937 Best Sights in Germany

This reconstruction of the former 15th-century palace that once stood on this site now houses a range of globally focused collections, including the Ethnological Museum and Asian Art Museum, which display more than 500,000 cultural objects from around the world; Humboldt University Lab, which explores science and society; and Berlin Global, which looks at Berlin's connection to the rest of the world through such topics as entertainment, fashion, war, and boundaries. The Forum also includes regularly changing temporary displays, such as the history of ivory and a children’s exhibit. Controversial from the start, due to the razing of the ‘70s-era East German Palast der Republik that formerly stood on the site and the display of colonial-era objects (some of which will be repatriated to their countries of origin), this sprawling museum makes a fascinating day out to see both the building itself and the exhibits inside. Note that you will need to buy individual timed tickets for each exhibit either online or on-site at the ticket office; it isn’t currently possible to buy one ticket to see everything. Though there are several cafés, make a reservation for Baret, the restaurant on the rooftop, if only to see one of the finest panoramic views of Berlin; otherwise, seeing the roof requires buying a ticket.

Speyer was an important medieval Jewish cultural center. Behind the Palatinate Historical Museum is the Jewish quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2021, where you'll find synagogue remains from 1104; Germany's oldest (circa 1126) ritual baths, the 33-foot-deep Mikwe; and the Museum SchPIRA, which displays objects such as gravestones and coins from the Middle Ages.

The city's most famous attraction is a grand yet playful collection of buildings standing just inside the city walls was once the residence of the Holy Roman Emperor. In 1945, almost the entire structure was reduced to rubble, though it's difficult to imagine once you see the thorough restoration.

This vast complex comprises three groups of buildings. Visits begin in the ancient, least-damaged western section, still with its original oak beams, painted ceilings, and sparse interiors. Explore the Romanesque Doppelkappelle (Double Chapel)—the upper chapel, larger and more ornate than the lower one, is where the emperor and his family worshipped—the Rittersaal (Knights' Hall) and the Kaisersaal (Throne Room). The Kaiserburg Museum displays ancient armors, with exhibits on horsemanship in the imperial era. Cross the Äusserer Berghof (Outer Courtyard) and climb the Sinwell Turm (Sinwell Tower) for spectacular city views.

In the center of the complex lies the Burggrafenburg (Castellan's Castle). Dating from around 1050, this is the oldest part of the Kaiserburg, with a craggy old pentagonal tower and the bailiff's house. To the north and northeast lie the Reichsstädtische Bauten (Imperial City Buildings), including the 15th century Kaiserstallung (Imperial Stables), built as a granary and now a popular youth hostel.

The Kaiserdom, one of the finest Romanesque cathedrals in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site, conveys the pomp and majesty of the early Holy Roman emperors. It was built between 1030 and 1061 by the emperors Konrad II, Henry III, and Henry IV. The last replaced the flat ceiling with groin vaults in the late 11th century, an innovative feat in its day. A restoration program in the 1950s returned the building to almost exactly its original condition. The four towers symbolize the four seasons and the idea that the power of the empire extends in all four directions. Look up as you enter the nearly 100-foot-high portal; it's richly carved with mythical creatures. In contrast to Gothic cathedrals, whose walls are supported externally by flying buttresses, allowing for a minimum of masonry and a maximum of light, at Speyer the columns supporting the roof are massive. You can climb the 304 steps of the southwest tower (access Apr.–Oct.) to reach the viewing platform, from where there is a splendid panorama. Another highlight is the Krypta which lies beneath the chancel. It's the largest crypt in Germany and is strikingly beautiful in its simplicity. Four emperors, four kings, and three empresses are buried here.

This huge castle in the tiny inland village of Salem began its existence as a convent and large church. After many architectural permutations, it was transformed into a palace for the Baden princes, though traces of its religious past can still be seen. You can view the royally furnished rooms of the abbots and princes, a library, stables, and the church. The castle also houses an interesting array of museums, workshops, and activities, including a museum of firefighting that has a café, a metalsmith shop, a goldsmith shop, a glassblowing shop, the winery Markgrafen von Baden (which also has a shop in Überlingen), and an adventure playground for children. A great path leads from the southwestern part of the grounds through woods and meadows to the pilgrimage church of Birnau. The route was created by the monks centuries ago and is still called the Prälatenweg (path of the prelates) today. It's an 8-km (5-mile) walk (no cars permitted).

