On January 4, 1785, one of Germany’s most famous writers was born. His name was Jakob Ludwig Carl Grimm, better known as one half of the Brothers Grimm. Jakob was the eldest brother, just one year older than Wilhelm.

While their stories are well-known throughout the world, the life of these intriguing men is still a mystery to many.

Born in the small town of Hanau, the brothers lived an “idyllic” childhood in the glorious countryside. Their father worked for the Prince of Hesse and the boys enjoyed many luxuries, like proximity to the local magistrate’s estate.

Grimm lost his father at the age of 15. The boys and their mother were soon forced to abandon their perfect life in the country for a cramped, unpleasant one in the city. Many scholars speculate that this is the reason why the Grimm’s tales feature so many stories of wicked mothers and abandoned children!

Although he began his career as a lawyer, Jakob realized his love for the old tales of history after becoming acquainted with Friedrich Karl von Savigny and his lectures on Roman law. Grimm moved to Paris at von Savigny’s invitation and was soon perusing medieval literature rather than giving legal advice.

In 1808, following his mother’s death, Jakob Grimm received a job from Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte, the youngest brother of General Napoleon Bonaparte himself, who was the King of Westphalia. Jakob began his work as the superintendent of the king’s private library.

The eldest Grimm brother enjoyed the fair winds of good political fortune for some time, getting promoted and obtaining other enviable positions. However, his good luck came to an end when he, along with brother Wilhelm, signed a protest letter against the King of Hanover, who had annulled their constitution. The Grimm brothers were unceremoniously banished from the kingdom.

Before this unfortunate event in 1837, the Grimms had been ensuring their place in the history books through more than just their famous collection of fairy tales. Jakob wrote about what is now known as “Grimm’s Law” in his book, Deutsche Grammatik. This theory explained the linguistic phenomenon of the sound shifts in modern language.

After their banishment, both Jakob and Wilhelm returned to Kassel, which presently is the home of the Brothers Grimm Museum, until the King of Prussia invited them to Berlin. They received professorships and together, the brothers also published a dictionary.

Of course, the Brothers Grimm are best known for their amazing fairy tales, which have survived the test of time and reached all corners of the globe. The daring fans of the Brothers Grimm can embark on the German Fairy Tale Road and experience the hometowns of the brothers first-hand, like the town of Hanau or Kassel.

They can also see the real-life inspiration behind many of their darkest and weirdest stories. Visit Schwalmstadt with its red-hooded little girls, or venture to the Rapunzel tower in Trendelburg. And of course, don’t leave out those most famous cities of Hamelin (of Pied Piper fame) and the musical town of Bremen!

—Marcus

In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his paper, 95 Theses, to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church and unknowingly, began a revolution. This was the spark of the Protestant Revolution which quickly spread throughout Europe.

During his life, Luther spent much time researching, translating and moving about while trying to avoid the wrath of the Catholic Church. You can easily find Martin Luther-themed tours online that will take you to some of these most historic and significant places.

Begin your journey here with us today as we discover the highlights of the Martin Luther Trail. :-)

Eisleben, 1483

We begin in the Saxon-Anhalt city of Eisleben, which is Luther’s birthplace, as well as the site of his death in 1546. You can visit the reformer’s childhood home and learn about what life was like in those old times. Or, for those who prefer a more macabre tour, take a look at where he drew his final breath and where his death mask is on display.

While in Eisleben, you can also view the churches connected to Luther. Peter and Paul Church was the site of his baptism and Andreas Church was where he delivered his last sermon. And finally, snap a picture of the Lutherdenkmal (Luther Monument) in Old Town.

Erfurt, 1501

Our next stop brings us to Erfurt in Thuringia. Much of Luther’s religious beginnings can be traced to this city. Erfurt is where he entered an Augustinian monastery and also where he became an ordained priest at the famed Cathedral in 1507.

Wittenberg, 1512

If you can only visit one Lutheran city during your time here, then Wittenberg should be at the top of the list. The town is officially named Lutherstadt Wittenberg because of its strong ties with Luther. This is the birthplace of the Reformation, where Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Church, as you know.

