ArtandCulture, Neubrandenburg

The main buildings of the National Museum in Szczecin (Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie) is located at the Chrobry Embankment, in the former Maritime Museum. Here you will find thousands of historic artifacts from the region, information about the seafaring history of the city, as well as a new permanent exhibition on the Golden Age of the Pomeranian Region. Also worthwhile is a view from the viewing tower on top of the museum, although the climb to the platform via a narrow staircase is said to be challenging. Also part of the National Museum is Szczecin's History Museum (Muzeum Historii Szczecina), which is situated in the Old Town Hall. http://www.visitpomerania.eu/cities/szczecin/attractions/national-museum/

Discover the magic of the rococo at the beautiful Charlottenburg Palace – once a royal summer residence, today Berlin’s largest and most magnificent palace. In the Neuer Flügel (New Wing), you can view the staterooms and the rococo ballroom known as the Goldene Galerie (Golden Gallery). The Silver Vault includes quite stunning tableware of gold, silver, glass and porcelain displayed on laid tables. Around 100 table services have survived intact, a vivid reminder of the magnificence of dining at court. The impressive display of the remaining pieces of the Prussian crown jewels, complete with the imperial insignias, as well as personal treasures, such as the elaborated designed, exquisite snuffboxes collected by Friedrich the Great, are also well worth seeing. The Porcelain Cabinet in the Old Palace offers a breathtaking collection of the finest blue-and-white porcelain decorating the entire room. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/charlottenburg-palace-old-palace

The Pergamonmuseum is nothing short of a wonder in itself. Its rooms are overflowing with some of the world’s most impressive, long buried, treasures. The museum encompasses the vast history of the Ancient East, with collections that can not be experienced elsewhere. The museum is named after the Pergamon Altar, a Hellenistic masterpiece of white stone architecture. The imposing structure invites you to walk the steps of 2000 years of history and behold its intricacies close-up. But don’t get lost in this wonder for too long, as there are many more under the museum’s roof. Artefacts have been gathered from Iran, Asia Minor, Egypt and the Caucasus, and these worlds have been recreated for you to explore within the Pergamonmuseum. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/pergamon-museum

The Reichstag is an internationally recognisable symbol of democracy and the current home of the German parliament. Every year, thousands of guests visit the Reichstag - and with good reason: It is not often that you can enjoy such an amazing panorama while, just beneath your feet, the political decisions of tomorrow are being made. Both as an architectural wonder and a historical testimony, the Reichstag has an important role to play in Berlin. There are several options to visit the Reichstag: join a guided tour; listen to a plenary session (in German of course) or climb up to the dome and the roof! https://www.visitberlin.de/en/reichstag-in-berlin

The government buildings in the heart of Berlin form a ribbon across the river Spree, symbolically connecting East and West. The parliamentary offices and the chancellery were not built until the wall came down and Berlin was chosen as the country’s seat of government. The buildings are exciting examples of contemporary architecture that no-one sightseeing in Berlin can afford to miss. The original idea for the Band des Bundes was a gesture of reunification. In a dual piece of symbolism, the government buildings and the offices for democratically elected MPs are both a physical connection and a symbolic bridge between East and West. The federal buildings are not just the centre of the town in geographical terms; since 2006, the striking concrete and glass buildings have been the first thing that visitors to Berlin see when they arrive at the city’s main station. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/band-des-bundes

The magnificent dome of the Cathedral Church (Berliner Dom) is one of the main landmarks in Berlin’s cityscape – and marks the spot of the impressive basilica housing the city’s most important Protestant church. With its elaborate decorative and ornamental designs, the church interior is especially worth seeing. Yet although the church is known as a cathedral, it actually has the status of a parish church – though not just any parish. This was the court church to the Hohenzollern dynasty, the rulers of Prussia and later the German Emperors. Today, as the High Parish and Cathedral Church, the church serves the Protestant community in Berlin and the surrounding areas. The congregation is not based on place of residence, but open through admission to all baptised Protestants in the region. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/berlin-cathedral

