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Discover Germany

Entdecke Deutschland

I am here to teach you German. But I also want to make you curious about the country you are going to visit or even live in. Get excited about travelling around! Let's go on a journey to discover Germany!

Where do you want to go?

Alle Städte alphabetisch geordnet

Actually, this city is not called Aachen, but Bad Aachen: the residents wanted to come first alphabetically, so they simply left out the "Bad". No matter, because Casanova went there for a cure anyway. 

And you surely know who else is associated with Aachen, right? Exactly, Charlemagne. He was one of the most important rulers in the Middle Ages and even back then dreamed of a unified Europe, so you've probably heard of him. But did he eat Aachener Printen? That we don't know!

Aachen

Nordrhein-Westfalen

Beer drinkers get a twinkle in their eyes on hearing the name Bamberg because the famous smoked beer comes from this city in Bavaria. On top of that, Bamberg is also famous for two types of Bamberg ‘hörnchen’: one is a pastry similar to a croissant and the other is a variety of potato which grows in a very distinctive horn shape.

You won't be surprised to learn that Bamberg has a beer museum where you can go down to an ancient beer cellar. It's pretty cold down there - only six degrees! 

Before you freeze in the cellar, you should take a look at Little Venice, the historic Bamberg fishermen's houses, and the Old Town Hall. Why is the Old Town Hall on a man-made island in the river? Neither the mayor nor the church wanted it built on their sides of the river, so the clever people of Bamberg created an artificial island and built the town hall on it - problem solved!

Bamberg

Bayern

There are people in Germany who claim that Bielefeld doesn’t even exist. This is called the "Bielefeld conspiracy theory", but I can assure you that the city really does exist because I've been there!

There is also something special at the university: a staircase to nowhere. It looks a bit like something out of Harry Potter, but it was just a joke played by the university - they walled in the construction site with the staircase. It's a special attraction and the staircase is often used for film shoots.

What else can you see in Bielefeld? There is a museum for contemporary art, the Marta Herford. The building was designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry and the museum was once named Museum of the Year. 

Oh yes, and a well-known company comes from Bielefeld: Dr. Oetker. You've certainly heard that name, haven't you?

Bielefeld

Nordrhein-Westfalen

[Translation coming soon...]

Braunschweig

Niedersachsen

Are you interested in ships? Then definitely go to Bremerhaven to visit its maritime museum. If you are more interested in learning about the weather, then how about the Klimahaus where you can even experience a storm or a real tidal wave?

Certainly the most beautiful view of the city is from the observation deck of the radar tower but be careful that the wind doesn't blow you down! 

Speaking of wind, on the north pier you can visit something very special - a historic wind indicator, also called a semaphore.

Bremerhaven

Bremen

Darmstadt is in the state of Hessen and is a city of science. But music is also on offer, as International Summer Courses for New Music take place there as well as Darmstadt Guitar Days. You'll always be able to hear music in the city.

Do you know the Lange Ludwig? The Lange Ludwig is a column topped by a statue on Luisenplatz. It’s 39 meters high and a city landmark. 

If you're more interested in satellites, be sure to go to the ESA Satellite Control Center and see the model of the Rosetta space probe. It's exciting - you don't see space probes every day!

Do you like street theater? Then Darmstadt is also a destination for you. Every year at the beginning of August, the Just for Fun street theater festival takes place. The best thing is that the entrance is free. What are you waiting for?

Darmstadt

Hessen

When you think of Dortmund, football (or ‘soccer’ in the USA) might immediately come to mind. Borussia Dortmund is a very famous German football club, so it's no wonder that this city is also home to the German Football Museum, which is a must-see for die-hard fans. 

Not interested in football? Fear not, because you can also visit the Center for Art and Creativity (Zentrum für Kunst und Kreativität) or take a tour of the Zollern Coal Mine Industrial Museum. 

For jogging, Westfalenpark fits the bill perfectly, and afterwards you can go to one of the many restaurants and drink a Dortmund beer.

Dortmund

Nordrhein-Westfalen

When you think of Düsseldorf, you think of the Kö and fashion. ‘The Kö' is the Königsallee and one of the most expensive shopping streets in Germany. But even if you don't have the money for expensive fashion and shoes, it's worth going to Düsseldorf.

For example, you can go for a walk along the Rhine. Did you know that the water in the Rhine takes about 28 hours to travel from Switzerland to Düsseldorf? You'd be much faster by car or train!