When you’ve finished your tour of the Castle Church and its famous door, you can check out the Luther Museum and take your picture with one of the several statues of Luther.

Augsburg, 1518

Augsburg is important in the life of Luther because it is where he was confronted by the Cardinal who demanded that he submit to the Catholic Pope and recant his new theories. Luther’s famous refusal set the stage for his life as a religious outlaw.

Worms, 1521

Luther further refuted the will of the Catholic Church here during the Imperial Diet of Worms. He spoke those immortal words, “Here I stand, I can do no other.” After this, he was officially proclaimed a heretic and an outlaw. His immediate arrest and/or assassination was ordered. It became a crime to offer him any food, shelter or other assistance.

Wartburg Castle, 1522

Wartburg Castle defied the Catholic Church by providing sanctuary for Luther for about one year. He spent his time in solitude, translating the Bible into German for the first time, and living under the assumed identity of “Knight George.”

The castle still showcases its Luther Room with its large hole behind the stove. This is, according to legend, where Luther threw an ink pot at the devil.

Veste Coburg, 1530

Luther remained here under the protection of Elector John the Steadfast while his emissary Melanchthon attended the Diet of Augsburg. The document he brought with him, known as the Augsburg Confession, was denied by the Catholic diet, but has become the statement of faith for Lutheran Christians all over the world.

—Marcus

If you’re lucky enough to ring in the New Year while visiting Germany, you’ll probably want to know all about the traditional New Year’s celebrations here.

Firstly, New Year’s Eve is called Silvester here, as the feast day of Saint Silvester. Silvester was a legendary character, who served as pope and reputedly baptized the famous Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great. He is also said to have cured lepers and have met with members of Jesus Christ’s family — the only pope to have done so.

Silvester gets the honor of having the New Year’s celebrations named after him because his feast day was always marked on December 31. When the calendar was modified all the way back in 1582, this date became fixed as the final day of the year. And so, the holiday of Silvester — New Year’s Eve — took its name from this ancient saint.

Bleigießen is one of the more traditional German New Year’s customs. Bleigießen is fortune-telling with cold water and molten lead. The lead is poured into the liquid, and whatever shape it forms gives an idea of what your future holds.

For example, a ring shape could mean a wedding, or a pig meant a plentiful amount of food in the coming year. A ball means good luck in the coming year, while an anchor means help is needed. A cross can signify death. (Of course, be careful if you choose to celebrate this custom on your own. Lead can be poisonous and you won’t need a molten lead shape to tell you you are in danger if you have too much exposure to this toxic substance!)

There are alternative forms of divination on this holiday as well. You can try out the Bibelstechen, where you open the Bible at random and close your eyes as you point to the words on the page. Whatever verse your finger landed on is said to have some worthwhile advise for the next year.

Then there is the pendulum game. You use some type of pendulous device, a necklace or a chain for example, then ask a yes-or-no question. If the pendulum swings in a circle, the answer is yes. Vertical swings mean no, while a horizontal one signifies uncertainty.

Noise is also an essential part of the Silvester celebrations. While it is a natural by-product of large gatherings of people and fireworks, there is a reason why we Germans have embraced the cacophony of this holiday. Loud sounds were believed to frighten away any evil spirits. And fireworks not only added sound but also an alternative light. The ancients believed that this was the day when the sun stopped moving and so created their own forms of light with wheels and cudgels set ablaze with fire. These were the precursors to our modern-day pyrotechnics.

Warm wishes for luck in the New Year are shared among friends with the cry of Guten Rutsch! (spelled Goo-ten Rootsh!). It is traditional to give your loved ones small good luck charms on this day, like horseshoes, four-leaf clovers, pigs and ladybugs.

If you’re visiting at this time, be sure to have some of the typical holiday fare. It is considered lucky to eat carp or herring on this day, washed down with a glass of champagne. If you’re hoping for more money in the new year, then it’s traditional to eat cabbage or carrots. Lentil and pea soup are also very popular at the holiday.

