Germany and Austria ... the Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music

Best known for its famous Oktoberfest and World War II history, Germany is also home to some of Europe's most beautiful scenery, fairy tale castles, famous musicians, and historic sites. Located in the heart of Europe, Germany has one of the continent's most powerful economies.

Munich's Oktoberfest began in 1810 with a royal wedding celebration. Today, this famous beer festival draws millions of visitors every year to take part in the revelry that involves delicious food and millions of liters of beer.

During Oktoberfest, this popular brew house showcases its team of horses pulling the kegs of beers just like they would have done centuries ago. 

Visitors can identify this pub by its beer keg sign hanging out front. When they enter, they will hear traditional music played by live bands and experience traditional German food of bratwurst and schnitzel.

The regulars at this pub are provided lockers to store their personal beer steins. Waitresses in the brew house are known for their ability to carry multiple steins of beer at a time.

Munich's City Hall is situated on its market square. This public plaza is the heart of its old town. We visited during Oktoberfest and saw many tourists dressed in their traditional dress drinking their beers. The building includes one of Europe's largest clocks, from 1908, with 43 bells and 32 animated figures which tell the tale of a knight's tournament.

Travelling from Germany to Austria you are greeted by mountain ranges that offer grand vistas with 360 degree views on a clear day.  The mountains offer visitors skiing and hiking options, cable car rides, and restaurants to sit and enjoy the view.

We visited Innsbruck's old town. With over 800 years of history, narrow passageways  and colorfully painted medieval homes greet its visitors. The market area has metal shopkeeper signs depicting the wares inside. The stained glass sign for this 1909 Speckeria meat market shows a boy holding strips of bacon.

After sustaining major damage in World War II, Innsbruck's Cathedral of St. James underwent restoration in the late 1940's. The Cathedral dominates the skyline of the old city and dates back to the time of the medieval market settlement in 1180.

The Golden Roof, completed in 1500, includes the Emperor's coats of arms and is decorated with over 2,600 copper tiles to commemorate Emperor Maximilian's wedding. Folklore describes the royals watching jousting tournaments from this vantage point.

Neuschwanstein, the Cinderella castle of King Ludwig is in southwest Bavaria. King Ludwig used his personal fortune to build this castle which was intended to be his home. He died in 1886 before it was completed. It was opened to the public shortly after his death. Visitors can see the 12 rooms that were completed.

Salzburg is home to Mozart and "The Sound of Music". Tourists flock to this charming city to experience its castles, gardens, and historic atmosphere. The home where he was born is now a museum where visitors can see his opera costumes, his musical instruments and notes related to his travels.

In 1077, this fortress was built to protect the principality and its archbishops from attack. It is the largest fully preserved castle in Central Europe and was never overtaken by foreign troops.

 

A popular shopping street, filled with luxury real stores is the Grain Lane.  This shopping street has been in place since medieval times and keep the tradition of hanging  metal signs depicting their trade to make it easier for shoppers who could not read to identify. The signs include hat makers, bakeries, and this one shaped like a key to represent the locksmith shop.

There are few green spaces remaining in Salzburg. Many of its green spaces from years ago are covered over. We visited this large park near the market square that is where some scenes from The Sound of Music were filmed. Walking through these well manicured grounds admiring the flower gardens, fountains and statues, was breathtaking.

University square is home to Salzburg's open air market.  It is surrounded by churches and buildings with unique craftsmanship.  

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The cliff side Saint Peter's cemetery in Salzburg, in use since 700 AD, and its catacombs which date back to 215 AD have wrought iron headstones that were originally used for the burial of monks who lived in the neighboring monastery.  The cemetery also includes a group of seven iron cross headstones from the 1700s. Local folklore is that the husband took the lives of six of his wives and buried them here together. In reality, we learned that the graves are for the husband, his wives who died in childbirth, and some of their children.

St. Peter's cemetery includes gravestones and burial vaults of famous artists and scholars. Mozart's sister Maria is buried here. This is also the final resting place of Michael Haydn, brother of Austrian composer and friend to Mozart, Joseph Haydn.

