The Wadden Sea

The Wadden Sea is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This natural heritage is located on the North Sea coast. Covering an area of about 10,000 square kilometers, it includes the two Wadden Sea National Parks of Schleswig Holstein and Lower Saxony.

The diversity of the Wadden Sea landscape makes it a unique habitat for more than 10,000 species of plants and wildlife Mussel beds, dense sea grass meadows and soft mud flats provide food for many animals. Flowering salt marshes in the transitional zone along the dykes and on the islands give way to white sandy beaches and dunes. For millions of migratory birds, the Wadden Sea is an essential stop over or resting place. Geologically, it is a very young area, only 10,000 years old, and constantly being re-shaped by the winds and tides. High and low tide alternate every six hours, transforming the landscape as if by magic.

Cologne Cathedral
Building first began in 1248 on what eventually became one of the finest ecclesiastical edifices in the world and the epitome of high-Gothic cathedral architecture in its purest possible form. The scale of Cologne Cathedral is evident from its two mighty towers. Completed in 1880, they dominate both the city and the surrounding region. At the time of its completion in the 19thcentury, the cathedral was the biggest building in the world. The design of the west side was truly ground breaking. It has the largest exterior surface of any church in the world, said to be around 7,000 square metres, and is flanked by two huge towers, each rising to a height of 157metres. The cathedral houses a wealth of important art treasures, including colourful stained glass windows that bathe the church interior in a mysterious light; the Ottonian Gero Cross(aroun d 980 AD), the oldest large-scale sculpture in the western world; the shrine housing the relics of the Three Kings (1190 -1225), an outstanding example of Rhenish gold work; the altar of the patron saints of Cologne by Stefan Lochner (around 1450), a masterpiece of the Cologne school.

Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen

The outstanding features of Shaft 12 set new standards in industrial design, based on the principles of the New Objectivity. Its two architects, Fritz Schupp and Martin Kremmer, created a harmonious blend of geometric shapes and symmetrical features arranged around two axes. Today, the colliery and the functionally integrat ed Zollverein coking plant built by Fritz Schupp together form a remarkable industrial landscape of international importance. At the same time, they are also a vibrant cultural venue. Regarded as the most beautiful colliery in the world , the complex is a testament to the modern architectural movement of the 1920s and1930s and the rise of heavy industry. The Denkmalpfad Zollverein discovery trail runs through an open-cast mine left in its original condition, where expert guides help visitors to understand the different stages involved in coal production. The tour uses models, video clips and interactive museum technology to illustrate the process along with a soundtrack of authentic noises.

Reichstag (building)
The Reichstag building is a historical edifice in Berlin, Germany, constructed to house the Reichstag (parliament) of the German Empire. It was opened in 1894 and housed the Reichstag until 1933, when it was severely damaged i n a fire supposedly set by Dutch communist Marinus van der Lubbe. During the Nazi era, the few meetings of members of the

Reichstag as a group were held in the Kroll Opera House. After the Second World War the Reichstag building fell into disuse as the parliament of the German Democratic Republic met in the Palace of the Republic in East Berlin and the parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany met in the Bundeshaus in Bonn. The building was made safe against the elements and partially refurbished in the 1960s, but no attempt at full restoration wa s made until after the reunification of Germany on October 3, 1990, when it underwent reconstruction led by internationally renowned architect Norman Foster. After its completion in 1999, it became the meeting place of the modern German parliament, the Bundestag.

Reichstag building seen from the west

Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle (German: Schloss Neuschwanstein, pronounced [n

va n ta n]) is a 19th-century Gothic

Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Fssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner. The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was opened to th e paying public immediately after his death in 1886. Since then over 60 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle. More than 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer. The palace has appeared prominently in several m ovies and was the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle[ and later, similar structures.

Modern panorama from Neuschwanstein (1,008 m/3,307 ft) showing (left to right): palace access road; Alpsee with locality of Hohenschwangau in front; 19th century Hohenschwangau Castle on a hill with Schwansee behind it on the right (west); locality of Alterschrofen with town of Fssen behind it; core of Schwangau in front of large Forggensee reservoir (1952); Bannwaldsee (north)

Palace Roof

Gate house

View from location of unrealized chapel along upper courtyard level: Bower (left), Palas front, and Knights' House (right )