The former Cistercian monastery is idyllically set in a secluded forest clearing 6 km (4 miles) northwest of Eltville. Its Romanesque and Gothic buildings (12th–14th century) look untouched by time—one reason why the 1986 film of Umberto Eco's medieval murder mystery The Name of the Rose was filmed here. Pick up an English-language leaflet and take a stroll around, seeking out highlights like the vast medieval Monk's Dormitory and the beautiful Klosterkirche, both of which are regularly used for concerts because of their superior acoustics. The manor house-style Monk's Dining Room is also worth a look.

The monastery's impressive collection of old winepresses bears witness to a viticultural tradition that spans nearly nine centuries. The wines can be sampled year-round in the atmospheric wine cellar (or on a roving tasting around the abbey), in the popular Klosterschänke restaurant (where you can pair the local wines with seasonal German cuisine; try the \"Klosterauszeit\" cold cuts platter), or in the vinothek (shop). In warmer months, you can also enjoy them outside at Kloster Eberbach's premier vineyard, the Steinberg, which is surrounded by a 3-km (2-mile) stone wall that dates from the 13th to 18th centuries.

As well as being the most visible landmark on the lake, this vast Benedictine monastery turned royal residence is perhaps its biggest attraction—especially when factoring in its superb brewery. Founded in the 8th century, the monastery was one of the most productive cultural centers in southern Germany; one of the Minnesänger (wandering lyrical poets), Walther von der Vogelweide (1170–1230), was a welcome guest. Not so welcome were Magyar invaders, who laid waste to the place in the 10th century.

During the Middle Ages, the monastery made a lively business producing stained-glass windows, thanks to a nearby quartz quarry, and in the 16th century it became a major center of printing. The late-Gothic church was refurbished in Italian baroque style in the 18th century, and became the place where heirs to the Wittelsbach dynasty got married; step inside to see the spectacular frescoes by Hans Georg Asam.

Sadly, as 19th-century secularization sealed the monastery's fate—and almost half the buildings were torn down—the church and brewery are the only parts left that are open to visitors. The remainder was converted into a summer retreat by Maximilian I and is still used by members of the Wittelsbach family.

Southwest of Regensburg, on the bank of the Danube, stands one of Germany's most spectacular Benedictine abbeys. Constructed between 1716 and 1718, it's commonly regarded as the masterpiece of brothers Cosmas Damian and Egid Quirin Asam, whose extraordinary composition of lavish polished marble, highly wrought statuary, and stucco figures dancing along curving walls is the epitome of Bavarian baroque. Look above the high altar, where a bronze equestrian statue of St. George is dispatching a winged dragon with his flamelike sword.

No Bavarian monastery is complete without a brewery, and Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg serves up excellent frothy beers and hearty German food. You can also buy bottles of beer to go. Kids will gravitate to the riverside beach, which is perfect for skimming stones (beware bathers!)

The most dramatic approach to the abbey is by river from Kelheim, 10 km (6 miles) downstream, where boats wind between towering limestone cliffs that rise above tree-lined riverbanks. There are several departures a day mid-March through October (€11.50 single; €19.50 return). You can also drive, but expect a 2-km (1¼-mile) round-trip walk from the parking lot (€4.50; cash only) to the abbey.

This striking example of the two Asam brothers' work in the Lehel district impresses visitors with its sense of movement and heroic scale. The ceiling fresco from 1729 by Cosmas Damian Asam glows in all its original glory. The ornate altar was also designed by the Asam brothers. Towering over the delicate little church, on the opposite side of the street, is the neo-Romanesque bulk of the 19th-century Parish Church of St. Anne. Stop at one of the stylish cafés, restaurants, and patisseries gathered at the junction of St.-Anna-Strasse and Gewürzmühlstrasse, about 250 feet from the churches.