The Brandenburg Gate is one of the most iconic sights in today’s vibrant Berlin. More than just Berlin’s only surviving historical city gate, this site came to symbolise Berlin’s Cold War division into East and West – and, since the fall of the Wall, a reunified Germany. Architecturally, the sandstone Brandenburg Gate also represents one of the earliest and most attractive examples of a neo-classical building in Germany. Constructed between 1788 and 1791, the Brandenburg Gate was Berlin’s first Greek revival building. Designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans, architect to the Prussian court, it was inspired by the monumental gateway at the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens. The Brandenburg Gate is 26 metres high, 65.5 metres long and 11 metres deep, and supported by two rows of six Doric columns. In 1793, the gate was crowned by the Quadriga statue, designed by Johann Gottfried Schadow. This statue also has its own story to tell. In 1806, when Napoleon’s army took Berlin, the French Emperor had the Quadriga transported to Paris as war booty and a sign of his victory. In 1814, after Napoleon’s forced abdication, the Quadriga was returned to Berlin where it once again adorned the Brandenburg Gate, facing towards the east and the city centre. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/brandenburg-gate

At 1316 metres long, the open-air art gallery on the banks of the Spree in Friedrichshain is the longest continuous section of the Berlin Wall still in existence. Immediately after the wall came down, 118 artists from 21 countries began painting the East Side Gallery, and it officially opened as an open air gallery on 28 September 1990. Just over a year later, it was given protected memorial status. In more than a hundred paintings on what was the east side of the wall, the artists commented on the political changes in 1989/90. Some of the works at the East Side Gallery are particularly popular, such as Dmitri Vrubel’s Fraternal Kiss and Birgit Kinders’s Trabant breaking through the wall. They are not just a popular subject for postcards – you’re sure to want to photograph them yourself. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/east-side-gallery

Visit the third-largest church in Germany in the City of the 7 Spires and discover what the devil, a mouse and St. Mary's church have in common in Lübeck's Old Town. St. Mary's is the church of the Council of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck. The brick basilica serves as a model for the Gothic brick style of churches in the Baltic region. For the first time, the Gothic cathedral style of France was adapted to the local brick. Numerous works of arts are to be found in St. Mary's interior: The Cross of Triumph by Gerhard Marcks in the high choir above the Swarte Altar from 1495 is as much at home here as the largest mechanical organ in the world. The well-known church musician and composer Dietrich Buxtehude was St. Mary's organist and workmaster from 1667 to 1707. The commemorative chapel in the south tower with its church bells possesses a unique expressive power. The bells plunged to the stone floor during the 1942 air raids. The Gothic brick basilica has a medieval painting, the largest peel of bells in Schleswig-Holstein and a carillon with 36 bells from St. Catherine's Church in Danzig. http://www.luebeck-tourism.de/discover/sights/churches-in-luebeck/st-marys.html

At the beginning of the 20th century, the building was planned and erected by the Viennese architect Friedrich Ohmann. Architectural elements were used to recall the splendour of Renaissance and Gothic style. The Magdeburg Cultural History Museum was opened in 1906 and its first director Theodor Volbehr (1862-1931) took over many art and craft collections from various societies and from the city which were exhibited in the centre of the museum as the most important witnesses to Magdeburg's rich past. http://www.magdeburg-tourist.de/Start/Tourism-Leisure/Culture/Museums/index.php?La=2&NavID=115.10&object=tx|37.6876.1&ModID=9&FID=37.477.2

The Puppet Theatre boasts a repertoire ranging from stories for the youngest theatregoers (aged 3 and up) through to classic fairy tales, fantasy stories and adventure stories for older children and right through to modern drama and classic examples of world literature. http://www.magdeburg-tourist.de/Start/Tourism-Leisure/Culture/index.php?La=2&NavID=115.9&object=tx|37.6876.1&ModID=9&FID=37.84.2

His principality was small, his ideas were big. Leopold III. Friedrich Franz, enlightened prince and duke of Anhalt-Dessau (1740 -1817), wanted to combine the "useful with the beautiful". https://tourismus.dessau-rosslau.de/welterbe/gartenreich-dessau-woerlitz.html

The regional museum (Muzeum w Koszalinie) gives an overview of the history of Koszalin and its surrounding areas with the exhibition of archaeological findings, coin collections and historic pictures and artefacts. An annexe of the museum is situated in a nice villa at ul. Piłsudskiego. http://www.visitpomerania.eu/cities/koszalin/attractions/koszalin-museum/