The best time to go to Düsseldorf is during carnival. That way you'll get to experience a typical tradition along with your visit. Carnival is really celebrated in Düsseldorf! There are parties and parades in the city.

Do you need to calm down a bit? Tea will help you! Buy yourself some tea from Teekanne. This company was founded in Düsseldorf and invented the tea bag that’s now used all over the world.

Düsseldorf

Nordrhein-Westfalen

Essen is a very well-known city abroad because many foreigners come to Essen for work. It’s a classic industrial city where more than 200 years ago Friedrich Krupp founded the first steelworks. Since then the city has continued to develop and provide work opportunities. 

Even the museums are all about industry. As a matter of fact, an old factory, Zeche Zollverein, has been rebuilt into a collection of museums. It’s very interesting to visit them.

Essen's designation as the European Capital of Culture has also helped it to become better known. There have been numerous cultural events and promotions since 2010, when Essen was the Capital of Culture. Even if at first glance it's not a classic tourist destination, go ahead and check out the city.

Essen

Nordrhein-Westfalen

Freiburg is located on the French border and is a student city. If you ever get there, make sure you don't step in the little water channels that can be found all over the city. These channels are called Bächla and they say that if you step in them, you will have to marry a local from Freiburg.

 In summer, children float their boats in them. They have plenty of opportunity, because Freiburg is also the German city with the most hours of sunshine per year. All this makes the city very liveable - and you can also spend a wonderful vacation there.

Freiburg

Baden-Württemberg

Göttingen is a typical student city: one out of five residents is a student, so the city has a large population of young people. In fact, Göttingen has the oldest university in all of Lower Saxony, founded in 1734. 

The university isn’t all that’s on offer in the city. The German Aerospace Centre (Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt) has the world's only test track for high-speed trains - very modern.

There is also a city kissing tradition: in front of the town hall is a fountain with a statue of the Gänseliesel and kissing it brings good luck. If you happen to be in Göttingen, give it a try!

Göttingen

Niedersachsen

Did you know that there are more bridges in Hamburg than in Venice? And not only that... There are even more bridges than in Venice, Amsterdam and London combined! That's really a lot of bridges! Hamburg is also famous for its many musicals and for the Elbphilharmonie concert hall. 

Speaking of music, when a big ship enters the port of Hamburg, the city greets the ship by playing the national anthem of the ship’s home country. That's a nice idea, don't you think?

While we' re talking about the port, the port of Hamburg is as big as Copenhagen, the Danish capital. I bet you wouldn't have thought that, would you? Of course, the harbor is also where you'll find the best fish sandwiches!

Hamburg

Hamburg

[Translation coming soon...]

Heidelberg

Baden-Württemberg

Did you know that Kiel was named Germany’s most bicycle-friendly city in 2020? Kiell is known for other transportation too: maybe you’ve heard about “Kiel Week”, an event with lots to do in the city including a sailing regatta and a large fireworks display. 

If you’d like to try your luck, visit the casino to play roulette or poker. Be careful to leave some Euros in your pocket to taste the famous Kiel sprats! If you’re looking for relaxation, you’re also in the perfect place. 

Grab a seat in a cozy café to read a book or take a walk through the park to look at the seagulls.

Kiel

Schleswig-Holstein

[Translation coming soon...]

Köln

Nordrhein-Westfalen

[Translation coming soon...]

Lindau

Bayern

Magdeburg is a city that only a few Germans know anything about, yet it has so much to offer. For example, Magdeburg is a very liveable city, as 13% of its area is parks and green spaces where you can take a walk or ride your bike.  

However the best thing to do as a visitor is go straight to the cathedral and marvel at it. It’s the oldest Gothic cathedral in Germany and certainly worth a visit. As a follow up, do you feel like climbing stairs? How about the Jahrtausendturm (Millennium Tower)? It was built for the Federal Garden Show and is 60 meters high. From the top you have a wonderful view over the city. 

Friedensreich Hundertwasser was also active in Magdeburg. The Green Citadel was his last project and that will surely be of interest.

Would you like to know a little bit more about Magdeburg’s bragging rights? One of the city’s mayors invented the air pump. You're sure to impress on your cycling friends with that information.

Magdeburg

Sachsen-Anhalt

Mannheim is located in southern Germany and is a special city. This is because there are no street names. You might ask yourself, "But then how do you find an address?" It's quite simple, using locations similar to a chessboard. For example, streets are called A3, C6, F8. These days, of course, that sounds very technical. 

