; one option is touring on your own with an audio guide, but only a guided tour will show you the nonpublic areas. Tours in English are offered less frequently, so check the website or call ahead for the schedule.

Hannover's neoclassical opera house, completed in 1852, has two large wings and a covered, colonnaded portico adorned with statues of great composers and poets. The building originally served as the court theater, but now is used almost exclusively for opera. It was gutted by fire in a 1943 air raid and restored in 1948. Unless you have tickets to a performance, the only part of the interior you can visit is the foyer (official tours are held on a near-monthly basis).