Rothenburg, Germany's best preserved walled town, allows visitors to walk its surrounding medieval walls. During World War II the historic importance and beauty of Rothenburg was recognized as it was spared from major shelling and bombing.

Considered one of the most perfect walled city in Europe, a visit to Rothenburg is like stepping into a fairy tale. Its half timbered homes tower above its narrow streets with their balconies of floors blooming; the houses lean across narrow cobblestone lanes that gleam in the sun.

The city was a joy to walk around.  There is a wooden walkway on the city walls of this picturesque town which felt like you were walking on a movie set.  This walkway provides a great view of the former castle battle stations that overlook the river below.

This picture (below) is said to be the most popular one taken of this romantic town. The town is thought to date back to the 10th century. Many of its buildings have stood in place for centuries, partly because the town was relatively unscathed during World War II.  Although the town was bombed, it is said that commanders on both sides hesitated to attack or defend the area with the same force as other areas of Europe during the war.

One of our favourite stops in Germany was the very walkable town of Trier.  Well known for its Roman past and architectural attractions, for a time it was caught in a tug of war between French and German forces. 

The Roman colony of Trier was founded in the 1st century and many of its Roman era structures are still standing.  The Porta Nigra in Trier is the largest of the two remaining Roman gates north of the Alps. Built in 170 AD, the original gate had four story towers at each end. Only one tower remains as the stone and iron from the gate were removed in the middle ages for use in other buildings.

Trier's Cathedral of Saint Peter is the oldest church in Germany. It was commissioned by Constantine the Great in 329 AD. It includes relics of saints and several religious carvings, including this one of the Three Kings. 

The crown jewel of the palace gardens is a spiraling fountain and well groomed green spaces. This location is a friendly invitation for visitors to stop and rest. Near this location are the ruins of Imperial Roman baths and Emperor Constantine's throne room.

Trier is known for its outer wall that covers four miles and a market square that celebrates the trading rights given to the town by its King. Its market square is filled with fruit and vegetable stands, flower markets, and fountains. A restaurant under the market square is built in a nearly forgotten vaulted cellar from the Middle Ages. 

 

Besides being famous for being the birthplace of economist Karl Marx, Trier is also known for its Imperial Baths. Although their design was never fully implemented, there remains miles of underground tunnels and foundation work which can still be seen today.

Heidelberg can trace its roots to the 12th century. The old town is dominated by the ruins of Heidelberg Castle and its University is the oldest in Germany, founded in 1386. The University today is well recognized for its cancer research.

The market square includes this statue of Hercules.

The old town is made up of cobblestone streets lined with quaint retail shops and cafés. With one of the longest pedestrian zones in Europe, this is where most of its shopping is centered. 

Cologne Cathedral, Germany's most visited landmark, survived World War II in spite of extensive bombing. Affected by weather, part of the Cathedral's entry was has been restored by stone masons who are continually at work to maintain this structure.

Built in 1248, Cologne Cathedral is the fourth biggest cathedral in the world. In medieval times the cathedral was a popular site for pilgrims to see the Magi's Shrine. Legend has it that the remains of the three wise kings were buried here, allegedly brought to Cologne in the 12th century. The Cologne Cathedral was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

If you're not inclined to climb the 500 steps in its south tower for great views of the city (I counted 530 steps on my climb!), tourists can wander through the Cathedral and admire its stained glass windows of biblical scenes instead. Several windows were destroyed in World War II and reconstructed in the 1990s.

We toured the charming city of Bonn. Situated on the Rhine river, Bonn is Beethoven's birthplace as he was born here in 1770. His home is now a museum and includes a collection of musical instruments and compositions.  Beethoven began performing at 8 years old and debuted many of his compositions at Bonn Cathedral. Beethoven moved to Vienna at 22 years of age to connect with Mozart.

Old town Ulm was first documented in 854 AD. Probably its most well-known resident, Albert Einstein was born here in 1879.  Ulm's city wall was built in 1480 as protection against enemy troops. Today tourists stroll along its promenade on their way to the Fisherman's Quarter.  Located on the banks of the Danube River, the crooked streets once filled with local fisherman and tanner shops are now filled with retail shops and local artisans selling their wares.