Hoisting visitors to the summit of the Königstuhl in 17 minutes, the funicular runs in two sections. The lower funicular leaves every 10 minutes from Kornmarkt, and stops at Heidelberg Schloss before arriving at Molkenkur. Here, you can enjoy coffee and cake, or regional lunchtime fare at the cafe before transferring to the upper funicular. The fee to the castle includes entry to the gardens, wine cellar, and German Pharmacy Museum. Go early in the day to avoid the crowds, or late afternoon for the sunset.

Chagall, Magritte, and Rothko, as well as contemporary artists like Peter Lindbergh and Robert Mapplethorpe have been featured at this exhibition space in the middle of the shopping pedestrian zone. It is set within the upscale Fünf Höfe shopping mall, designed by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron, who also designed London's Tate Modern. Exhibitions at the Kunsthalle rarely disappoint, making it one of Germany's most interesting art venues.

Behind the sleek, polished black stone facade of K20 is a treasure trove of art (Kunst, hence the K) of the 20th century. Among the permanent collection are masterpieces by Picasso, Matisse, and Pollock, works by German artists Joseph Beuys and Gerhard Richter, plus more than 120 pieces by Paul Klee. 

Within the more conservative 19th-century architecture of K21 is some edgier fare—international contemporary art since about 1980, including the works of Thomas Ruff and Nam June Paik.

Bad Homburg's greatest attraction has long been the Kurpark, a 116-acre park in the heart of the Old Town, with more than 30 mineral springs and fountains, golf, tennis courts, restaurants, and playgrounds. Romans first used the springs, which were rediscovered and made famous in the 19th century. In addition to the popular (and highly salty) Elisabethenbrunnen spring, look for a Thai temple and a Russian chapel, mementos left by royal guests—King Chulalongkorn of Siam and Czar Nicholas II.

This exquisite late-19th-century Florentine-style villa is the former home and studio of Franz von Lenbach (1836–1904), one of the most famous artists in Germany in the 1880s. He painted Germany's Chancellor Bismarck around 80 times. A renovation and new extension designed by renowned British architecture firm Foster+Partners was unveiled in 2013. Lenbachhaus is home to a stunning assemblage of art from the early-20th-century Blaue Reiter (Blue Rider) group: Kandinsky, Klee, Jawlensky, Macke, Marc, and Münter. Indeed, only New York's Guggenheim comes close to holding as many works from a group that was at the forefront in the development of abstract art. There are also vivid pieces from the New Objectivity movement, as well as a significant Joseph Beuys collection. Its growing contemporary art holdings include works by Olafur Eliasson, Dan Flavin, and Gerhard Richter.

Construction of this, the city's oldest building, began in 1173. Its founder, Heinrich der Löwe himself, laid the foundation stone. The cathedral was initially built as a Romanesque brick building, which was completed in 1230, but starting in 1266 its reconstruction to a Gothic hall church began. The building, which was repeatedly altered, was severely damaged in an air raid in 1942. It was not until 1982 that the reconstruction was completed. The richly decorated church houses, among other things, a triumphal cross by the Lübeck artist Bernt Notke and the Renaissance pulpit, which is decorated with seven alabaster reliefs.

Within Lutherhhaus is the Augustinian monastery where Martin Luther lived both as a teacher-monk and later, after the monastery was dissolved, as a married man. Today it's a museum dedicated to Luther and the Reformation. Visitors enter through a garden and an elegant door with a carved stone frame; it was a gift to Luther from his wife, Katharina von Bora. Be sure to visit the monks' refectory, where works by the painter Lucas Cranach the Elder, Luther's contemporary, are displayed. The room that remains closest to the original is the dark, wood-paneled Lutherstube. The Luthers and their six children used it as a living room, study, and meeting place for friends and students. Prints, engravings, paintings, manuscripts, coins, and medals relating to the Reformation and Luther's translation of the Bible into the German vernacular are displayed throughout the house. It's closed for renovations until 2026.

