In addition to the Romantic Road along the Rhine, Germany has more than 5,000 castles open to visitors surrounded by beautiful parks. German castles and parks offer pleasant walks or picnics in the shade of centuries-old trees, silent witnesses of the history that was written over the centuries in castles, manors and palaces.
Augustusburg and Falkenlust palaces
In the west of Germany, near Cologne, the "humble" Archbishop Clemens August von Wittelsbach had the Augustusburg Palace built in the 18th century, and he ordered beautiful baroque gardens to be arranged around it in the French style. As the most important German Rococo complex, in 1984 Unesco listed the Augustusburg Palace with its gardens and the nearby Falkenlust Palace as a World Heritage Site. Until 1996, the Augustusburg Palace was only open for state receptions, but today you can walk through the rooms accompanied by a guide and conjure up the way of life at court in the 18th century. Between May and September, the famous Brühler Schlosskonzerte international classical music festival takes place on the famous staircase of the Augustusburg.
Kingdom of the parks of Dessau-Wörlitz
At the end of the 18th century, a prince with a name whose length corresponded to his position, Leopold III Friedrich Franz von Anhalt-Dessau, in his desire to establish a harmonious harmony between man and nature, realized his dream and founded the principality of parks and gardens of Dessau-Wörlitz. Among the rivers, meadows and clearings reign palaces, gardens and shady promenades, pavilions and many small architectural pearls that perfectly harmonize with the environment and give the appearance of an endless park. The classicist Luisium Palace with its English Park, the Rococo Palace and Mosigkau Park, the Grosskühnau Country Park and Georgium, where the famous portrait gallery is on display, surround the city of Dessau and together with the Baroque City, Oranienbaum Palace and Park and the most important, the Wörlitz Park, form a beautiful unified landscape . Dessau-Wörlitz Day is celebrated this year at the beginning of August (August 9) and in the palaces and parks various events invite us to walk and discover different parts of the principality of parks and gardens. Concerts on the lake are held in Wörlitz Park between May and August.
Wartburg Castle
Since 1999, the best-preserved German medieval castle Wartburg has also been under UNESCO protection. Upon entering the Romanesque palace, we are greeted by 900 years of history: medieval court art, the life and work of Saint Elizabeth, Luther's translation of the New Testament, the Dürerschrank - a cabinet with works by Albrecht Dürer, paintings by Lucas Carnach the Elder, a unique collection of cutlery, in short, art from the 11th to 19th century. Musical performances called Summer Nights are held in the Royal Theater between May and October, which is an ideal opportunity to enjoy the romantic surroundings of the castle.
Elbe River Valley
The Dresden section of the Elbe River, with its harmonious combination of nature and urban architecture, convinced the demanding UNESCO jury to include this part of Germany in the category of developing cultural landscapes in 2004. Dresden is a wonderfully harmonious whole of the historic city center, the parks that surround it and the nature outside the city. Augustus the Strong began to develop the idea of turning the Elbe River into the Grand Canal, and his successors continued the tradition and carried it into reality from the Pillnitz Palace on the eastern side to the Uebigau Palace on the western part of the city. The Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), the Zwinger Palace and the Opera House are only the most famous buildings of the city on the Elbe, but there is much more to discover for curious visitors. Jazz and Dixieland can be heard on the Elbe River on steamboat cruises starting at Pillnitz Palace, and top-notch musicians are accompanied by excellent Saxon beer served to thirsty music lovers. Between May 14 and 18, the international Dixieland festival takes place in Dresden.
Rhine Valley
One of the most romantic parts of Germany is certainly the 65 kilometer long upper part of the central Rhine valley. The castles and palaces that follow each other along the river are best seen from a boat, but a car ride also offers a wonderful adventure. From the ancient Roman city of Koblenz, past the legendary wall with the remains of the Loreley fortress, to Bingen and Rüdesheim, vineyards flourish on the slopes above the river, the fruit of which are the famous Rhine wines. Even the Rhine Valley does not remain culturally dead during the summer months. In July and August, concerts under the name Musical Moments of the Middle Rhine take place in the castles between Koblenz and Rüdesheim.
Prussian palaces and parks
The surroundings of Potsdam and Berlin are the largest part of Germany, which has been under UNESCO protection since 1990. The parks, which were arranged for centuries by Prussian dukes, princes and later kings, form a unique whole. Great architects, famous artists and park designers have left their mark on the exterior and interior of buildings that are connected to the parks both geographically and aesthetically. Protected parks and facilities include the Sanssouci Park in Potsdam, the New Park, the Babelsberg Park and the Glienicke Park, which surround the palaces, as well as the village of Klein-Glienicke, the Glienicke Hunting House, Peacock Island and some areas of Potsdam, such as Pfingstberg. In June, Potsdam's Sanssouci Palace and its beautiful park host a music festival, and Babelsberg hosts a weavers' festival. August is the month of the Potsdam Court Night, which starts with a big concert, and in September there is a pottery market in the Dutch Quarter. When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Berlin was united into one city, which thus became one of the most important museum attractions in Europe, and already in 1999 it was accepted into the elite group of UNESCO monuments due to the priceless works of art kept in the museums. also the Berlin Museum Island.
