961 Best Sights in Germany

The exquisite collection here consists of objets d'art fashioned from gold, silver, ivory, amber, and other precious and semiprecious materials. Among the crown jewels are the world's largest "green" diamond, 41 carats in weight, and a dazzling group of tiny gem-studded figures called Hofstaat zu Delhi am Geburtstag des Grossmoguls Aureng-Zeb (the Court at Delhi during the Birthday of the Great Mogul Aureng-Zeb). The unwieldy name gives a false idea of the size of the work, dating from 1708; some parts of the tableau are so small they can be admired only through a magnifying glass. Somewhat larger and less delicate is the drinking bowl of Ivan the Terrible, perhaps the most sensational artifact in this extraordinary museum.

Originally designed by Friedrich August Stüler in 1843–55, the building housing the Neues Museum was badly damaged in World War II and has only in the 21st century been elaborately redeveloped by British star architect David Chipperfield. Instead of completely restoring the Neues Museum, the architect decided to integrate modern elements into the historic landmark, while leaving many of its heavily bombed and dilapidated areas untouched. The result is a stunning experience, considered by many to be one of the world's greatest museums. Home to the Egyptian Museum, including the famous bust of Nefertiti (who, after some 70 years, has returned to her first museum location in Berlin), it also features the Papyrus Collection and the Museum of Prehistory and Early History.

A larger and grander palace than Sanssouci, the Neues Palace stands at the end of the long avenue that runs through Sanssouci Park. It was built after the Seven Years' War (1756–63). Impressive interiors include the Grotto Hall with walls and columns set with shells, coral, and other aquatic decorations. The royals' upper apartments have paintings by 17th-century Italian masters. All visits are at scheduled times when you buy a ticket.

Munich's present neo-Gothic town hall was built in three sections and two phases between 1867 and 1905. It was a necessary enlargement on the nearby Old Town Hall, but city fathers also saw it as presenting Munich as a modern city, independent from the waning powers of the Bavarian Wittelsbach royal house. Architectural historians are divided over its merits, although its dramatic scale and lavish detailing are impressive. The main tower's 1908 glockenspiel (a chiming clock with mechanical figures), the largest in Germany, plays daily at 11 am and noon, with an additional performance at 5 pm March–October. As chimes peal out over the square, the clock's doors flip open and brightly colored dancers and jousting knights act out two events from Munich's past: a tournament held in Marienplatz in 1568 and the Schäfflertanz (Dance of the Coopers), which commemorated the end of the plague of 1515–17. You, too, can travel up there, by elevator, to an observation point near the top of one of the towers. On a clear day the view across the city with the Alps beyond is spectacular.

The site of Hitler's luxurious mountain retreat is part of the north slope of the Hoher Goll, high above Berchtesgaden. It was a remote mountain community of farmers and foresters before Hitler's deputy, Martin Bormann, selected the site for a complex of Alpine homes for top Nazi leaders. Hitler's chalet, the Berghof, and all the others were destroyed in 1945, with the exception of a hotel that had been taken over by the Nazis, the Hotel zum Türken. Beyond Obersalzberg, the hairpin bends of Germany's highest road come to the base of the 6,000-foot peak on which sits the Kehlsteinhaus (aka the Adlerhorst, or "Eagle's Nest"), Hitler's personal retreat and his official guesthouse. To get the most out of your visit to the Kehlsteinhaus, consider taking a tour. To get there, you need to take a one-hour round trip from Dokumentation Obersalzberg by bus. A tunnel in the mountain will bring you to an elevator that whisks you up to the Kehlsteinhaus and what appears to be the top of the world, or you can walk up in about half an hour. There's also a restaurant at the top serving light Bavarian cuisine.

The reconstructed 18^th-century Prinzessinnenpalais (Princesses’ Palace) now houses selections of Deutsche Bank’s contemporary art holdings, which rotate several times a year. Past exhibitions include Ways of Seeing Abstraction, works from German figurative painter K.H. Hödicke, and international photography from the 1970s to the present, along with shows featuring Deutsche Bank's “artists of the year.” Though the art selections may be compact, they’re most often provocative and worthwhile. Take an art break at the attached LePopulaire café, which serves up salads, sandwiches, and heartier mains for lunch or snacks.