It’s also customary to share meat or a cheese fondue with your closest family and friends. But watch out for the doughnuts! You may find yourself the victim of a holiday prank if you don’t look inside before you bite into a jelly doughnut. Sometimes you will find them filled with mustard as a fun holiday joke.

But what New Year’s is mostly about these days is the party! Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate hosts one of Germany’s biggest events, but Germans all over the country partake in the festivities. Fireworks, alcohol, kissing and shouts of Frohes Neues Jahr! are all ways of celebrating once the clock strikes midnight. :-)

—Marcus

It is well-known that we Germans helped to popularize the now-beloved symbol of Christmas, the Tannenbaum, or Christmas Tree. But there is another less-famous and somewhat misunderstood tradition of the Christmas pickle.

The legend goes that on Christmas Eve, the German custom was to place a pickle (or a pickle-shaped ornament) in the branches of the Christmas Tree. The parents “hide” the pickle after all the other ornaments have been placed and the first child who finds it is rewarded with an extra gift. If it is an adult who discovers the pickle, they are the recipient of a year’s worth of good luck.

However, the whole legend is a complete myth! If you ask any German about it, most of us have never even heard of this silly tradition! There were some West Germans during the Cold War who believed it must be the practice of East Germans, who had nothing more than pickles with which to decorate their tree. But most East Germans knew nothing more about it than the Westerners did.

So where did this odd story come from?

There are at least two popular versions of the origin of the German Christmas Pickle. Both come to us from the United States.

In the first tale, a Bavarian immigrant was fighting in the American Civil War. As a prisoner of war, he was injured and dying. He begged his guard for just one pickle before his death. The guard was sympathetic and granted the dying soldier’s request. However, this pickle apparently had miraculous restorative powers, and the Bavarian survived.

The second story originates in Berrien Springs, MI, the town which calls itself “The Christmas Pickle Capital of the World.” Their story takes place in medieval Spain.

Two young schoolboys were traveling home for the holidays and stopped at an inn for the night. The innkeeper was a cruel and evil man who imprisoned the boys in a pickle barrel. Lucky for them, St. Nicholas himself was also staying at this inn on the same night. He found the boys and freed them from their pickled prison by using his magic staff.

The town of Berrien Springs has capitalized on this unusual tradition with an annual Christmas Pickle Festival. The festival features a “Dillmeister” who distributes fresh pickles during their parade. And of course, you can buy the famous pickle ornaments all over the town.

So, while the origins of this holiday “tradition” remain clouded in mystery, you can still enjoy your German Christmas Pickles, regardless of whether they actually came from Germany! ;-)

—Marcus

On December 13, 1797, one of Germany’s most important and beloved poets was born. Two-hundred-and-thirteen years later, we can still celebrate the life of this extraordinary artist.

Düsseldorf is the city that lays claim to Heinrich Heine. You can begin an exploration of the life of this German poet by visiting his house, the Heine-Haus on Bolker Straße. The former birthplace and home of Heine is now a bookstore set amongst a series of noisy nightclubs. The bricks of the original structure can be seen at the pedestal of Heine’s bust here. As you view his statue, you can contemplate what the poet would think about how much his former childhood home has changed in just over two centuries!

Heine is most famous for his lyrical poetry and captured the imagination of his own countrymen, as well as those abroad. The great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote in his book Ecce Homo that “The highest conception of the lyric poet was given to me by Heinrich Heine. I seek in vain in all the realms of millennia for an equally sweet and passionate music. He possessed that divine malice without which I cannot imagine perfection!”

Born into a secular Jewish family, Heine later converted to Christianity in order to obtain a civil service job, from which Jews were barred at the time. His life has stirred up much debate among Jewish scholars, particularly in Israel. Some consider him an important and great figure of Jewish descent, while others consider him a traitor to his faith.

Heine was among those whose books were burned during the Nazi regime. Rather prophetically, Heine once wrote in his play, Almansor, that “…where they burn books, they will ultimately burn people.” (“…dort wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen.“)

And Heine even has connections to that other hated “ism” of the 20th century, Communism. He was a friend of Karl Marx, the very man who penned “The Communist Manifesto.” They met in Paris where Heine had emigrated and lived as a foreign correspondent. Although the two were quite close friends at first, gradually, Heine’s growing distaste for his friend’s political philosophy — and Marx’s expulsion from Paris — led to their growing apart.