For a Winningen winery with a difference, take a trip to this natural, low-intervention wine producer set up by two North American expats: American Robert Kane and Canadian Derek-Paul Labelle. Take a tour of the 150-year-old cellar, where you can taste the excellent wine straight out of the barrel, or join one of the duo on a (steep) walking tour around the vineyards.

This eye-catching castle sits on the eastern shore of the Rhine overlooking the town of Braubach. Built in the 13th century to protect the silver and lead mines in the area, it's the only land-based castle on the Rhine to have survived the centuries intact. Within its massive walls are a collection of weapons and manuscripts, a medieval botanical garden, and a self-service restaurant with a terrace offering stunning views. The castle can only be visited as part of a 50-minute guided tour: individual English tours take place daily during the summer months at 1 and 4 pm; call ahead if you'd like to join a pre-arranged tour at a different time. Well-behaved pets are allowed.

This stylish, revamped harbor district is a mix of late-19th-century warehouses and ultramodern towers housing restaurants, bars, hotels, and the many media companies that have made this area their home. On the riverbank you'll find the Frank Gehry–designed Neuer Zollhof, a particularly striking ensemble of three organic-looking high-rises. The best way to tackle the buzzing architecture is to take a stroll down the promenade and over the pedestrian Living Bridge, which connects both sides of the harbor.

History was made in this quiet corner of Nuremberg, when the International Military Tribunal put 22 Nazi leaders and six German organizations on trial here between November 1945 and October 1946. The renowned Nuremberg trials, as they came to be known, took place in the Landgericht (Regional Court) in Courtroom 600 and resulted in 11 death sentences, among other convictions. Since the courtroom was decommissioned in 2020, it has become a popular, if harrowing, visitor attraction, with an audiovisual installation showing clips from the historic trials. An exhibition reveals more about the defendants and their crimes, the full trial process, and the impact of the Nuremberg Trials on international criminal law.

Ulm's Minster, built by the citizens of their own initiative, is the largest evangelical church in Germany and one of the most elaborately decorated. Its church tower, just 13 feet higher than that of the Cologne Cathedral, is the world's highest, at 536 feet. It stands over the huddled medieval gables of Old Ulm with a single, filigree tower that challenges the physically fit to plod up the 768 steps of a spiral stone staircase to a spectacular observation point below the spire. On clear days, the steeple rewards you with views of the Swiss and Bavarian Alps, 100 miles to the south. Construction on the cathedral began in the late-Gothic age (1377) and took five centuries; it gave rise to the legend of the sparrow, which was said to have helped the townspeople in their building by inspiring them to pile the wood used in construction lengthwise instead of width-wise on wagons in order to pass through the city gates. Completed in the neo-Gothic years of the late 19th century, the church contains some notable treasures, including late-Gothic choir stalls and a Renaissance altar as well as images of the inspirational sparrow. Ulm was heavily bombed during World War II, but the church was spared. Its mighty organ can be heard in special recitals every Sunday at noon from Easter until November.

The Münster Unserer Lieben Frau, Freiburg's most famous landmark, towers over the medieval streets. The cathedral took three centuries to build, from around 1200 to 1515. You can easily trace the progress of generations of builders through the changing architectural styles, from the fat columns and solid, rounded arches of the Romanesque period to the lofty Gothic windows and airy interior of the choir. The delicately perforated 380-foot spire, the finest in Europe, can be climbed. In addition to a magnificent view, you'll get a closer look at the 16 bells, including the 1258 \"Hosanna,\" one of Germany's oldest functioning bells. Guided one-hour tours are offered Mon.–Sat. at 2 pm, but are usually held in German; check the website for details.

On the site of the Barberini Palace, destroyed by a bombing in 1945, this elegant art museum features an extensive permanent collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, including the largest collection of Monet's paintings in Europe outside of France. The Barberini also hosts up to three large-scale temporary exhibitions a year, focusing on such artists as Gerhard Richter, Pablo Picasso, and Wassily Kandinsky.

