UNESCO World Heritage Routes Germany
Only the best among the outstanding testimonies to human and natural history are allowed to bear the title of UNESCO World Heritage. And you will find many of the best in Germany.
More than 2,000 years of history have left significant traces in Germany: silent yet eloquent witnesses to great cultural achievements and natural phenomena. Many of the most impressive, 44 in number, architectural monuments, city ensembles, but also important industrial plants and extraordinary natural landscapes, have been declared World Heritage by UNESCO in Germany. A legacy that is also intended for you: because every trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites is a journey into your own personal story.
UNESCO's world heritage routes make it possible to experience:
- the cultural and natural heritage in Germany
- on eight routes;
- 44 World Heritage sites that are registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List and are protected by the international convention for the cultural and natural heritage of mankind.
They can be divided into the following categories: churches & monasteries, old town ensembles, palaces & castles, industrial culture, gardens & landscapes, cultural & contemporary history.
UNESCO World Heritage
1972 wurde von der Generalkonferenz der UNESCO die „Internationale Konvention zum Schutz des Kultur- und Naturerbes der Welt“ verabschiedet.
Sie legt den Schutz eines Kultur- oder Naturgutes, das einen „außergewöhnlichen universellen Wert“ besitzt, in die Obhut der gesamten Menschheit. Mit der Unterzeichnung der Konvention verpflichtet sich jedes Land, die innerhalb seiner Landesgrenzen gelegenen Denkmäler zu schützen und für zukünftige Generationen zu erhalten.
Als Gegenleistung bekommen die Mitgliedstaaten der UNESCO Fachberatung zur Erhaltung Ihrer Denkmäler, die Entwicklungsländer auch finanzielle Hilfen. Es ist das Ziel der Konvention, die Zusammenarbeit zwischen allen Menschen und Völkern und den Schutz des Natur- und Kulturerbes zu fördern und zu intensivieren.
Der UNESCO-Welterbestätten Deutschland e.V. ist ein Zusammenschluss der deutschen Welterbestätten und der jeweiligen touristischen Organisationen. Der Verein – zuvor als Werbegemeinschaft aktiv – wurde im September 2001 in Quedlinburg gegründet. Dort befindet sich auch die Geschäftsstelle des Vereins: im historischen Palais Salfeld mitten in der Quedlinburger Altstadt, die 1994 in die Liste der UNESCO-Welterbestätten aufgenommen wurde.
46 scenes of humanity
Only the best among the outstanding testimonies to human and natural history are allowed to bear the title of UNESCO World Heritage. And you will find many of the best in Germany.
2,000 years of history have left significant traces in Germany: silent yet eloquent witnesses to great cultural achievements and natural phenomena. 46 of the most impressive monuments and city ensembles, but also important industrial plants and extraordinary natural landscapes, have been declared a World Heritage Site in Germany by UNESCO. A wonderful reason to explore Germany by motorhome and to be amazed in a variety of ways.
Let yourself be captivated by the most wonderful places in history, go on a search for traces through the legacy of mankind: In Germany you will find it 46 times.
World heritage sites in Germany
Searching for traces
On eight routes, you can draw attention to yourself from the most wonderful places in history. Go on a search for traces of the heritage of humanity and learn more about the 46 outstanding references of history and culture in Germany.
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral was built for more than 600 years. And the long construction time should be worth it. During the Second World War, the cathedral remained virtually unscathed despite severe damage in the city and has been a miracle for Cologne residents ever since. A miracle that over 6 million visitors annually want to see with their own eyes, which makes Cologne Cathedral one of the most visited sights in Germany. But also outside of the cathedral, the city of Cologne and the Rhineland can score with very open-minded people and many other attractions.
The Wadden Sea
The transnational Wadden Sea World Heritage extends between Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark. Shaped by the everyday tides, around 10,000 species of plants and animals such as mussels, fish and mammals settled here. In addition, there are 10 to 12 million birds that rest on their long journey to their wintering areas in the Wadden Sea and strengthen themselves for the further journey.
You can also experience some relaxing days in northern Germany and enjoy breathtaking nature, great wildlife and of course the culture of the German coastal cities.
Wittenberg
Martin Luther reformed the Catholic Church in 1517 with 95 theses. He nailed these theses to the Wittenberg Castle Church, which is the highlight of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Wittenberg. Together with the other world heritage sites of the city, the Lutherhaus, Melanchthonhaus and the city church, the history of Luther can be traced in an interesting way. In Lutherstadt Eisleben, only a few kilometers away, there is also the house where Luther was born and where he died.
Prussian castles and gardens
The more than 30 opened castles and gardens in Berlin and Brandenburg invite you to a lively journey through the glorious era of the Prussian kings. As testimony to a complete architecture and garden art in Prussia, they have largely been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1990. They owe their paradise beauty to the leg name "Prussian Arcadium“.
In addition to the world-famous Hohenzollernresidenzen Sanssouci in Potsdam and Charlottenburg in Berlin, the castles Rheinsberg, Caputh, Königs Wusterhausen, Oranienburg and Paretz are also ideal places to visit.
Photo journey World Heritage Routes
Route guidance with parking space information
The other 7 UNESCO world heritage routes can be found in our "Explorer Map".
This information is a service offer from ALPINE in cooperation with FERIENSTRASSEN.INFO 
UNESCO Welterbestätten Deutschland e. V.
c/o Historic Highlights of Germany e.V.
Kornmarkt 6
D- 06484 Quedlinburg
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE ROUTES GERMANY