These days, it is still possible to appreciate the life and works of Heinrich Heine. Many of his poems have been put to music by some of the world’s greatest composers, including Brahms, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Strauss and Wagner. One of his most famous poems, Die Lorelai, was adapted to song by Friedrich Silcher in 1847.

“I do not know what haunts me,
What saddened my mind all day;
An age-old tale confounds me,
A spell I cannot allay.”

—Marcus

Germany is home to many amazingly spectacular cathedrals. If you don’t have time to see them all during your visit here, you can take a virtual trip to ten of the most famous ones right now.

Aachen Cathedral

This ancient place was patronized by none other than Charlemagne himself, the first Holy Roman Emperor. The highlights of the Aachen Cathedral include relics that Charlemagne gathered, including the cloak of the Virgin Mary and the swaddling clothes of a baby Jesus Christ, among others. Pilgrims have flocked here for centuries to view these artifacts, which can still be found within.

Augsburg Cathedral

The Augsburg Cathedral is the High Cathedral of the Virgin Mary and can be dated back to the year 823 A.D.! From its soaring spires to the depths of its underground crypts, this is one destination you won’t want to miss.

Berliner Dom

The Berlin Cathedral was built for the Prussian Royal family. It was intended to be the Protestant version of the Roman Catholic St. Peter’s Basilica. Although heavily damaged during the war, it was reconstructed to its present condition in the 1970s.

Cologne Cathedral

The Gothic Cologne Cathedral was built in 1248 and not completed until over six-hundred years later, in 1880. This is a local joke, as renovations are still underway and residents joke that the end of the world will arrive before it is ever completed. Nevertheless, this UNESCO World Heritage Site (once the world’s tallest building) has plenty to see. A true highlight is the Shrine of the Three Magi, which is said to contain relics from these ancient pilgrims.

Erfurt Cathedral

This 14th century Gothic cathedral (with Romanesque towers that date back to 742) is where Martin Luther was ordained as a priest. Erfurt’s highlights include its stucco altar with a depiction of the Madonna and saints, as well as its superb stained glass window designs.

Hildesheim Cathedral

The Hildesheim Cathedral is a medieval masterpiece, allegedly constructed on the divine will of the Virgin Mary through Charlemagne’s son, Ludwig the Pious. Bernward’s Door, a set of beautifully decorated bronze doors, is one of the amazing treasures on display.

Magdeburg Cathedral

Magdeburg Cathedral’s official name is the Cathedral of Saints Catherine and Maurice. It is the resting place of Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great and took over 300 years to construct.

Mainz Cathedral

Saint Martin’s Cathedral, or Mainz Cathedral, was constructed in 975 and is considered one of the finest examples of the Romanesque in Germany. This is where Frederick Barbarossa took up the call of Crusade, as Pope Gregory VIII proclaimed.

Münster Cathedral

This Münster sight is a 13th century Gothic and Romanesque-style cathedral. On the exterior of St. Paul’s, there is an astronomical clock with hand-painted zodiac signs. There’s a performance each day at noon as the clock plays a Glockenspiel song.

Like so many other ancient architectural marvels in Germany, it sustained heavy damage during the Second World War. It has since been restored, but the destruction is still documented in pictures found inside the Cathedral.

Worms Cathedral

This spectacular cathedral is known by many names: Worms Cathedral, Kaiserdom or Dom St. Peter, to name just a few. In its thousand year history, it has been a strong presence in the town with its soaring towers and spires. There are many highlights housed within these ancient walls. Be sure not to miss the Baroque altar created by Balthasar Neumann, the dark and spooky crypt or the Chapel of Saint Nicholas.

—Marcus

Germany offers its visitors some of the best museums in the world! From the Museum Island in Berlin to the Museumsufer in Frankfurt, you will always be surrounded by this country’s rich and vibrant museum culture.

But it isn’t always ancient artifacts, religious treasuries or modern paintings that you can see. The following is a list of some of Germany’s most unusual museums and galleries. If you crave a unique and memorable experience, then check out these places!

