Tag: Germany

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Poppelsdorfer Schloss

Poppelsdorfer Schloss, Bonn

The Poppelsdorfer Schloss in Bonn is a Baroque palace built between 1715 and 1753 on the site of a former medieval water castle. Originally named ‘Clemensruhe’ after its founder, Elector Joseph Clemens, the palace was designed as a pleasure residence with symmetrical architecture and an inner courtyard. It later became part of the University of Bonn in 1818, housing scientific collections and the Mineralogical Museum. The Poppelsdorfer Allee, a tree-lined avenue with historic charm, connects the palace to Bonn’s city center, offering a picturesque approach for visitors.

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Bundesstadt

Bundesbüdchen, Bonn

Bonn, one of Germany’s oldest cities, played a significant role during the period of German separation. After World War II, it was chosen as the provisional capital of West Germany in 1949 due to its modest size and distance from Berlin’s Nazi legacy. Bonn became a symbol of West Germany’s democratic rebirth and hosted key political institutions, including the Bundestag and the Federal Chancellery. This status persisted until reunification in 1990, after which Berlin was reinstated as the capital. However, Bonn retained some federal ministries and became a model for balancing regional development.

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Dichterfürst

Goethe-Haus, Frankfurt am Main

One of the most important sons of the city of Frankfurt am Main is for sure Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He died at Weimar and is buried at the Fürstengruft there, but he is still present in his birthplace. One example of that is the Frankfurter Goethe-Haus at the Großer Hirschgraben, the place he was born at in 1749 and the seat of his family until 1795. Unfortunately, the house itself was destroyed in 1944 during an air raid – but the interior was preserved. After long debates the house was rebuilt and serves as a museum today.

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Pavillon

Fortuna Ehrenfeld, Kulturzentrum Pavillon, Hannover

In the 1970s the Deutsches Familienkaufhaus (DeFaKa, a shopping mall) at Hannover needed a temporary new home because their normal location at the Seilwinderstraße close to the Kröpcke was rebuilt. For that reason a flat building behind the main railway station of Hannover was constructed and surprisingly it is still there today: in 1977 it was not torn down but became the Kulturzentrum Pavillon, a socio-cultural center which serves as a public library, a concert venue and a bar.

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Burgberg

View from Burgberg, Bad Harzburg

To protect the Kaiserpfalz at Goslar, emperor Henry IV initiated the construction of the Große Harzburg between 1065 and 1068 CE. The fortification is located on the Burgberg, a very good strategic position which was by that time easy to defend. Henry was at war with the Saxonians and had to flee to the Harzburg which he also used to safely store relics and as a crypt for his family. Few years later in 1074 he had to agree to slight the fortification which exposed the Harzburg to looting by local farmers.

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Careless whisper

Bellboy Bar, Berlin

Honestly, I would have never found the Bellboy Bar at Berlin‘s Gendarmenmarkt on my own. I’ve slept multiple times at the Hilton hotel but never discovered the inconspicuous door not far from the hotel entrance. And not having been there would have been a real loss; I didn’t have so much fun in many bars across the globe like I did there. It is an amazing combination of atmosphere, drinks and playful surprises.

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Miss Marple

Miss Marple, London bus, Göttingen

As in every German city, right-hand traffic is the rule of the road at Göttingen and therefore also bus stops are always on the right-hand side. But there is one bus stop that is on the left hand-side: the one for city tours with a classic London bus behind the old town hall. The bus company of the city (Göttinger Verkehrsbetriebe, GöVB) has acquired an old iconic red bus built in the United Kingdom in 1960. It is named ‘Miss Marple‘ after Agatha Christie’s fictional character and it is the gem of their fleet; something they really need to care about as spare parts aren’t available anymore for this classic.

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Berlin-Brandenburg

Berlin-Brandenburg Airport, Schönefeld

After World War II and during the occupation of Germany the four allies had ‘their’ airports at Berlin: Schönefeld (SXF) was used by the Russians, Tegel (TXL) by the French, Gatow (GWW) by the British and Tempelhof (THF) was the US airbase. The German reunification then created the need to change airport infrastructure at the German capital city. A decision was made to extend the Schönefeld airport to become the new Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg (BER) and to name it after former German chancellor Willy Brandt.

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Verōnika

Verōnika, Berlin

If you’re looking for a great bar or high-class restaurant at Berlin, the Verōnika at the Oranienburger Straße is a very good option. Apart from good food and drinks this place offers a very special atmosphere which is created by murals, graffito and the historic architecture the restaurant resides in. Berliners know this place as the Tacheles-Gebäude, a cultural center created by the artist group Tacheles by occupying the building in 1990 before it could be torn down. At lasted in this place until 2012.

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