Reichenau Monastery Island
The island of Reichenau on Lake Constance, which is connected to the mainland by an artificial embankment, earned its place in the prestigious company among the 32 UNESCO gems on German soil primarily as an extremely important monastic center. In 724, a Benedictine monastery was founded on the island, which developed into one of the largest intellectual centers of the Western world. Even today, the Reichenau school of painting is very famous, especially for its beautiful manuscripts and goldsmith's works, and walkers can also admire the vineyards and the vast monastery herb garden, which glows in colorful colors depending on the time of year.
Classicist Weimar
Although only a small city, Weimar is one of the most interesting German cities, as the range of attractions it offers is incredible. A little over 200 years ago, it became one of the intellectual centers, which is why we can still visit the homes of writers and poets who marked German and European literature. Johan Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller are just two of the many famous names who worked in Weimar, and their residences are only a small part of the city's cultural heritage. Weimar is also an architectural jewel, as we can enjoy Rococo, Classicist and Art Nouveau works of art, and we must not forget the style called Bauhaus. Next year, his 90th birthday will be celebrated in Germany, and Weimar will be the focal point of the events. In August and September, the city hosts an art festival, and even more famous and much more fun is the Weimar Onion Market, which is traditionally held on the second weekend in October.
Muskau Park
An extraordinary example of a provincial park, designed between 1815 and 1845 by Hermann Fürst von Pückler-Muskau, an outstanding park architect, aristocrat and travel writer, is located on the very border between Germany and Poland. Muskau Park covers 830 hectares along the Neisse River, which forms the border between the two countries. The main characteristics of the park are its vastness, openness, which offers wonderful views, variety of terrain and artificial waterways. During the walk, we are accompanied by a three-dimensional, constantly changing scenography, which was created for pleasure in a natural environment. In recent years, the excellent cross-border cooperation of German and Polish conservators and park masters has significantly contributed to the restoration of the park and the preservation of its extraordinary importance. While visiting the park, you can walk on both the German and Polish sides, and cross the border on the double bridge in the park. If hours of walking give us headaches, we can also take a carriage ride through the park. On May 31, the annual German-Polish festival takes place in the park, and on July 6, fun and fresh air enthusiasts gather in the park for a large Open Air & Picnic.
Signpost:
Augustusburg and Falkenlust palaces www.schlossbruehl.de
CITY OF BRÜHL: www.bruehl.de
MAX ERNST MUSEUM, a German surrealist painter born in Brühl: www.maxernstmuseum.lvr.de
MUSEUMS IN BRÜHL: www.bruehler-museumsinsel.de
FESTIVAL BRÜHLER SCHLOSSKONZERTE: www.schlosskonzerte.de
Dessau-Wörlitz
THE LAND OF SAXO-ANHALT: www.sachen-anhalt.de www.dessau-rosslau-tourismus.de www.gartenreich.com
TOWN OF WORLITZ www.woerlitz-information.de
Wartburg Castle
LAND OF THURINGIA: www.thueringen.info
CITY OF EISENACH: www.eisenach.de www.wartburg.de
Elbe River Valley
THE LAND OF SAXOIA: www.saxonytourism.com
CITY OF DRESDEN: www.dresden.de
DRESDEN STATE ART COLLECTIONS: www.skd-dresden.de www.welterbezentrum-dresden.de
DRESDEN OPERA HOUSE: www.semperoper.de
DIXIELAND JAZZ FESTIVAL: www.dixieland.de
ELBA RIVER CRUISE: www.saechsische-dampfschiffahrt.de
Rhine Valley
www.tal-der-loreley.de
www.welterbe-mittelrheintal.de
THE LEGEND AND THE BALLAD OF THE MERMAID LORELEY: www.loreley-rhine.com
CITY OF RUDESHEIM: www.ruedesheim.de
Prussian palaces and parks www.potsdamtourismus.de www.potsdam-tourism.com www.events-in-Potsdam.de www.visitBerlin.de
Monastery Island
Reichenau City of Konstanz on Lake Constance: www.konstanz.de www.reichenau.de
Classicist Weimar www.weimar.de www.bauhaus.de
WEIMAR ONION MARKET: www.zwiebelmarkt.info
Muskau Park
CITY OF BAD MUSKAU: www.badmuskau.de www.muskauer-park.de