However, to compensate, Mannheim is home to the most beautiful university in Germany. Its rooms are in a baroque palace - you learn very well in this environment. Mannheim is also important to the automotive industry, because Carl Benz tested the first car here. So you see, Mannheim is very interesting and has a lot to offer - even if there are no street names!

Mannheim

Baden-Württemberg

When you hear of Münster, you think of three things: a very well-known university town, a place where there are one and a half bicycles per inhabitant, and that Münster has the most popular ‘Tatort’ (crime scene). Tatort? What's that? ‘Tatort’ is the most popular crime series on German television. Each series is set in a different city and the most beloved commissioners are from Münster.

But that's not all. There's an astronomical clock in St. Paul's Cathedral. "That's nothing special," you might be saying to yourself. Yes, it is!  In fact, there are only two such clocks in the world: in Münster and in Strasbourg (France).

Münster

Nordrhein-Westfalen

Oldenburg is located in Lower Saxony, far to the north of Germany, and holds a record that is very unusual: the oldest pedestrian zone in Germany. You’ll also certainly know the Sparkasse which you find in every city pedestrian zone in Germany. The Sparkasse also comes from Oldenburg, where it was founded in 1786. 

That's not all: an unusual fact is that the picture postcard was invented here over 150 years ago. At first, the cards featured classic motifs, but tourist sights were added to the mix and soon the picture postcard was available everywhere.

Oldenburg

Schleswig-Holstein

Many German cities are located on rivers. Munich lies on the Isar, Cologne on the Rhine, Frankfurt on the Main. And Paderborn? Paderborn is located on the Pader. This river even holds a record: at only four kilometers long, the Pader is the shortest river in Germany.

But that's not the only record. Le Mans in France is the twin city of Paderborn. Why would that be a record? Most German cities are twinned. But the partnership between Le Mans and Paderborn was the first ever twinning! It dates back to the year 836 and is therefore even older than the Paderborn Cathedral.

Paderborn

Nordrhein-Westfalen

Regensburg is the fourth largest city in Bavaria and famous for its Domspatzen. You might be thinking that the Domspatzen (‘Cathedral Sparrows’) are birds, but they aren’t! They’re a children's choir, one of the most famous in the world. 

‘Wurstkuchl’ is a difficult word for German learners and the name of the oldest snack bar in the world, operating in Regensburg for over 500 years! If I were you, I would definitely eat a bratwurst there.

Regensburg is also famous in outer space. An asteroid was named after the city in 1920. You don't hear that every day, do you?

Regensburg

Bayern

This small town has only a little over 10,000 residents, but almost two million visitors per year. The city is located in Bavaria and is almost completely surrounded by a city wall. You can walk along it and take a little trip around the world. You will see information boards with the names of the people who donated to the wall. You even can read the names of  Australians, Japanese and South Africans! It's great that people care so much about this wall and donate money towards it.

There are also two special museums: the Crime Museum and the Torture Museum. But be careful not to get any funny ideas!

To keep your mind off things, the best thing to do is to visit Käthe Wohlfahrt's Christmas Village. You can even visit it in August - it's open year-round - and I bet you you'll buy something. Even if you can't transport your newly-bought Christmas tree baubles, cuckoo clocks or 'Weihnachtspyramiden' (pyramid-shaped Christmas ornaments), that's not a problem because Käthe Wohlfahrt delivers to your home anywhere in the world.
If you still need some energy, eat a snowball - the typical specialty of the city. You're sure to enjoy it!

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Bayern

Solingen is very well known for its knife manufacturers. If a knife is from Solingen, it's good quality. The city has even registered it’s name as a trademark - you won't find that anywhere else.

The city also offers much more. For example, there is a museum where originals and their fakes are on display. Another word for ‘fake’ is ‘plagiarism’, so it's no wonder the museum is called "Plagiarius." Hopefully you can tell the difference and spot the original!

Solingen

Nordrhein-Westfalen

The oldest city in Germany is...Trier! The city was founded as early as 17 BC, so it’s very old indeed. Almost as old is the most famous building in the city, the Porta Nigra, which you have probably seen in photos. 

Trier is in Rhineland-Palatinate and has 110,000 residents.  One former resident is very famous, Karl Marx who was born in Trier in 1818. Have you heard of him? He was a philosopher known for criticizing capitalism.