The Pergamonmuseum is one of the world's greatest museums and its name is derived from its principal display, the Pergamon Altar, a monumental Greek temple discovered in what is now Turkey and dating from 180 BC. The altar was shipped to Berlin in the late 19th century. Equally impressive are the gateway to the Roman town of Miletus, the Ishtar Gate, and the Babylonian processional way. The entire museum is closed for refurbishment until 2027, when parts of it will reopen, including the famed altar; the rest of the museum isn't scheduled to reopen until 2037. Until then, visitors can see Das Panorama, 360-degree visuals of the ancient city of Pergamon designed by artist Yadegar Asisi and combined with a selection of original sculptures, in a temporary pavilion on Am Kupfergraben, across from Museuminsel.

The Altstadt's oldest parish church (called locally Alter Peter, or Old Peter) traces its origins to the 11th century, and has been restored in various architectural styles, including Gothic, baroque, and rococo. The rich baroque interior has a magnificent high altar and aisle pillars decorated with exquisite 18th-century figures of the apostles. In clear weather it's well worth the long climb up the approximately 300-foot-high tower, with a panoramic view of the Alps.

This striking 130,000-square-foot glass-and-concrete complex by Stefan Braunfels is home to four outstanding museums under one cupola-topped roof: art, graphic art, architecture, and design, all from the 20th and 21st centuries. There's an outstanding collection of important modern and contemporary artwork, including an entire room devoted to the massive paintings of German postwar artist Georg Baselitz. The design museum is particularly popular, with permanent exhibitions in vehicle design, computer culture, and other design ideas.

In the center of the Porsche factory complex in the northern suburb of Zuffenhausen, the architecturally dramatic building expands outward and upward from its base, like a sports stadium. Inside is a vast collection of legendary and historic Porsche cars including racing cars, nearly 1,000 racing trophies and design and engineering awards, and several vehicles designed by Ferdinand Porsche that eventually became the VW Beetle. It is astounding how some 1930s models still look contemporary today. The museum includes a coffee shop and the Boxenstopp bistro, ideal for families, open during regular museum hours. There is also the sophisticated Christophorus restaurant, regarded as the best American-style steak house in Stuttgart, open Tuesday through Saturday until midnight. The gift shop sells some Porsche-branded logo clothing, but mostly miniature collectibles. Stand under the special "cones" on the upper level to hear the different engine sounds of various Porsche models, and try out the interactive "touch wall" timeline to explore nine decades of automotive history. Factory tours are available with advance arrangements.

The best-preserved Roman structure in Trier was originally a city gate built in the 2nd century (look for holes left by the iron clamps that held the structure together). The gate served as part of Trier's defenses, and was proof of the sophistication of Roman military might and its ruthlessness. Attackers were often lured into the two innocent-looking arches of the Porta Nigra, only to find themselves enclosed in a courtyard. In the 11th century the upper stories were converted into two churches which remained in use until the 18th century. The tourist office is next door.

Augsburg's town hall was Germany's largest when it was built in the early 1600s; it's now regarded as the finest secular Renaissance structure north of the Alps. Its huge and opulent 14-meter (45-feet) tall Goldener Saal (Golden Hall) was finished in 1643. Open to the public (except during official city functions), the tower was given its name because of its rich decoration: 8 pounds of 23k gold is spread over its wall frescoes, carved pillars, and coffered ceiling.

To most Hamburgers, this impressive neo-Renaissance building is the symbolic heart of the city. The seat of the city's Senat (state government) and Bürgerschaft (parliament), it was constructed between 1886 and 1897, with 647 rooms and an imposing clock tower. Along with much of the city center, the Rathaus was heavily damaged during World War II but was faithfully restored to its original beauty in the postwar years, and it's now one of the most photographed sights in Hamburg. The 40-minute tours of the building (in English on demand) begin in the ground floor Rathausdiele, a vast pillared hall. Although visitors are shown only the state rooms, their tapestries, glittering chandeliers, coffered ceilings, and grand portraits give you a sense of the city's great wealth in the 19th century and the Town Hall's status as an object of civic pride. Outside, the Rathausmarkt (Town Hall Square) is the site of regular festivals and events, including the annual Stuttgarter Wine Festival and the city's biggest Christmas market.