When today's talk is of classic modernism, nobody comes past Dessau. From 1926 to 1932, the city housed one of the most famous architecture and art schools in the world: the Bauhaus. https://tourismus.dessau-rosslau.de/welterbe/bauhaus-dessau.html

Opera, operetta, musical, symphony concert, ballet, drama - the Anhalt Theater serves many interests and attracts the attention of the audience from all over Germany with its productions. https://tourismus.dessau-rosslau.de/nl/kultur/theater/anhaltisches-theater.html

With around 1.5 million square metres, Stadtpark (lit. city park) in Winterhude is the third largest park in Hamburg. For the centennial anniversary in 2014, around 1.6 million euros were invested in flower beds, paths, playgrounds and the renovation of the Planetarium. Especially in summer, life is easy around the luscious green meadows. Hundreds of locals and visitors alike come to Winterhude, where the park serves them as a popular meeting point and recreational site. However, the park is not only the right place for meeting people and sunbathing. In summer, music enthusiasts will also get their money’s worth. Thousands head to the open-air stage to experience performances in a unique setting. Art lovers will find more than 20 different sculptures and installations. http://www.hamburg.com/explore/outdoors/city-park/

Malmo Konsthall was opened in 1975 and is one of the Swedens largest spaces for contemporary art. Architect Klas Anshelm has created an exhibition with great flexibility, generous space and fantastic light. ” A large, low concrete box open on the park and the light of heaven ”, described Anshelm himself his creation. The construction materials are light and simple; concrete, glass, wood and aluminium. Most of the gallery has a roof built as a lattice of 550 light domes. The ceiling height varies. The light well – with higher ceilings – has large sloping skylight north. Klas Anshelm got the idea to construction when visiting the sculptor Constantin Brancusi’s Paris studio. The result is a gallery that is both functional and aesthetic. An exhibition space that the artist with endless. Malmö Konsthall arranges annually a number of exhibitions with an international focus. https://www.konsthall.malmo.se/en/om-malmo-konsthall/

Malmö Opera presents the whole range of music theatre with the main emphasis on opera and musical. We perform the great opera classics, musicals, contemporary musical drama, concerts and dance, always meeting the highest international standards of quality. Operaverkstan, our department for children and young adults, produces high-quality performances for children aged 3-19 with focus on contemporary works and subject matters. Operaverkstan also introduces classic opera to its audience. The building that houses Malmö Opera was built during the Second World War and inaugurated in 1944. The main auditorium holds an audience of 1511 and the stage is one of the largest in Europe. With it, renowned architect Sigurd Lewerentz, together with colleagues Erik Lallerstedt and David Helldén, created one of the masterpieces of functionalist architecture. The foyer is considered of particular beauty, with its open spaces and sweeping marble staircases, and it is adorned with a number of works of art by artists such as Carl Milles and Isaac Grünewald. The building was listed with the National Trust in connection with the theatre’s 50th jubilee in 1994. https://www.malmoopera.se/node/211

The Moderna Museet Malmö is a branch of the famous Swedish Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm. It is located in a converted former power station, within walking distance from the center of the old town of Malmö. The former power station was built in 1901 as a brick building, the typical industrial architecture of its time. As part of the modernization, the building received an extension with a red-painted steel sheeting facade and in 2009 the Moderna Museet moved into the old power station. The museum is specialized on Scandinavian and international art of the 20th and 21st century. The changing exhibitions throughout the year are attracting visitors from all around the world. The former turbine hall was converted as an exhibition room and covers an area of over 800 square meters. In addition, the museum also has an educational workshop of about 100 square meters. The Moderna Museet is the only Scandinavian museum that features a significant collection of contemporary art of the 20th century. In its possession are works by Dali, Kandinsky, Matisse and Picasso. https://www.guidebook-sweden.com/en/guidebook/destination/moderna-museet-malmoe-museum-of-modern-art-in-malmoe