Of course, Trier is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nine monuments in the city boast this title. When are you going to see it all?

Trier

Rheinland-Pfalz

[Translation coming soon...]

Weimar

Thüringen

You must know Dirk Nowitzki: he is a very famous basketball player who played for the NBA in the USA. He comes from Würzburg and had a very normal life in the city. From time to time he visits his family here.

Even if basketball isn’t your thing, Würzburg is an interesting city where you can have a wonderful walk. The paths to Veste Marienberg and along the Main River are beautiful, so don't forget to admire the view. If you walk along the Main, sooner or later you will come to the Old Main Bridge. This is not only an old bridge - the oldest in the city - but also a meeting place for Würzburg locals and tourists alike. You can enjoy the 'Brückenschoppen', where you can have a glass of wine in the middle of the bridge. People are very relaxed and it's easy to mingle. If you're lucky, there's even live music.

Speaking of wine, Franconia - the region in which Würzburg is located - has distinctively-shaped bottles of wine called Bocksbeutel. They are very bulbous and are only be used in the area. 

Last but not least, you have to visit the Residenz. It has a hall of mirrors that sparkles so much that you almost can't believe it. Be sure to admire the ceiling fresco in the staircase too. It's by Tiepolo, a famous Italian painter, and was hardly damaged during the war. You'll be speechless in front of it, I promise you!

Würzburg

Bayern

[Translation coming soon...]

Augsburg

Bayern

Berlin is the German capital and for foreigners likely the most famous city in Germany. The Berlin Wall is still partially standing and can be visited. Part of the wall is called the East Side Gallery and is an open-air art gallery, with various artists having painted a piece of each side of the wall. 

When you walk along the wall, you might want to pay attention to the traffic lights. Do you notice that there are different types of pedestrian traffic lights in Berlin? The little pedestrian traffic light men, a symbol of the city, are different in the former West and East zones. There are even special stores selling souvenirs featuring the Eastern traffic light men.

As in Hamburg, there are more bridges in Berlin than in Venice. Then again, Berlin is much bigger. 

What’s the connection between rainy days and museums? Even if you wanted to visit a museum in Berlin on every rainy day, you wouldn’t be able to visit all of them within a year because there are 170 museums, but only 106 rainy days. You'll have to wait until next year to visit the other 64 museums, but Berlin is always worth a visit!

Berlin

Berlin

Did you know that Bonn used to be the capital of Germany? In fact, it was only long after reunification that Berlin was made the country’s capital. However, Bonn is known for more than politics. The composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn and the city often hosts events featuring his music.

If you like gummy bears and licorice, you’ll surely already know Haribo. Haribo also comes from Bonn - the company’s name is an abbreviation of "Hans Riegel Bonn". 

The Rhine in Flames (“Rhein in Flammen“) event takes place annually, and hundreds of thousands come to watch the spectacle. The next event will take place in 2023: will you be there?

Bonn

Nordrhein-Westfalen

[Translation coming soon...]

Bremen

Bremen

Did you know that Chemnitz was not always called Chemnitz? Until 1990, the city was known as Karl-Marx-Stadt. There is even a monument to Karl Marx in the city - it’s 13 meters high, so you can't miss it. 

The big news is that Chemnitz will be the Capital of Culture in 2025, when there will be even more to discover in the city. Now there are already interesting things to visit like the Industrial Museum where you’ll see why Chemnitz used to be called the Manchester of Saxony, after England’s well-known industrial city. 

Last but not least, Chemnitz‘s thermal power station has a colorful chimney called the Lulatsch, which has become a city landmark.

Chemnitz

Sachsen

Darmstadt is in the state of Hessen and is a city of science. But music is also on offer, as International Summer Courses for New Music take place there as well as Darmstadt Guitar Days. You'll always be able to hear music in the city.

Do you know the Lange Ludwig? The Lange Ludwig is a column topped by a statue on Luisenplatz. It’s 39 meters high and a city landmark. 

If you're more interested in satellites, be sure to go to the ESA Satellite Control Center and see the model of the Rosetta space probe. It's exciting - you don't see space probes every day!

Do you like street theater? Then Darmstadt is also a destination for you. Every year at the beginning of August, the Just for Fun street theater festival takes place. The best thing is that the entrance is free. What are you waiting for?

Darmstadt

Hessen

[Translation coming soon...]