The hottest nightspots in town are concentrated on and around St. Pauli’s pulsating thoroughfare, the Reeperbahn, and two buzzing side streets called Grosse Freiheit (Great Freedom) and Hamburger Berg. The Grosse Freiheit is also the border between Altona and Hamburg, and its name commemorates the religious freedom that existed in the former but not in the latter. In the early 1960s, the Beatles famously cut their teeth in clubs just off the street, playing 12-hour-long gigs in front of drunken revelers. The Kiez is a part of town that never sleeps and is home to some true nightlife institutions such as the Ritze, famous for its box ring, and the Elbschlosskeller, which opened its doors in 1952 and literally didn't close them until the lockdown in 2021—at which time the owner realized that the lock on the door didn't even work!

The impressive Reichsabtei Corvey, or Schloss Corvey, is idyllically set between the wooded heights of the Solling region and the Weser River. During its 1,200-year history it has provided lodging for several Holy Roman emperors. Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798–1874), author of the poem "Deutschland, Deutschland über Alles," worked as librarian here in the 1820s. The poem, set to music by Joseph Haydn, became the German national anthem in 1922. A garden festival takes place every year in August, and concerts are held in the church and great hall, the Kaisersaal, during the summer. Corvey is reached on an unnumbered road heading east from Höxter (3 km [2 miles]) toward the Weser. There are signposts to "Schloss Corvey."

The Bundestag, Germany's federal parliament, returned to its traditional seat in the spring of 1999 for the first time since 1933. British architect Sir Norman Foster lightened up the gray monolith with a glass dome: you can circle up a gently rising ramp while taking in the rooftops of Berlin and the parliamentary chamber below. At the base of the dome is an exhibit on the Reichstag's history. Completed in 1894, the Reichstag housed the imperial German parliament and later served a similar function during the ill-fated Weimar Republic. On the night of February 27, 1933, the Reichstag was burned down in an act of arson, a pivotal event in Third Reich history. It was rebuilt but again badly damaged in 1945. All visitors must register their names and birth dates in advance for a visit to the dome, either with or without a 90-minute guided tour, which you can do online; space permitting, you can also book a dome visit at least two hours in advance at the visitors' service on the south side of Schiedemannstrasse, near the Reichstag. A riverwalk with great views of the government buildings begins behind the Reichstag.

One of Germany's true treasures, Munich's royal Residenz (Residence) began in 1385 as the modest Neuveste (New Fortress) on the northeastern city boundary. By the time the Bavarian monarchy fell in 1918, the palace could compare favorably with the best in Europe. With the Residenz's central location, it was pretty much inevitable that the Allied bombing of 1944–45 would cause immense damage, and subsequent reconstruction took decades. For tourists today, however, it really is a treasure chamber of delights. A wander around the Residenz can last anywhere from three hours to all day. The 16th-century, 216-foot-long arched Antiquarium, built for Duke Albrecht V's collection of antiques, is recognized as one of the most impressive Renaissance creations outside Italy (today it's used chiefly for state receptions). There are a number of halls and courtyards that show concerts, from the postwar Neuer Herkulessaal to the outdoor Brunnenhof. And particular favorites for visitors are the re-creations of many private royal chambers and apartments. The accumulated Wittelsbach treasures are on view in several museums that comprise the Residenz. At a corner of the Residenz's Apothekenhof (courtyard) is the incomparable Rococo Cuvilliés-Theater where Mozart's opera Idomeneo premiered in 1781. The Schatzkammer (Treasury) and Staatliche Münzsammlung (State Coin Museum) are also here.

The Residenzmuseum comprises everything in the Residenz apart from the Schatzkammer (Treasury), Staatliche Münzsammlung, and the Cuvilliés-Theater, which have separate admission charges.

Würzburg's prince-bishops lived in this glorious baroque palace after moving down from the hilltop Festung Marienberg. Construction started in 1719 under the brilliant direction of Balthasar Neumann. Most of the interior decoration was entrusted to the Italian stuccoist Antonio Bossi and the Venetian painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. It's the spirit of the pleasure-loving Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn, however, that infuses the Residenz. Now considered one of Europe's most sumptuous palaces, this dazzling structure is a 10-minute walk from the train station, along pedestrian-only Kaiserstrasse and then Theaterstrasse.

