Part of the Brandenburg history is that the state was amongst the seven key states of the Holy Roman Empire. It was recognized as the unique core of the German Empire along with Prussia, which was the first united German state.

The Margraviate and the Duchy of Prussia joined hands in the year 1618 to form Brandenburg-Prussia. In 1701, the state was prominent as the Kingdom of Prussia. In the early 900s, Henry the Fowler and his successors occupied territory up to the Oder River. Slavic settlements such as Brenna, Budusin, and Chosebuz came under grand control through the installation of Margraves. In 948, Emperor Otto I established Margraves to exert grand control over the pagan Slavs west of the Oder River.

The turning point was the 12th century when the Ottonian German kings re-established control over the mixed Slav-inhabited lands of Brandenburg.

The German magnate Albert the Bear formally inherited the town of Brandenburg and the lands of the Hevelli from their last Wendish ruler, Pribislav, in 1150 and was granted the Northern March by the Emperor Lothar II in 1134, when the German crusade raised against the Wends. Albert’s descendant Ascanians began acquiring country east of the Oder, later recognized as the Neumark in the 13th century.

The Brandenburg history was afterward transformed to Protestantism in 1539 in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. The Hohenzollerns extended their region by acquiring the Duchy of Prussia in 1618, the Duchy of Cleves (1614) in the Rhineland, and territories in Westphalia.

Result was an extensive, disconnected country known as Brandenburg-Prussia.

Mainz is positioned on the Rhine river and has been a tiring trading hub from the Roman times. Being the capital city of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) as well as a University City, it takes account of various former farm communities in the adjacent areas.

The city is the core of the Rhine wine trades and is the home city of Johann Gutenberg. Its cathedrals grade among the finest Romanesque architectural achievements in the Europe.

The Mainzer wine, being the biggest wine fair in Germany, attracts wine lovers from all parts of the world. Carnival festival which marks the glory of the city, is in fact put into practice to show remonstration against the social and political injustices they have suffered.

Interestingly, the dresses worn in the carnival are meant to showcase caricature of the old uniforms of the French and Prussian Troops. (Though, the largest carnival in Germany you’re going to find in Cologne!)

Scores of striking buildings, monuments and museums remind us of the city’s vibrant history. Superb baroque buildings, palaces and the imposing cathedral are all seeking their past to the time when the Prince Electors ruled here.

St. Martin’s Cathedral is an imposing site which shapes a remarkable disparity to the light stone of the Romanesque Gotthard Chapel. Inside the cathedral, you’ll get to see some significant compilation of cultural and historical treasures including gravestones.

The Electoral Palace, initially built as a seat for the Electors and Archbishops, now stages the Romano-Germanic Central Museum exhibition.

St. Stephen’s Church, which is to be found in the south-west of Mainz, was built in 990 by Otto III. It was basically erected as an “imperial place of prayer” for peace.

The municipal park and the rose garden in Mainz catch the attention of tourists from May to July. Both the sites also offer splendid views over the Rhine and Main rivers.

During the summer periods, the promenade next to the banks of the Rhine and the beer gardens on the Malakoff terrace are the wonderful sites to go for a stroll. The park is based on the designs of French and Italian gardens of the time while the garden’s unique appeal lies in the wonderfully planned flower clock.

Gonsenheim Game Park is an extreme delight for kids as it was initially planned as a corral for deer and wild boar. Subsequently, several cages were added to accommodate deers and smaller wild animals.

Now, the park possesses a huge area for goats and sheep, red deer, fallow deer, mouflon sheep and wild boar.

You probably know Bonn from times when Germany was separated, right? It was our former capital of the Federal Republic of Germany — or West Germany.

Since Berlin became the capital of the “New Germany” again, several national as well as governmental institutions moved from Bonn to Berlin. Both houses of the German national parliament moved along with the Chancellery, yet even now it remains a center of politics and administration still.

Bonn is located about 20 km (13 mi) south of the 1 million city Cologne on the Rhine river, still in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen).

Nowadays, the 319,000 people urban district is regarded as a vibrant university city, having one of the largest universities of Germany. And it’s a cultural center that hosts high-status concerts and exhibitions. It’s also a center for technologies of the future and the headquarters for several United Nations organizations.

People in and around the city, in fact, recognize how to enjoy the good things in life. For example, during summer, they love to head for the wine bars along the Rhine to enjoy the views of the Siebengebirge hills, a densely wooded area with more than 40 hills.

You will love to visit the old part of the city, which possesses remarkable buildings on much-admired squares. The rococo-style Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall) on the Marktplatz (Market Square), the bronze Beethoven statue on Münsterplatz (Minster Square), and the beautiful Romanesque minster are among them to be enjoyed.

And you will surely love to see the Poppelsdorf Palace (Poppelsdorfer Schloss), which is a wonderful former Electors’ residence in the south of the city. And speaking of palaces, the Kurfürstliches Schloss (Electoral Palace) in the city center, between Main Station and Rhine River, is another highlight of Bonn.