At Malmö Art Museum, you can discover Nordic contemporary art and wander through time and space showing the history and development of painting and furniture-making. The museum hosts several important collections and historical donations, including the works of Carl Fredrik Hill (pdf, 375 kB) (1849-1911), whose pictures still evoke challenging thoughts on the human mind. The Herman Gotthardt collection (pdf, 101.8 kB) of Nordic modern 20th-century art is a highly important contribution to the understanding of the early production of Scandinavian modern art. The Museum also has an extensive collection of furniture and handicraft, primarily from southern Sweden. In the Malmö Art Museum's collections are significant Swedish and European ceramics from the 1400s until today. The collection of the Swedish and European Glass from the 1300s onwards, where the Swedish 29th-century glassworks are well represented, is of international interest. As the collection of Swedish and European silver, mainly Swedish silver from the Baroque to the designer Torun Bülow Hübe (1927-2004). There are also objects in the collection of textiles, pewter, brass and bronze that arouses interest. https://malmo.se/Uppleva-och-gora/Besoksmal/Malmo-Konstmuseum/Malmo-Art-Museum.html

Eric of Pomerania, king of Denmark, Norway and Sweden (at that time a unified kingdom), built a castle on the site now occupied by Malmöhus in 1434. The strategic location was of great importance. From here, the west side of the city could be protected and shipping traffic on the southern part of the Öresund monitored. Malmöhus acquired its present appearance following major reconstruction in the mid 16th century when King Christian III ordered the building of a modern fortress, splendid Renaissance castle and county governor´s residence, all on the one site. Denmark´s coins were minted here in the Middle Ages. Crown Prince Frederick held wild parties here in the 16th century. Prisoners were beheaded in the courtyard in the 19th century. Malmöhus has now been restored in the spirit of the 16th century and is part of the Malmö Museums, the largest museum in southern Sweden. The castle is part of Sweden´s cultural heritage and is managed by the National Property Board. https://malmo.se/Uppleva-och-gora/Besoksmal/Malmo-Museer/Sprak/In-English/Malmohus-Castle.html

St. Petri Church is both the oldest preserved church in the city and its oldest preserved brick building. In the 13th century, herring fishing helped Malmö to flourish as a trading town. The Malmö residents came into contact with the Hanseatic cities around the Baltic Sea. There they were inspired to build a new church that would correspond to the city's position. St. Petri Church was probably inaugurated in 1319. Around 1380 the church was completed. The apostle's Peter and Paul became the patron saints of the church. The church building has a tight exterior with pillars and arches. The brick walls are lightened by a few parts with different coloured and glazed bricks. As a building material, clay was used from the district, which was turned into a brick in Malmö. The cream parlour was created in the middle of the 15th century. On the outer walls of the chapel, there are about ten chalkstone figures representing various saints. https://svenskakyrkanmalmo.se/st-petri-kyrka/

The main building of Art Nouveau architecture was established in 1909 as the parish house of the Evangelical community. After 1945 it belonged to the Catholic parish, and in 1960 it was adapted to the needs of Zielona Gora Symphony Orchestra, renamed the Philharmonic in 1974. http://www.cit.zielona-gora.pl/article,en,206,monuments.html

One of the most important examples of Renaissance art in northern Germany. The chapel was founded in the 15th century, and soon after the Reformation – some time between 1565 and 1576 – it was entirely refurbished by Duke William the Younger. http://www.celle.travel/celle-palace/palace-chapel.html

It is the oldest building in Celle and it is regarded as one of the most splendid Guelphic palaces in Northern Germany. http://www.celle.travel/celle-palace/the-ducal-palace.html

Celle is one of the most important residence cities in the state of Lower Saxony. For almost three centuries it was the permanent residence of the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg and therefore the seat of government in the most significant Guelphs principality. http://www.celle.travel/travel-tips/museums-in-celle/residence-museum.html

Christiania, the famous freetown of Copenhagen, is without a doubt one of Denmark’s most popular tourist attractions. Christiania was founded in 1971, when a group of people cut a hole in the fence to the military barracks in Bådmandsgade. Soon the area was known for Pusher Street, where you could buy hash and pot – but no hard drugs – from various stalls. Today many of the original settlers still live in the collectively controlled village, and the area has a clear 70s feel to it. Around 1,000 people live in Christiania and every year more than 500,000 people come to visit. A lot of the people living in Christiania built their homes themselves giving the area an extremely interesting architectural feel. And you will find a variety of eco-restaurants, workshops, galleries and music venues offering all sorts of cultural experiences. https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/christiania-gdk957761

