What is Germany Famous For: Top 19 Popular Places & Things in Germany

Germany is historically and culturally one of the most important countries in the world. Its history is tinged with the story of the Holocaust. Keeping the past aside, you can also view the city with its splendid geographical and architectural vigour.

The country has many splendid mountains, forests, national parks, and beaches, in addition to glorious castles, cathedrals, palaces and monuments. Let’s discover what Germany is famous for in detail before you visit the country.

 If you are planning a holiday here, you should know that the currency used here is Euro. As of November, 2022, 1 German Euro equals to INR 88.18. Keep this exchange rate in mind while planning your finances in Germany. Here are some of the places you must visit in Germany to explore the country in its true colour:

1. Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle tops the list of places what Germany is famous for. Built in the 19th century it was a residence for the royal family. Its beautiful halls and rooms, mosaic floor, tapestry, mural paintings on the walls, and statues will leave you in awe. Besides, you can also see house chapels built in neo-gothic fashion, artificial waterfalls with rainbow machines, beautifully furnished kitchen halls, etc.

2. Brandenburg Gate

Brandenburg Gate depicts the historical account of the Prussian emperor Frederick William II’s successful suppression of the Dutch unrest. The king passed an order to erect this monument to mark that event. This is why it got the name ‘Peace Gate’. Moreoever, the location where this monument is situated is also important. It is the point from where the road from Brandenburg to Berlin starts.

3. Reichstag Building

The Reichstag Building in Berlin is also one of the iconic and historically important building to house Imperial Diet of the country. In 1999, the government declared this building as the lower parliament house of German, which is also known as the Bundestag. This is why you must pay a visit to this important place while you are on your international trip to Germany.

4. Cologne Cathedral

It is a towering high catholic cathedral church situated in Cologne. This gothic monument also comes on the list of world heritage sites that draws nearly 20,000 visitors every day. Its two tall spires are 150 meter-long, making it the second-longest monument in Europe.

For the spectators, it has shrines of three kings and spiral staircases. These stairs can lead you to a platform 100 meters high from the ground. Going atop this platform, you can get a glimpse of the magnificent Rhine River.

5. Holocaust Memorial

It is a memorial built to remember the brutal killing of European Jews during the holocaust period. It is situated in the Mitte neighbourhood, near Brandenburg Gate. You can see 2,711 stone slabs properly arranged over a land of 19,000 square meters area.

Besides this, the memorial also has an underground cellar named 'Place of Information'. Here you can find the names of almost 3 million people who became victims of the Holocaust.

6. East Side Gallery

It is an art gallery built on the remaining part of the Berlin Wall, which is 1,316 meters long. This open-air gallery contains a chain of murals painted on the wall. 118 artists belonging to 21 different countries made their contemporary political commentaries through these mural paintings in 1990.

However, since 1990 there has been no effort to preserve those arts; resultantly, most of them have become faded. You can see replicas of the murals made in 2009. While exploring famous things in Germany, you must visit this gallery to understand the rich culture of this nation.

7. Berlin Cathedral

Berlin Cathedral is also one of those few must-visit things Germany is famous for. This church, also known as Evangelical Supreme Parish, is a beautiful monumental architecture built in Baroque Revival and Renaissance styles. It is also a significant dynastic tomb and a large protestant church in Europe.

Besides being a center for religious services, this monumental church also offers a homely place for hosting concerts, events and state ceremonies.

8. Europa-Park

It is the largest theme park in the country and can accommodate around 60,000 visitors every day. You get 13 roller coaster rides to engross yourself in fun activities in Germany. Among these, the ‘Silver Star’ themed roller coaster is the fastest. Besides, this park offers various educational exhibitions and shows for children, including a 4D ‘Magic Cinema’.

9. Museum Island

UNESCO recognized Museum Island as a World Heritage Site due to its architectural and cultural importance. The vast complex consists of different museums, including Neues, Altes, Bode, Alte, and Pergamon. Among the various collections, you can find various Byzantine paintings, Etruscan and Egyptian sculptures, Greko-roman arts and artifacts, and many archaeological objects.