Beethoven House, in the center, is another “point of attraction.” Yes, it is the house where Ludwig van Beethoven was born. This site has turned out to be a place of pilgrimage for music lovers from all over the world. It is the only house in city to have been engaged by the Beethoven family in which 150 original exhibits reflect his life and works, and include his famous portrait and his last grand piano.

Bottom line, this region provides a means of delightful possibilities. You might love to take up the excursions into the idyllic Siegtal valley, the romantic Siebengebirge hills with its fabled Drachenfels ruins, or the walking and wine-growing paradise along the Ahr river.

And if you are with your family, the Phantasialand theme park offers entertainment for your entire family, for up to two days! :-)

Munich (German: München) is one of the chief well-liked travel destinations situated in the German state of Bavaria (Bayern). It is Germany’s second most popular destination after Berlin.

It was established by Henry the Lion in the year 1158. In 1255 it was selected as the dwelling of the Wittelsbach family, the dukes of Bavaria and afterward developed into capital of the dukedom.

Throughout the Thirty Years’ War, Munich was engaged by Gustavus II of Sweden. Under the rule of Louis I, Maximilian II, and Louis II, it developed into a educational and artistic center. It further played a very important position in the growth of the 19th- and 20th-century German painting.

The city is positioned very close to the German Alps. The metropolis is overflowed by thousands of informal and dedicated beer drinkers. If this sounds like a paradise to you, by all means go and take advantage of it!

It has a reason this amazingly attractive 850-year old city is the residence of the worldwide well-known Oktoberfest. But don’t think Oktoberfest is the main occasion Munich celebrates. The pre-Lenten carnival or Fasching is evenly well-liked.

Or what about the opera festival, which was started in 1875. This festival is celebrated in every June/July. Munich opera fair has been a exclusive occasion for locals and tourist from all around the country to experience a broad variety of operatic working at the newest making and festival premieres.

Visit wonderful places like the Nymphenburg Palace, a great baroque 17th-century palace, as well as the exquisite 14th-century Munich Residence in the city center. Or the Olympic Center, which is located towards the north of the city and was mainly built for the 1972 Olympics.

Munich has no scarcity of magnificent green spaces. The Englischer Garten (English Garden) is a very pleasant place to calm down and watch people taking their walks or tan in the sun. In the middle of the gardens are the Kleinhesseloher, notice a little pond with a snack bar that serves food and drink, and a Chinese Tower and a Greek temple which is known as Monopterus.

By the way, the most spectacular view of the city can be enjoyed from that Monopterus hill, the highest point in the garden.

Did You Know That…

Munich is residence to a number of professional football teams, including the most well-known club, FC Bayern.

BMW, yes that car company, has its International Headquarters here in Munich.

The Munich International Airport Franz Josef Strauß [MUC] is Germany’s second largest one (after Frankfurt).

Saarbrücken is the capital of the German state Saarland and is more than 1,000 years old!

Initially, the city was once known for being the industrial and transport center of a great coal basin since factories in the city shaped iron and steel, beer, optical instruments and construction materials. Yet, over the past decades, the industrial significance of the city has dipped down for some intrinsic reasons.

A lot of companies including German ones, realized the “importance” of importing coal from lower-wage countries instead of buying it from here. This actually set the tones against the city which turned out to be the major set back for its growth.

Now, the city is trying its level best to match the industry expectations.

Places of interest in the Saarbrücken include three prettiest squares in the form of Schlossplatz, Ludwigsplatz and St. Johanner Markt. All these places are equally enclosed by the tapered lanes of old town.

The palace garden organizes open-air concerts every year while the Ludwigs Church (Ludwigskirche) is regarded as the most attractive Protestant baroque churches in Germany.

St. Johanner Markt square in the midst of its bars, bistros and restaurants, is the pride and joy of the city. People love to congregate here for a cappuccino as soon as the sun comes out. They thoroughly take pleasure with a glass of red wine or a beer fresh from the barrel.

Ludwigsplatz and Ludwigskirch are the masterpieces of this city which were built in the royal architecture style.

Being a centrally placed city, Saarbrücken is within the simple reach of many places worth a visit. Metz in the midst of its bug market and the Lorraine region are just over the border in France, while the Hochwald wooded area is to the north and Völklingen Ironworks, a world heritage site is close by.

The Saar Bow is a noteworthy natural attribute. You might wanna afford the luxury of a walking spree from Orscholz, next to Mettlach to the Cloef viewpoint to see the Saar Bow.

They will also locate some well-maintained cycling and walking trails in the area around it. If you love water feat, then you can experience it from close hand through a pleasure boat.

Saarbrücken contains an ample array of museums, too, and the Saarland Museum by way of its Old Collection and Modern Gallery feature offers you a remarkable treat to watch for.