Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square

Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square

From the World Heritage inscription: This magnificent Baroque palace – one of the largest and most beautiful in Germany and surrounded by wonderful gardens – was created under the patronage of the prince-bishops Lothar Franz and Friedrich Carl von Schönborn. It was built and decorated in the 18th century by an international team of architects, …

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Town of Bamberg

Town of Bamberg UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription: The layout and architecture of medieval and Renaissance Bamberg exerted a strong influence on urban form and evolution in the lands of central Europe from the 11th century onwards. Bamberg is an outstanding and representative example of an early medieval town in central Europe, both in its plan and in …

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Margravial Opera House Bayreuth

Margravial Opera House Bayreuth UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription: The 18th century Margravial Opera House in Bayreuth is a masterwork of Baroque theatre architecture, commissioned by Margravine Wilhelmine of Brandenburg as a venue for opera seria over which the princely couple ceremonially presided. The bell-shaped auditorium of tiered loges built of wood and lined with decoratively painted canvas was …

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Old town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof

Old town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription: The history of Regensburg is complex ranging from the Roman Empire to the modern times. The following are the main periods: • Antiquity: from AD 179, the site became a strong military base (Castra Regina), built in stone. It developed into a considerable trading post with workshops and also had …

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Pilgrimage Church of Wies

Pilgrimage Church of Wies UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription: The sanctuary of Wies, a pilgrimage church miraculously preserved in the beautiful setting of an Alpine valley, is a perfect masterpiece of Rococo art and a masterpiece of creative genius, as well as an exceptional testimony to a civilization that has disappeared. The hamlet of Wies, near Steingaden in Bavaria, …

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Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps

Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription: The series of 111 out of the 937 known archaeological pile-dwelling sites in six countries around the Alpine and sub-alpine regions of Europe is composed of the remains of prehistoric settlements dating from 5,000 to 500 BC which are situated under water, on lake shores, along rivers or in wetlands. …

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Monastic Island of Reichenau

Monastic Island of Reichenau UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription: The remains of the Reichenau foundation bear outstanding witness to the religious and cultural role of a great Benedictine monastery in the early Middle Ages. The Monastery of Reichenau was a highly significant artistic center of great significance to the history of art in Europe in the 10th and 11th …

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This Week in Travel – Episode 135

Regular hosts Jen Leo and Chris Christensen are joined by this week’s guest Lenore Greiner, freelance travel writer and author of the recent guidebook “Las Vegas by Indie Travel Guides”. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Maulbronn Monastery Complex

Maulbronn Monastery Complex UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription: The Cistercian Maulbronn Monastery is considered the most complete and best-preserved medieval monastic complex north of the Alps. The monastery’s church, mainly in Transitional Gothic style, had a major influence on the spread of Gothic architecture over much of northern and central Europe. The water-management system at Maulbronn, with its …

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