Zeche Hannover and Kiddies Colliery in Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia

The Zeche Hannover, known to English speakers simply as the Hanover Coal Mine (Günnigfelder Straße) was the last coal mine to be closed in Bochum, back in 1973. It has been preserved and expertly restored as a heritage site for Bochum’s industrial history.

If you want to know more about the dirty history of coal, a once-important resource, then look no further! The Kiddies Colliery is a fun place to bring the children (or the young-at-heart) to find out all about the inner workings of the coal mine. Bring your hard hat

Chocolate Museum in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia

This museum is a dream come true for the chocoholics of the world! The Schokoladenmusem (Am Schokoladenmuseum 1a) at the Rhine River in Cologne features the fascinating history of chocolate-making where you can learn all about how this beloved substance gained its popularity. The best part is, after the tour, you can sample some of this delicious treat at the Cafe or the Beach Terrace. Yum!

German Cookbook Museum in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia

Whether you love cooking or eating, the German Cookbook Museum (Deutsches Kochbuchmuseum, An der Buschmühle 1) in Dortmund is sure to please. There is a fine collection of delicious recipes, most courtesy of the 19th century German cook Henriette Davidis.

In addition, the museum features an interesting exhibit about the role of women in this time, and the evolution of cooking technology through the 1960s. It’s the perfect place to whet your appetite for an authentic German meal.

Giraffe Museum in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia

We have another entry from the city of Dortmund with this interesting museum that is the perfect place for lovers of these long-necked animals. This private collection (Wickeder Hellweg 25) is a strange gathering of all things giraffe — from giraffe-shaped sculptures to giraffe-adorned teapots — make this a one-of-a-kind museum.

Don’t forget to make a reservation in advance.

German Hygiene Museum in Dresden, Lower Saxony

If you’re in the mood for a more off-beat location then head to the German Hygiene Museum in Dresden (Lingnerplatz 1). You won’t see celebrated paintings or famous sculptures here, but you will see an intriguing collection of antique grooming and ophthalmology equipment.

Some items on display include old dressing tables, razors, powder boxes and wig stands. The ophthalmology exhibit shows some fascinating old examination equipment and antique spectacles.

Museum of Inland Navigation in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia

As the site of an inland port, Duisburg is the natural place for a Museum of Inland Navigation (Apostelstraße 84). This Duisburg museum was actually once an indoor swimming pool but was renovated and is now presented in an Art Nouveau design. The museum offers an idea of the life of a sailor. Inside you’ll find model ships as well as real ones.

Don’t overlook the highlights of any trip to this museum! The Oscar Huber, a paddle steamer from 1921, and the Minden, a bucket dredger from 1882, are both docked within a few minutes walk of the museum. If you have your heart set on visiting these interesting ships, be sure to check the weather.

In very cold and icy conditions, the boats are closed to the public.

Mustard Museum in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia

This Düsseldorf museum is a place you won’t find just anywhere but Germany. Of course, our country is famous for its delicious mustard. The Mustard Museum (Berger Straße 29) opened in 2004 and has since been offering visitors information on this wonderful condiment that is such an important part of German cuisine.

Bring your own bratwurst. ;-)

Dialogue Museum in Frankfurt, Hesse

For a “slightly different” kind of museum experience — one with nothing to see — head over to the Dialogue Museum in Frankfurt am Main (Hanauer Landstrasse 139-145). The blind museum offers a pitch-black exhibit in which visitors must rely on their other senses to “see” them through.

This sensual museum will leave you with an experience you’ll never forget.

Miniature Wonderland in Hamburg

Our last unusual museum brings us to Hamburg. Miniature Wonderland (Kehrwieder 2-4) features model railways, trains and scenery. It made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s largest computerized model railway.

This impressive display boasts 250,000 miniature trees, 15,000 m (almost 50,000 ft) of tracks with 15,000 carriages and 5,000 houses and bridges. The whole complex encompasses an area of 4,000 square meters (13,000 square feet)!