Dresden

Sachsen

[Translation coming soon...]

Erfurt

Thüringen

[Translation coming soon...]

Frankfurt am Main

Hessen

Did you know that Füssen is the town with the highest elevation in Bavaria? It's very famous for the Neuschwanstein castle - everyone recognizes it! More than 1.4 million people visit the castle every year. Right next to Neuschwanstein Castle is Hohenschwangau, another of Ludwig II's castles. It is not as romantic as Neuschwanstein, but still worth a visit. This castle was not built by Ludwig II - in fact, it's been around since the 12th century. 

For all the excitement about castles, don't forget to visit the center of Füssen. There you'll find many restaurants and cafes, some museums, and above all workshops where violins and lutes are made. You can even visit some of these workshops by appointment.

Füssen

Bayern

In Halle near Leipzig, there is a museum that you really wouldn't expect to find: The Beatles Museum. Why is it in Halle? No one really knows! One guess is that when a Beatles touring exhibition needed somewhere permanent to call home, Halle was simply the best option. 

Plant lovers should definitely visit Halle’s Botanical Garden with over 12,000 plant species – that’s a lot to discover.

Halle has another musical connection apart from the Beatles: the composer Georg Friedrich Händel was baptised in the city in 1685.

Halle

Sachsen-Anhalt

[Translation coming soon...]

Hannover

Niedersachsen

[Translation coming soon...]

Kassel

Hessen

The German Corner in Koblenz is world famous. It's where the Moselle and Rhine rivers meet, and you can not only visit the huge Kaiser Wilhelm monument there, but also climb on it. 

Since the Federal Garden Show several years ago, there is a cable car above the city, which lets you comfortably glide up to the castle. The castle is the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress and is the second largest fortress in Europe. From there you have a magnificent view over the city, which you shouldn't miss.

You can also walk around the old town and have a coffee in one of the lovely cafes, eat an ice cream in the best ice cream parlor of the city, and enjoy the specialty of the city - potatoes in every form! Wishing you a 'bon appétit' in advance!

Koblenz

Rheinland-Pfalz

Leipzig has produced two famous musicians. They don't have much in common, except that they are two men who were involved with music. You may have heard both names before: Johann Sebastian Bach and Till Lindemann. Johann Sebastian Bach is well known, isn't he? But who is Till Lindemann? You probably know the band in which he sings: Rammstein.
For many years, Leipzig has had a very active night and music scene. That's why the city is also called Hypezig. 

The oldest coffee house in Europe is not located in Vienna or somewhere in Italy, but - you guessed it - in Leipzig. It was already open in 1720! You can still drink your coffee there today.

Leipzig

Sachsen

[Translation coming soon...]

Lübeck

Schleswig-Holstein

When you think of Mainz, the first thing you think of is ZDF, the Second German Television channel, and the Mainzelmännchen. The Mainzelmännchen are little characters featured during commercial breaks that are especially popular with children. In Mainz there are many souvenirs of the Mainzelmännchen and they even are used in some pedestrian crossing lights. These traffic lights do not show the ordinary little figures, but rather actual Mainzelmännchen.

Did you know that the company BioNTech, which developed the COVID-19 vaccine, is from Mainz?

Mainz is of course also famous for the Carnival. When the visitors have drunk too much alcohol and then go home, they might walk through Augustinerreul. This street is the narrowest street in Mainz. It is so narrow that drunken people can hold on to the right and left sides, really a service provided by the city.

Mainz

Rheinland-Pfalz

[Translation coming soon...]

Monschau

Nordrhein-Westfalen

Christkindlesmarkt is the first thing you think of when you hear of Nuremberg. In fact, the Bavarian city has the most famous Christmas market in the world. Many tourists come to the city in the four weeks before Christmas to visit. Naturally they also eat bratwurst because Nuremberg is famous for it. However, most tourists just don’t stop eating here. This is because there is yet another specialty: gingerbread. It's really delicious and you should definitely give it a try.

If you aren't too full by then, you could walk up to the castle and enjoy the view of the city. Just below the castle is the Albrecht Dürer House, which you can also visit. Albrecht Dürer was a very famous painter from Nuremberg -  you might have seen his drawings of rabbits.

And Nuremberg also achieved a sad notoriety with the Nuremberg Trials. You can learn about them at the city’s Documentation Center. It's not exactly a fun museum visit, but it's very intriguing and I'm sure you'll find the museum as interesting as I did.