The city's leading art gallery is modernist minimalism incarnate, set in a huge concrete cube encased in green glass in the middle of Sachsenplatz Square. The museum's collection of more than 2,700 paintings and sculptures represents everything from the German Middle Ages to the modern Neue Leipziger Schule. Especially notable are the collections focusing on Lucas Cranach the Elder and Caspar David Friedrich. Be sure to start at the top and work your way down. Don't miss Max Klinger's Beethoven as Zeus statue.

Built as an exhibition hall for the private collection of businessman Frieder Burda, this modern structure was designed by acclaimed New York architect Richard Meier. Continually rotating, the private collection focuses on classic modern and contemporary art. Highlights include a number of pieces by Gerhard Richter as well as works by Picasso, German expressionists, the New York School, and American abstract expressionists.

This popular museum in the north wing of Schloss Nymphenburg has nothing to do with the Wittelsbachs but is one of the palace's major attractions. Through interactive exhibits, the Museum Mensch und Natur looks at the variety of life on Earth, the history of humankind, and our place in the environment, as well as genetics and nature conservation. Main exhibits include a huge representation of the human brain and a chunk of Alpine crystal weighing half a ton.

This dramatic neoclassical villa is the former home of one of Germany's leading avant-garde artists from the turn of the 20th century, Franz von Stuck (1863–1928). His work, at times haunting, frequently erotic, and occasionally humorous, covers the walls in many rooms. Stuck was prominent in the Munich art Secession (1892), though today the museum is famous for its fabulous art nouveau collections. The museum also features special exhibits of international modern and contemporary art.

This impressive city museum offers a heady mix of natural history and fine art. The permanent Aesthetics of Nature exhibition is spread across the two floors and divided into four fascinating themes: Color, Form, Movement, and Time. Expect to learn about the functional white fur of polar bears, the swimming legs of crabs, the fossils left behind from when this region was a large sea, and much more. The art collection is spread across all three floors and includes everything from the figurative paintings of Dutch Old Masters to the abstract sculptures of European and American modernism. Look out for the bright, expressionist paintings of Russian artist Alexej Jawlensky, who lived in Wiesbaden for the last 20 years of his life, and don't miss the Jugenstil exhibit, featuring more than 500 magnificent Art Nouveau paintings, furnishings, and ornaments. Temporary exhibitions focus on art and culture from around the world. Don't miss the spectacular, gold-colored mosaics on the interior of the cupola, just to the left as you enter the museum.

Head 4½ km (3 miles) south of Berchtesgaden town, into the heart of Nationalpark Berchtesgaden, and you'll arrive at the tip what may be Germany's most scenic lake, the Königssee. It's almost certainly the cleanest, with its exceptional clarity maintained by a longstanding ban (since 1909) on motorboats; only electric-powered passenger ships—along with pedal and row boats—are permitted. Hop on one of these charming wooden ships to explore the lake, passing by tiny Christlieger island on the way to St. Bartholomä, a twin-tower, 17th century chapel on the western shore. En route, don't be alarmed if the boat engines are turned off and the skipper whips out a trumpet, as the ensuing fanfare demonstrates a remarkable natural echo, with notes reverberating around the almost-vertical cliffs. Hikers may wish to continue from St. Bartholomä to Salet, at the southern end of Königssee, where you can walk via the pretty green Obersee to the 1,540-foot-high Röthbach waterfall; it takes about 3 hours there and back.

Boat service on the Königssee runs year-round, except when the lake freezes over. A round-trip to St. Bartholomä lasts a little over an hour, excluding time ashore. To Salet and back, it's almost two hours.

Beyond Königssee, the spectacular Nationalpark Berchtesgaden covers a total area of 210 square km (81 square miles), sharing around two-thirds of its border with Austria. This is wild mountain country, where flora and fauna have been left to develop as nature intended. No roads penetrate the area, and even the mountain paths can be difficult to follow—though you'll find plenty to choose from, for all levels of ability. The park administration organizes guided hikes during the summer; ask at the tourist office. Altogether, the park attracts more than 1½ million visitors each year: a true testament to its popularity.