Following the winding roads gives you an idea of how the area looked in the Middle Ages. Its medieval buildings were used by local fishermen and ship builders.

 The famed crooked hotel, listed in the Guinness Book of Records, appears to be falling into the water.

Visitors enter the picturesque town of Regensburg through this arched clock tower. The city, designed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006, is a well preserved medieval city in Germany, having escaped significant damage during World War II. You can see the Roman fortress remains as you wander through this historic trading center.

Regensburg was an important center on the continental trading routes to Italy and Russia.  Its old town is a testament of its link to the Roman Empire.Throughout Germany, many buildings have wall murals decorating their facade. This one of David and Goliath dates back to the 16th century.

Established as a Roman military base on the bank of the Danube river, Regenburg's fortress guarded against invaders. Here are the remains of the Porta Praetoria, dating from 179 AD. This port and the Porta Nigra in Trier are the only two remaining Romany gates north of the Alps. 

The Regensburg Cathedral contains some stained glass windows that have survived from the Middle Ages. Dedicated to St. Peter, this Gothic cathedral contains many images dedicated to St. Peter.  More than any other figure in the age of Christianity, the martyred St. Peter symbolizes the power and the powerlessness of a Christian existence It also has many fine sculptures and works of art, including this knight and horse who are guarding its patron saint.

In March 1933, a few weeks after Hitler was appointed Reich Chancellor, the Dachau Concentration Camp for political prisoners was set up. A few miles from Munich's city center, Dachau was one of the first concentration camps and is the only camp to have remained throughout 12 years of Nazi rule. First established for political opponents, the proportion of Jewish and non-political prisoners increased considerably. This camp served as the prototype for other concentration camps for the SS under whose command it stood.

The camp is a chilling reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust.  During our visit we are reminded of the hardships that were endured during these times.The camp gate was forged by the prisoners and reads "Work sets you free".

The cramped sleeping quarters were to hold 2,000 prisoners and later held close to 30,000. The first 5,000 prisoners were political enemies of the Nazi regime. In the following years other perceived social, racist, and ethnic enemies were persecuted here.

The cell blocks were used to interrogate prisoners and hold them in solitary confinement.  At the time of liberation over 200,000 prisoners from more than 30 nations had been imprisoned at Dachau and other camps.

Today the camp is used as a place of learning. It holds special exhibitions, delivers educational programs, and has a large library.  Many of its displays include prisoner records and their belongings.. The plight of its prisoners and this time in history is felt during our visit to the camp.

Aachen is the westernmost city in Germany, located near the borders of Belgium and the Netherlands. Developed from a Roman settlement and spa, it became the preferred Imperial residence of Charlemagne, the first Emperor to rule Western Europe.

This Municipal Hall statue depicts his perspective as equal to the church under God as he extended his influence over church affairs.  Throughout the Middle Ages until the 1530s, German / Frankish kings and queens were crowned here. Charlemagne is credited with leading Government and unifying the west. 

Charlemagne's remains are kept in a shrine in the Aachen Cathedral. During the Middle Ages, the Royal Church of St. Mary was a popular pilgrimage passage due to its symbols of faith, all linked to biblical writings,.  The Aachen Cathedral, built over 600 years and completed in 1531 is the model for many European cathedrals and similar architecture can be found on other cathedrals built during this time. As one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that contains a treasury of archaeological and historic interest.

Germany's temperate weather provides ideal conditions for its wine industry. Harvest was in full swing in this region during our visit.

Café Winklstuberl is a charming café we frequented regularly. It is well known for its fresh baked cakes and pastries. This café was first mentioned in the 1300s and belonged to the local monastery. The cafe now belongs to the monastery Scheyern and must still deliver 300 cheeses there in the year.

Traveling through Germany provided many stunning vistas of mountainous landscapes and lush countryside. It also had many roadside markets, many of which were unattended, allowing shoppers to follow the honor system to pay for their goods.