Tours start in the Vestibule, which was built to accommodate carriages drawn by six horses. The king's guests were swept directly up the Treppenhaus, the largest baroque staircase in the country. Halfway up, the stairway splits and peels away 180 degrees to the left and to the right. Soaring above on the vaulting is Tiepolo's giant fresco The Four Continents, a gorgeous exercise in blue and pink that's larger than the Sistine Chapel's ceiling. Each quarter of the massive fresco depicts the European outlook on the world in 1750—the savage Americas; Africa and its many unusual creatures; cultured Asia, where learning and knowledge originated; and finally the perfection of Europe, with Würzburg as the center of the universe. Take a careful look at the Asian elephant's trunk and find the ostrich in Africa. Tiepolo had never seen these creatures but painted on reports of them; he could only assume that the fastest and largest bird in the world would have big muscular legs. He immortalized himself and Balthasar Neumann as two of the figures—they're not too difficult to spot.

Next, make your way to the Weissersaal (White Room) and then beyond to the grandest of the state rooms, the Kaisersaal (Throne Room). Tiepolo's frescoes show the 12th-century visit of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, when he came to Würzburg to claim his bride. If you take part in the guided tour, you'll also see private chambers of the various former residents (guided tours in English are given daily at 11 and 3). The Spiegelkabinett (Mirror Cabinet) was completely destroyed by Allied bombing but then reconstructed using the techniques of the original rococo artisans.

Finally, visit the expansive formal Hofgarten (Court Gardens), to see its stately gushing fountains and trim ankle-high shrubs that outline geometric flowerbeds and gravel walks.

On weekends, the Hofkeller wine cellar, below the Residenz, runs tours that include wine tasting. Ask at the ticket counter.

One of Europe's largest palaces to survive in its original condition, Residenzschloss Ludwigsburg certainly merits a visit for its sumptuous interiors and exquisite gardens. The main palace is also home to the Keramikmuseum, a collection of historical treasures from the porcelain factories in Meissen, Nymphenburg, Berlin, Vienna, and Ludwigsburg, as well as an exhibit of contemporary ceramics. The Barockgalerie is a collection of German and Italian baroque paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Modemuseum showcases three centuries of fashion, particularly royal clothing of the 18th century, and the Kinderreich shows how children lived during those centuries. The castle is surrounded by the fragrant, colorful 74-acre park Blühendes Barock (Blooming Baroque), filled with thousands and thousands of tulips, huge masses of rhododendrons, and fragrant roses. A Märchengarten (fairy-tale garden) delights children of all ages. Entrance to the palace rooms are with guided tours only; they are hourly year-round, including some in English. From the bus station downtown, take lines 421, 427, 430, 443 or 444 to the stop Residenzschloss, or walk (ten minutes)

The largest collection of Roman antiquities in Germany is housed here. The highlight is the 4th-century stone relief of a Roman ship transporting barrels of wine up the river. This tombstone of a Roman wine merchant was discovered in 1874, when Constantine's citadel in Neumagen was excavated. Have a look at the 108-square-foot model of the city as it looked in the 4th century—it provides a sense of perspective to many of the sights you can still visit today.

Three individual patrician buildings make up the Römer, Frankfurt's town hall. The mercantile-minded Frankfurt burghers used the complex for political and ceremonial purposes as well as for trade fairs and other commercial ventures. Its gabled facade with an ornate balcony is widely known as the city's official emblem. The most important events to take place here were the festivities celebrating the coronations of the Holy Roman emperors. The first was in 1562 in the glittering Kaisersaal (Imperial Hall), the last in 1792 to celebrate the election of the emperor Francis II, who would later be forced by Napoléon to abdicate. Unless official business is being conducted, you can see the impressive, full-length 19th-century portraits of the 52 emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, which line the walls of the reconstructed banquet hall, but you have to arrange a tour through a private local operator.

