Germany

The largest metropolitan regions

Rhine-Ruhr, the largest metropolitan region in Germany, with over ten million inhabitants. Cologne (the region's largest and Germany's fourth largest city), Düsseldorf(the state capital)

Rhine-Main metropolitan region, which has a population of more than 5.6 million and is Germany's second-largest metropolitan region, Frankfurt

Berlin

• Brandenburg Gate
• Potsdamer Platz
• Reichstag (Parliament)
• Bundeskanzleramt (Federal Chancellery)
• Kurfürstendamm / Friedrichstrasse: shopping and entertainment streets
• Gendarmenmarkt

Potsdam

Frederick William, the Elector of Brandenburg, decided to make Potsdam his place of residence.

• Schloss Sanssouci (Sanssouci Palace): sans = without, souci = worry, sans souci = carefree

Dresden

Dresden is derived from Drezdzane, the old Slavic word for "forest people". Famous for Dresden china.

Along the river of Elbe.

• Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady)
• Verkehrsmuseum Dresden (Dresden Transport Museum)
• Zwinger: the most important late baroque building in Germany.

Leipzig

Bach and Mendelssohn.

Name derived from "Lipsk", the original Slav settlement named for the lime trees (lipa) growing there.

• Stadtgeschichtliches Museum Leipzig, Altes Rathaus: old town hall
• Bach-Museum Leipzig
• Mendelssohn-Haus

Hamburg

• Miniatur Wunderland
• Lake Alster: take a cruise boat.
• Speicherstadt: warehouse district

Bremen

Germany's oldest maritime city. (since 10th century during Emperor Otto I) Now the 2nd largest port in Germany.

• Bremer Marktplatz: Bremen Market Square
• Schnoor: the oldest surviving residential area within the city of Bremen.

Lübeck

German's largest Hanseatic port on the Baltic. Chosen as the administrative headquarters for the Hanseatic League in 1358.

• Marzipanmuseum

Hannover

Follow the Red Thread (painted red lines on the ground) for a walking tour of the city.

• Museum August Kestner

Munich

The capital of Bavaria. Founded in 1158. 3rd largest city.

Festivals

• Fasching
• Oktoberfest

Attractions

• Marienplatz: City-center square

Words

• bahn: train
• bahnhof: train station
• straße / strasse: street
• platz: square
• palast: palace
• stadt: town
• schloss: castle
• markt: market
• rathaus: town hall
• haupt: head (hauptstadt = capital city, hauptbahnhof = central station)
• alt: old (alten markt = old market, Altstadt = old town)
• neues: new
• viertel: quarter
• north: Norden
• south: Süden
• east: osten
• west: westen

People

• King Frederick WIlliam I; his son Frederick II, a.k.a. Frederick the Great.