10. The Rhine Valley

The upper Rhine valley is one of Germany's most popular tourist destinations and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Within a stretch of just 65 kilometers, this valley flaunts over 60 beautiful towns and 40 medieval castles.

You can cruise along the river to explore the riverside beauty in addition to those castles and towns. This journey will fill you with thrill and adventure, satisfying your wanderlust to the fullest.

11. Rügen Island

The largest island of Germany, Rügen, offers a rich natural splendor and spectacular landscapes. It has several long, white, sandy Baltic beaches, cliffs, forests, etc. Among these, the 118-meter-long chalk cliff is a tourist magnet of this country. Visiting this island, you can also get yourself engrossed in activities like surfing, boat cruising, and other water sports.

12. Insel Mainau

Insel Mainau is an enchanting flower island situated beside Constance Lake. Its vegetation, flowers, well-designed gardens, orchids, and Arboretum attract both national and international visitors. Apart from the natural beauty, you can see 18th-century towers, gatehouses and a splendid White Hall on this beautiful island. You can take a boat ride or walk down the bridges to reach this destination from the mainland.

13. Wadden Sea

The Wadden Sea is a beautiful wetland famous for its rich biological diversity. You can find a conglomeration of various migratory birds on this 500-kilometre-long coastline. It is a favourable breeding ground and natural habitat for birds like terns, gulls, Eurasian spoonbills, white-tailed eagles, etc.

Besides birds, marine animals like white-beaked dolphins, grey and harbour seals, etc., also favour the shallow waterbody of the Wadden Sea as their habitable ground.

14. Saar Loop

Saar Loop is one of the geographical phenomena that win the heart of worldwide tourists. Due to the hard quartzite rocks of Mettlach, the Saar River fails to run a straight course and takes a 180-degree bend. This U-turn takes the shape of a loop or hairpin and flows parallelly in the opposite direction. To view the natural splendour of Saar Loop properly, you must reach the lookout point at Cloef. It is a rocky ground situated 180-meter above the turn.

You need to know about things Germany is famous for before visiting this country to make the most of your journey:

15. Bread

Bread is one of the most important food items in Germany. If you explore closely, you will find that taste, texture, and process of making bread vary from location to location. You can get different variants of this basic food item, including plain, dark, white, soft, rolls, loaves, whole grain, three-seed etc.

16. Castles and Palaces

If you are looking for what Germany is famous for, you cannot but shed light on the splendid medieval palaces and castles. These still bear the glorious architectural heritage of the nation. Some architecturally important constructions you must visit are Schwerin Palace, Sanssouci Palace, Neuschwanstein Castle, Cochem Castle, Cologne Cathedral, etc.

17. Sausages

Sausages are one of the integral parts of German gastronomy. There are nearly 1,500 different types of sausages in this country. All these are prepared differently by changing their basic ingredients (such as pork, beef or veal) or adding unique spices. You can get these food items in almost all food stalls or restaurants. Some popular German sausages you can taste are Bratwurst, Bratwurst, Schwarzwurst, etc.

18. Beer

Beer is one of the few special things Germany is known for. Germans have been brewing some of the finest beers since almost 800 B.C. Drinking beer is quite normal and legal, even in public places. The country holds the second position in terms of consuming this drink, just after Ireland. Moreover, you can find almost 7,000 different kinds of beer throughout the country.

19. Rail Network

Germany has one of the world’s broadest railway networks which connects not only different areas within the country but also joins other nations of Europe. Therefore, you can easily visit European countries like Poland, Denmark, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium, etc. from Germany.

The trains arrive and depart on time and can help you reach your destination faster. Commuting by train can also help you complete your international trip economically.

To conclude, now that you are properly aware of what Germany is famous for, it will be easier for you to plan your trip. You can add places and cuisines you need to put to your bucket list. This way, you will not miss any opportunity to enjoy all the thrilling aspects the country offers its visitors.