—Marcus

November 1989 was a very special month, and November 9, 1989 in particular was a day that we Germans will remember for a long time, as will the rest of the world. It was on this day that the East German government announced that they would no longer stand in the way of their citizens who wanted to travel to West Germany, like they had done for over 30 years.

Citizens of both West and East Germany were overjoyed, and rushed to the hated Berlin Wall to make these once-impossible crossings. But for those of you whose German history is a bit rusty, or who can’t remember this historic event, let me present a nutshell version of this darkly fascinating time in our past!

Most people will remember from their old history classes that Germany (and the capital city of Berlin) was divided into partitions after the loss of the Second World War. Each of the four Allied countries — the USA, France, Britain and the USSR — maintained control over one part each.

The trouble began when the Soviet Union tried to consolidate their power and worked against its former allies. Ultimately, they blockaded the city of West Berlin. The Berlin airlift, one of the greatest diplomatic interventions of recent times, followed and brought food and other necessary items into a troubled city.

As East Germany and East Berlin became more and more repressive, naturally, people began fleeing these harsh conditions. The Soviets realized that this “brain drain,” the loss of its best and brightest citizens, could no longer be tolerated. In the early morning of Sunday, August 13, 1961 the border between West and East was closed entirely and the construction of the Wall began.

While the Wall is symbolic of some of the darkest times in our country, it also was a time of great heroism and sacrifice. The dire situation of East Germany led some to risk their lives in order to cross over into the west.

One of the most famous and tragic of these stories is the tale of Peter Fechter. This 18-year-old boy tried to escape with his friend, Helmut Kulbeik in August 1962, by jumping out of the window of a tall building that sat right on the border of the wall, and then running across the “death strip” to scale the Wall on the other side.

While Fechter’s friend managed to evade the bullets of the East German border police, Fechter was not so lucky. He was shot in the pelvis in this “no-man’s land” between the two borders. Even though his shooting was witnessed by many bystanders in the West, no one could help him, for fear that they themselves could also be shot by entering the death strip.

And so, the tragic life of Peter Fechter ended with him slowly bleeding to death, screaming for help in plain sight of both Western and Eastern German guards who both could not and did not haid him. He died one hour later.

The cruelty of Fechter’s death was a wake-up call to the rest of the world, who could see clearly now just how repressive the East had become. It would take another 37 years for the Wall to come tumbling down.

While most of the Wall was dismantled during the months following this time, there are still sections of it remaining, left as a memorial. When you visit Berlin, be sure to take a walk along the last remaining segments, like the East Side Gallery at Mühlenstraße, or the more authentic Berlin Wall Memorial at Bernauer Straße to see for yourself where freedom triumphed.

—Marcus

Everyone knows Neuschwanstein as perhaps the most famous castle in the world, and as the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella Palace.

But what some may not realize is that the patron of Neuschwanstein, King Ludwig II, better known as the “Mad King” had many other whimsical and fantastic castle constructions as well.

Let’s take a look at two of his lesser-known masterworks.

Linderhof Palace In Ettal

Linderhof Palace may have been the smallest of his palaces, but it must have had a special meaning to Ludwig. It was the first — and only — palace where he lived to see its completion.

His untimely and rather mysterious death came in 1886, when he was just forty years old. Schloss Linderhof was completed in the same year.

When Ludwig was a young boy, he used to go hunting on the grounds of the Königshäuschen (King’s Cottage). Linderhof’s construction began by first enlarging that very cottage, only to have it torn down and begun again from scratch.

Linderhof Palace is a late rococo style building, but it evidently and proudly borrows aspects from the world-famous Versailles Palace in France. Louis XIV was the Sun King, and in homage to him, the emblem of the sun can be spotted all around Linderhof. There are some other elements that are close replicas of its French sister, particularly the magnificent staircase and the hall of mirrors.

Herrenchiemsee Castle On The Island Of Herreninsel

King Ludwig II was not the original benefactor or architect of the Herrenchiemsee Castle, yet it is still considered one of “his” creations.