This private collection has become one of Berlin’s star attractions, thanks to its unusual location inside a hulking WWII bunker in Mitte. Contemporary art collector Christian Boros bought the bunker in 2003 to house his art, and built a glass penthouse on top to house his family. The best works are those created specifically for the space by well-known artists such as Ai Weiwei, Olafur Eliasson, and Tomás Saraceno. Since this is a private home, admission is only allowed on guided tours, which take place Thursday to Sunday and can booked online. The tours are popular, so book as early as you can (months in advance).

Both an historic and a modern Berlin attraction all at once, the unique Sammlung Boros houses a private contemporary art collection inside a renovated World War II bunker. Weekend-only visits are only possible by 90-minute guided tour, which are extremely popular and must be booked online weeks in advance. Tours include both detailed descriptions of the artists and artwork on display, and also the fascinating history and architecture of the bunker itself, which at varying times was used as a war prison, fruit storage facility, and notorious nightclub.

The Schatzkammer comprises many hundreds of masterworks, including a host of treasures from the Wittelsbach royal crown jewels. A highlight is the crown belonging to Bavaria's first king, Maximilian I Joseph, created in Paris in 1806–07. The Schatzkammer collection has a staggering centerpiece—a renowned 50-cm-high (20-inch-high) Renaissance statue of St. George studded with diamonds, pearls, and rubies.

At the point where the little Wörnitz River breaks through the Franconian Jura Mountains, 20 km (12 miles) southeast of Nördlingen, you'll find one of southern Germany's best-preserved medieval castles. Schloss Harburg was already old when it passed into the possession of the count of Oettingen-Wallerstein in 1295; before that time it belonged to the Hohenstaufen emperors. The same family still owns the castle. The castle is on B-25, which runs under it through a tunnel in the rock.

What's most striking is the architectural variety of this great castle complex. The oldest parts still standing date from the 15th century, though most of the castle was built during the Renaissance in the Baroque styles of the 16th and 17th centuries, when the castle was the seat of the Palatinate electors. Interior rooms can only be visited on a guided tour. There's an "English wing," built in 1612 by the elector Friedrich V for his teenage Scottish bride, Elizabeth Stuart; its plain, square-window facade is positively foreign compared to the castle's more opulent styles. (The enamored Friedrich also had a charming garden laid out for his young bride; its imposing arched entryway, the Elisabethentor, was put up overnight as a surprise for her 19th birthday.) The architectural highlight remains the Renaissance courtyard—harmonious, graceful, and ornate.

Even if you have to wait, make a point of seeing the two-story Grosses Fass (Great Cask) in the cellar, possibly the world's largest wine barrel, made from 130 oak trees and capable of holding 58,500 gallons. It was used to hold wines paid as taxes by wine growers in the Palatinate. The Deutsches Apotheken-Museum is also included in your ticket and worth a look to see six re-created apothecaries dating back as far as the 17th century. In summer there are fireworks displays on the first Saturday in June and September and the second Saturday in July, to commemorate when the castle went up in flames in 1689, 1693, and 1764. In June and July the castle hosts a theater festival. Performances of The Student Prince often figure prominently. Take the Königstuhl Bergbahn, or funicular—faster and less tiring than hiking to the castle on the Burgweg. Audio guides are available in eight languages for an additional fee.

Despite its distance from Munich, the beautiful Chiemsee drew Bavarian royalty to its shores for its dreamlike, melancholy air. It was on one of the lake's three islands that King Ludwig built Schloss Herrenchiemsee, his third and last castle, which was modeled after Louis XIV's Versailles. As with most of Ludwig's projects, the building was never completed, and Ludwig spent only nine days there. Nonetheless, what remains is impressive—and ostentatious. Ferries leave from Stock, Prien's harbor. You can take an 1887 steam train from Prien to Stock to pick up the ferry. A horse-drawn carriage (from mid-April to late October) takes you from the boat dock to the palace itself. The palace's state rooms can only be visited as part of a 35-minute guided tour; English-language tours are timed to coincide with each ferry's arrival. The most spectacular room is the Hall of Mirrors, and also of interest are the ornate bedrooms, the "self-rising" table, the elaborately painted bathroom, and the formal gardens. The south wing houses a museum about King Ludwig's life. Also on the island is the Augustinian Monastery where Germany's postwar constitution was drawn up in 1948; it is now a museum.