"Bakkehuset'" (which means The Hill-house) is a museum of literature, art and culture of the Danish Golden Age spanning from around 1800 to 1850. The permanent exhibition centres on the literary socialites Kamma and Knud Lyne Rahbek, who owned and inhabited the house from 1802 until 1830. Their home became a hub for some of the prominent authors and literary figures of the Danish Golden Age. Bakkehuset's famous living room was filled with discussions of art, literature, philosophy and science. Famous Danish authors such as H.C. Andersen and Adam Oehlenschläger as well as scientists like the physicist H.C. Ørsted visited the house. This is why Bakkehuset, as a meeting place for influential people, had a durable impact on Danish Literature and Cultural History. Among the exhibits on display are the couple’s furniture as well as Kamma Rahbek’s beautiful boxes which she created with her guests sitting around her living room table. In addition, the permanent exhibition includes a library with periodicals and books by authors from the Danish Golden Age. Together with the surrounding romantic garden, the house provides a unique and authentic insight into 19th century lifestyle and culture. https://bakkehusmuseet.dk/en/about-the-museum.html

Tivoli Gardens was founded in 1843 and has become a national treasure and an international attraction. Fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen visited many times, as did Walt Disney and many other celebrities, who all fell in love with the gardens. http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/tivoli-gardens-gdk424504

Denmark's National Museum in Copenhagen has exhibitions from the Stone Age, the Viking Age, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Modern Danish History. The National Museum is located in The Prince’s Palace, built in 1743-44. It is no longer used by the royal family, but the Great Hall still appears elegant enough to fit princes and princesses. The Gallery consists of a wide corridor that linked rooms and sleeping quarters, and featured plenty of space for exquisite handicrafts. The stucco in the ceiling, the panels and the oak parquet floor are all thought to be original. The furniture and stove are from the early 18th century. The National Museum boasts a very large ethnographical collection, a collection of classical and near eastern antiquities, a coin- and medal collection, and a toy museum. You can also visit the Victorian apartment Klunkehjemmet, practically unchanged since 1890. After years of reconstruction, the exhibition on Danish Antiquity has re-opened, including prominent national treasures such as the more than 3,000 years old Sun Chariot, the Bronze Age Egtved Girl, and an amazing collection of archaeological finds from the Viking Age, many of which have never been shown at the exhibition before. Another intriguing must-see is the Huldremose Woman, whose well-preserved remains are estimated to date back to the first decade of the first century AD. http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/national-museum-gdk410508

Christiansborg Palace, located on the tiny island of Slotsholmen, contains the Danish Parliament Folketinget, the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of State. Parts of the palace are used by the Royal Family for various functions and events. The Royal Reception Rooms include The Tower Room and The Oval Throne Room where foreign ambassadors to Denmark are received by the Queen. The Throne Room gives access to the balcony where the Danish monarchs are proclaimed. https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/christiansborg-palace-gdk420896

Nyhavn is the perfect place to end a long day. With a cold one on the quay like the locals, or at one of the many restaurants. Originally, Nyhavn was a busy commercial port where ships from all over the world would dock. The area was packed with sailors, ladies of pleasure, pubs and alehouses. Today the beautiful old houses have been renovated and restaurants dominate the old port. Nyhavn is filled with people enjoying the relaxed atmosphere by the canal, jazz music and great food. The famous Danish fairytale writer, Hans Christian Andersen, used to live in no. 20. This is where he wrote the fairy-tales 'The Tinderbox', 'Little Claus and Big Claus', and 'The Princess and the Pea'. He also lived twenty years in no. 67 and two years in no. 18. During Christmas, Nyhavn sets the perfectly Christmas-lit setting for your holiday in Copenhagen. The cafés and restaurants offer Danish Christmas delicacies and the annual Christmas market fills the cobbled street with decorated stalls. A classic Christmas experience. https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/nyhavn-gdk474735

Kongegaarden, built in respectable Rococo style in 1761, is now the perfect setting for a regional centre of professional art and music. The idea of using Kongegaarden as a professional centre of art and music was put forward by the Korsør Municipality cultural council in 1986. http://www.visitwestzealand.com/ln-int/kongegaarden-gdk718830