The original Schloss Herrenchiemsee dates back to the year 765 when a Benedictine Abbey was constructed on the northern part of this island in Chiemsee on the orders of Duke Tassilo III of Bavaria. By 969, Emperor Otto I had given the land to the bishops of Salzburg who converted the abbey into a monastery for the Canons Regular monks living under the Augustinian rule of poverty and seclusion.

In 1215, there was another change in management for this abbey-turned-monastery. Under the orders of Pope Innocent III, Herrenchiemsee would become a Roman Catholic cathedral of the Bishopric of Chiemsee.

The Catholic rule lasted for many centuries, until the early 1800s. At this time, the Abbey became a secular place and the diocese was disbanded. The new, non-religious owners had no need for a Catholic cathedral. They destroyed it and put up a brewery.

Here is where our King Ludwig enters the picture. By 1873, the entire island was slotted for deforestation. Luckily, Ludwig stepped in and put a stop to any further demolition. He preserved the remaining structures as the “Old Palace” and began to construct a new one. This was just one more palace that Ludwig would not live to see in its finished glory. Construction stopped just after the king’s demise and many of the unfinished sections were later demolished. A year after his death, the palace was opened up to the public.

Although the palace was never completed to Ludwig’s original vision, it remains an impressive sight to behold. The State Rooms and Court Garden are among the highlights. But be sure not to miss the Ludwig Museum. Here, you can learn all about the man who helped to create such wondrous, fantastical castles — the Mad King Ludwig II himself.

—Marcus

If you are in search of classical music in Germany, you won’t have to look very far. My country has bred some of the most famous composers in the history of the world.

Everyone knows the names, Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and Wagner. Let their music be your soundtrack as you visit the old haunts of these legendary musicians.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus may have been born in Salzburg — once part of Germany, but today found inside Austria’s borders — but he is still embraced by us Germans. Cue up Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, one of his most signature pieces as you tour around Germany.

For an authentic German-Mozart experience, visit Munich, where he wrote his opera La finta giardiniera.

The Mozart family also spent a lot of time in the Swabian city of Augsburg. Explore the Mozart House, home of the great composer’s father, which showcases many exhibits about the life of the world-famous Wolfgang.

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven is another native son of Germany, and undoubtedly one of the most loved and respected composers the world has ever seen. Listen to his instantly-recognizable Für Elise as you board a train to his old stomping grounds, the city of Bonn.

Bonn was Beethoven’s birthplace and hometown. Guests here can have a chance to see how the great composer lived with a visit to his house — the Beethoven Haus on Bonngasse — an essential stop for those seeking Beethoven’s legacy here. You can also view one of the theaters where he used to perform — like La Redoute.

The current Beethovenhalle is the third incarnation of a concert hall dedicated to him. It is well-known for its excellent acoustics and is regarded as an important piece of Bonn’s cultural history. Currently, it is the home to the Bonn Beethoven Orchestra and a venue for the annual event, Beethovenfest.

Johannes Sebastian Bach

While not as revered as his two heavyweight compatriots, Mozart and Beethoven, Johannes Sebastian Bach made his own impression on world classical music. His most famous piece, Toccata and Fugue in D-Minor, conjures visions of haunted houses, vampires and an assortment of nightmarish imagery.

With a trip to Leipzig, you can learn all about this famed composer. You should start with a visit to St. Thomas’s Church. These days, it is doubly famous as the home of the eponymous boys’ choir and because of their former cantor, none other than Bach himself. In fact it is thanks to Bach that the choir enjoys the international reputation it does today.

Each summer, the city hosts a tribute to their favorite son, the Bachfest. You can also learn more about his life and music at the Bach Museum. It is home to one of the world’s largest collections of research on Bach.

Richard Wagner

For a true appreciation of Richard Wagner, you must head to Bavaria. Wagner enjoyed the patronage and respect of the Mad King Ludwig II, and helped to inspire many of the king’s castles.

Scenes from Wagner’s operas, like Tannhäuser and Lohengrin, may be seen in many of these Bavarian palaces, most famously at Neuschwanstein Castle.

While Tannhäuser was the inspiration for many paintings, many people will be most familiar with Wagner’s epic piece, Ride of the Valkyries.

—Marcus