Beautypically

According to COUNTRYAAH, the Federal Republic of Germany is located in the central part of Europe. It has land borders with nine countries and it borders two seas in the north. Germany has the most inhabitants in the European Union and is in fourth place in terms of area. Only the countries France, Spain and Sweden are larger. Germany is one of the most important superpowers in Europe. The German parliament is based in the capital Berlin.

The current form of government in Germany originated in the nineteenth century with the establishment of the North German Confederation. However, the national form of this North German Confederation did not yet resemble today’s Germany. Only after only southern German states joined and some eastern parts became independent again, today’s Germany came into being. The predecessor of this state was the Holy Roman Empire. The entire central part of Europe, including the Netherlands and Belgium, belonged to this empire.

With the formation of the North German Confederation, today’s Germany became one of the major powers in Europe. Soon the name would be changed to the German Empire making it an Empire. With the Prussian king who also bore the title Emperor. During this period, Germany conquered a number of territories in Africa, Asia and Oceania. These areas included parts of present-day New Guinea, Samoa, China, Cameroon, and Togo. After the First World War, Germany lost all these territories. In addition to the overseas colonies, Germany also had to surrender ten percent of its own territory, the country was imposed heavy fines and the army was reduced to minimal proportions.

These punitive measures were indirectly responsible for the great popularity of the National Socialists in Germany and indirectly caused the Second World War. During the Second World War, large parts of the country and of Europe were destroyed. After the capitulation of the Third Reich, the country was divided into two parts by the Allies. East Germany, better known as the GDR, was under the influence of the Soviet Union. The western part, the FRG with Bonn as its capital, was under the influence of the United States. The capital Berlin was also divided into two parts with the Berlin Wall as a partition. After the fall of communism at the end of the 1990s, the country was reunited again.

Today, Germany is again one of the world powers with a prosperous economy. It is also one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe. Many Dutch people go every year to one of the beautiful nature reserves, the beautiful cities or go on winter sports in Germany. The best time to travel to Germany is from May to September. If you want to go for winter sports, it is better to choose the first months of the year.

Sights

There are so many places of interest in Germany that you can really do the country too short to name just a few. Let’s start with one of the most beautiful and most visited landmarks in the country, Berlin. The capital of Germany attracts millions of people every year. Most tourists come here to see this beautiful city with their own eyes and to experience the vibrant nightlife of the city. Some highlights in Berlin are the Branderburger Tor, the remains of the Berlin Wall and the Reichstag. Other places of interest in the country are the Neuschwanstein Castle, the island of Mainau, the Porta Nigra in Trier, Schloss Heidelberg, the Cologne Cathedral, the Frauenkirche in Dresden and of course the several churches, castles and the other beautiful buildings that are on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO stand.

In addition, Germany is of course known for its Nürburgring, the Berlin Zoo, Fantasialand, Europark Germany, the Oktoberfest and the many Christmas markets that are held there every year. Germany is very popular with many tourists for its beautiful nature reserves. Regions such as the Black Forest, Bavaria and the Harz attract many nature lovers every year who go on long cycling or walking tours through the various areas.

UNESCO

Germany had thirty-nine entries on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013, and this number will only increase in the coming years. Some of these entries are shared by Germany with neighboring countries such as Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, the Netherlands and even one with the United Kingdom. The first registration in Germany was in 1978. This concerned the Aachen Cathedral. This beautiful old church was built at the end of the eighth century. later the Speyer Cathedral, the Residence of Würzburg and the pilgrimage church of Wies followed. The largest and most comprehensive inscription in Germany is the inscription “Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin”. This concerns one hundred and fifty buildings that are spread out in a park of five hundred hectares. The largest and most important building in this complex is the Sanssouci Palace. In addition to the many cultural inscriptions such as Wartburg Castle, Cologne Cathedral, the prehistoric pile dwellings in the Alps, there are also a number of natural inscriptions in Germany. Think of the Wadden Sea, the prehistoric historic beech forest in the Carpathians and the fossil site Groeve Messel.

Climate

The climate of Germany can best be described as a moderate maritime climate. This climate is characterized by the relatively pleasant summer months without too many extremely hot days, mild winters and precipitation that is about the same throughout the year. Although the summer period is on average the wettest period of the year. Because Germany is a hilly country, there are many weather variations within the country. For example, the northwestern part of the country is on average a lot cooler in the summer than the other parts, but this is exactly the other way around in the winter.

The higher parts of Germany are quite cold in the winter and there are months when the average temperature here does not or barely rise above freezing. During these months, precipitation will mainly consist of snow. In these areas winter sports are possible for a large part of the year. This mainly concerns the Harz Mountains, the Black Forest and Bavaria.

The central part of Germany is less influenced by the maritime climate or by the high mountains. As a result, the average temperatures in this part of Germany are slightly higher and the region has slightly more hours of sunshine. The average precipitation in Germany differs greatly per region. On average, Germany is slightly wetter than the Netherlands. The regions of Baden-Württemberg and Bayern are the wettest regions in Germany with almost 2,500 millimeters on an annual basis.

Geography

Germany is located in the central part of Europe and has land borders with Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland. In the north, Germany borders on the North Sea or more specifically on the Wadden Sea and the Baltic Sea. Geographically, Germany consists of three parts; the German lowlands, the central German highlands and the Alps. There are a total of ten different mountain areas in Germany; the Alpine foothills, the Bavarian Alps, the Eifel, Ertz Mountains, Harz, Hunsrück, Kellerwald, Sauerland, Thuringian Forest and the Black Forest. The highest point in Germany can be found in the Bavarian Alps. The Zugspitse is located on the border of Germany and Austria and is 2962 meters high.

The country is divided into sixteen states, each of which has its own constitutions, parliaments and governments. The densely populated state is North Rhine-Westphalia with more than eighteen million inhabitants. The largest in terms of area is Bavaria.

The main rivers that flow through Germany or have their origin in this country and that end in the North Sea are the Meuse, the Rhine, the IJssel, the Ems, the Weser and the Elbe. The Danube that flows into the Black Sea and the Trave and Swina that flow into the Baltic Sea.

There are some really big cities in Germany. For example, the cities of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Cologne have more than one million inhabitants and there are more than fifteen cities in the country with more than half a million inhabitants. The best known of these are Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Dortmund, Düsseldorf and Bremen.

Travel advice

At present, the travel advice for Germany is subject to vigilance. This has mainly to do with the terrorist threat that there is in Germany. Especially in places where many foreigners come together. There is also an increased threat at airports and train stations. However, little of this threat is noticeable in the country.

It is wise to bring a tick remover, especially if you plan to spend a longer time in nature. Unlike in the Netherlands, Germany has no evidence of tolerance for soft drugs. Possessing or trading them carries severe prison terms. It is also wise not to be a tourist for sale with expensive equipment or jewelry.

Travel documents

Germany is one of the Schengen countries, which ensures that residents of other Schengen countries can travel freely between the different countries. Tourists who come from outside one of the Schengen countries can apply for a standard visa. This is valid for three months and applies to all Schengen countries. However, you must be in possession of a valid ID. Since 2012, this has also been the case for children under twelve.

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