Nürnberg

Bayern

You may know the Peace of Westphalia from your history lessons. The Peace of Westphalia - the end of the Thirty Years' War - was declared in 1648 on the steps of the Osnabrück town hall. In addition, there’s also a fountain in the city called the Bürgerbrunnen. There you can keep busy for hours admiring 1,200 figures and objects from the city’s history. 

Also in Osnabrück - and you would never guess this - there is the only surf wave in the middle of a department store. You should go and try it!

Osnabrück

Niedersachsen

You’ve surely heard of Sanssouci Palace: a visit to the palace and park will instantly make you feel like you’ve gone 200 years back in time. If cinema and film is more your thing, don’t miss Filmpark Babelsberg. It’s best to plan an entire day because there is so much to see. 

Next on the agenda in the historical city center is a large obelisk - something a bit unusual!  Behind the obelisk is the Nikolai Church, located on a square that was completely rebuilt after World War II. 

Finally, the Barberini Museum’s changing art exhibitions always offer something interesting for art lovers.

Potsdam

Brandenburg

Rostock is the biggest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The Hanse Sail maritime festival is held there, where sailors and antique ships meet up. It's quite a spectacle. 

The university is very old: it was founded as early as 1419 and is the third oldest in Germany. No doubt the students are also interested in the Fountain of Vitality (Brunnen der Lebensfreude). It’s a funny fact that no one knows the fountain by this name - everyone just says "Porno Fountain" (Pornobrunnen). This way they can really irritate Rostock tourists!

Rostock

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Maybe you know that a Lyoner is a sausage, but did you know that the three major sausage producers in Saarland are all located on the same street, the Lyonerring in Saarbrücken? 

Another curiosity: in one of the city's coffee roasting plants, coffee is used for heating. Because the old roasting machine gets very hot, the owners use it to heat the whole store, and the roasting plant needs no other heating system. The fact that the coffee also tastes very delicious after roasting is a given.

The town belonged by turns to France and to Germany, so it‘s no wonder that the locals are practically bilingual. They speak French and German, so they can work both in France and in Germany.

Saarbrücken

Saarland

Located in Baden-Württemberg, most people know Stuttgart for the car manufacturers who are headquartered there. You can’t visit the actual companies, but they have car museums that make for an interesting outing, especially for car lovers and children. 

There’s still more sight-seeing on offer: for example, do you love to eat? Then the market hall - located in an art nouveau-style building directly in the city center - is perfect for you. But be careful to leave some room so that you can enjoy the other restaurants in the city!

Stuttgart

Baden-Württemberg

Ulm is located right on the border between Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg and directly on the Danube river. You might know that the Danube is the longest river in Europe, but this is not its only record. Ulm is home to the Ulm Cathedral, which has the highest church tower in the world. Be sure to climb up and enjoy the view. On nice days, you can even see the Alps.

Earlier we talked about the Danube. The second to last Monday in July is Schwörmontag in Ulm. On this day, thousands of boats are on the Danube. This festival celebrates the fact that since the 14th century, the city has been governed democratically.

When you think of Ulm, you may think of Albert Einstein, the famous scientist. He was from Ulm and the people of Ulm are very proud of him.

All over the city you will find images of a bird. This is the sparrow of Ulm. A sparrow helped the people of Ulm to build the cathedral. The residents wanted to transport tree trunks across the city gate, but that didn't work. They then observed how a sparrow transported straw lengthwise. They did the same with the tree trunks and did not have to tear down the city gate. Since then, we have had the Ulm sparrow.

Ulm

Baden-Württemberg

What is Wuppertal known for? Everyone would now say: for the Maglev (magnetic levitation train). That's true - and since 1997 Wuppertal has even been a world cultural heritage site. But what does an elephant have to do with the Maglev? Quite simple: the elephant Tuffi jumped out of the Maglev into the river, the Wupper, in 1950. Why? The elephant belonged to a circus and was supposed to advertise the circus on the train. They even bought five tickets for him! But Tuffi didn't like the train ride too much, and so he jumped out of the window into the river. Fortunately, Tuffi survived.

Wuppertal is also known for something else: aspirin was invented in the city. 

In addition, you can do something for your fitness in Wuppertal: there are 517 stairways in the city with a total of 8,723 steps. You'll get some serious muscle tone walking up and down those stairs!

Wuppertal

Nordrhein-Westfalen

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