We couldn't do it without you. At this historic church, Martin Luther introduced Leipzig to Protestantism, and Johann Sebastian Bach conducted the Thomanerchor — the most famous boys' choir in Germany, which still performs here. This section of our forum has been retired. And the Wettin family had one of the best, at nearby Meissen. In Berlin, Germany, socialist realism — the art of the communist era — actually went beyond censorship. Gisa: The Stasi officers sat people on chairs with a piece of cloth and the piece of cloth would absorb the smell when the suspects sweated during the interrogation. Out of the squalor came a forced uniformity and, if you played by the rules, life was not miserable. Posted by Lo. Explore Europe with Rick Steves' travel guide to the best destinations and recommended sights, things to do, tips, and videos along with much more travel information. This fun collection features scientific gadgets from the 16th to 19th century, including measuring, timekeeping, and surveying instruments, as well as globes and telescopes. Outside these times, your chances of getting a same-day slot without an advance reservation are usually pretty good, especially if you show up in the morning. According to legend, for 151 of these Chinese vases, Augustus traded 600 soldiers — complete with horses — to Prussia. To learn more, step into Leipzig's Contemporary History Forum — which tells the 44-year story of communism in East Germany. All mail and packages coming into the country were searched. This poor fellow, repressed by both regimes, with his head scrunched down, seems to represent individuality under siege. The largest demonstration here in Leipzig was 450,000 protesters, but they all remained peaceful, and that's the biggest accomplishment. Rick Steves Best of Germany includes lightly condensed coverage of Rothenburg, the Romantic Road, and the Rhine, as well as brief coverage of Frankfurt, Würzburg, Cologne, and the Mosel Valley's Burg Eltz — enough for a quick trip. Saxony, part of the former East Germany, remains a secret to most travelers. File: EPUB, 57.13 MB. Rick Steves / Times Colonist March 2, 2019 06:00 AM If you plan to go to "Mad" King Ludwig's Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles … Rick Steves' Europe. After exploring the proud cuisine capital of Lyon we head for Chamonix. Please sign in to post. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination. And, ahead of them, the royals, with 35 names and dates marking 700 years of Wettin family rule. Posted on July 30, 2013 November 7, 2013. Travel information for Europe's best destinations across 25+ countries. Generally what they had was what their neighbors had — children all had the same blocks, books, and cuddly stuffed pets. This statue represents how East Germany endured two harsh dictatorships in succession: the flat-palmed Sieg Heil! Saxony is a proud region of Germany with a long and rich history. Imagine whipping out your pocket sundial in the year 1700, or a newfangled pocket watch in 1760 — with a risqué painting. Learn how much time to spend in each place, how to travel smoothly between them, and which side-trips are worth adding. The Mathematics and Physics Salon features scientific gadgets from the 16th to 19th century. Rick visits the two great cities of the region: the capital city of Dresden, with the opulent palaces and art treasures of the Wettin dynasty, and Leipzig, with its Bach heritage, a massive monument to the day Europe beat Napoleon, and museums remembering its communist heritage. And exactly a century later, in 1913 — during a surge of nationalism following the unification of Germany — Leipzig inaugurated this towering memorial on the site of this bloody battle. Rick: So eventually these Monday prayer services for peace spilled out of the church and into the city at large? And whenever something suspicious turned up — for example, a leaflet — they brought in the dogs. A column in the church square celebrates the church's contribution to German freedom. The Wettin family's extravagant trove is displayed in rooms as opulent as the collection itself. Today, after a thorough update, they've become desirable places to live. Under the communists, Dresden restored some of its damaged buildings, left others in ruins, and replaced many with modern, utilitarian sprawl. Europe - 101 places Rick Steves doesn't know - I'm browsing this board for a while now, and like others I noticed a preference for southern Germany (Bavaria, Rhine). Leipzig remembers its tough 20th century with a little whimsy. Berlin: 3 nights Stay in the city center, the “Mitte”, for easy walking access to most sites. Then they head into Transylvania, where they visit fortified churches, cobbled merchant towns like Sighisoara, and castles made famous by an imported German king and the real-life Dracula. Share a table and strike up a conversation. Rick Steves’ guide book on Germany, woefully inadequate for this area, was supplemented with Lonely Planet to plan an itinerary. The biggest space in Dresden's Royal Palace, it was the scene of medieval war games. For a generation it lay there, a pile of rubble. This simple inscription recalls that "after the air raids…the bodies of 6,865 people killed in the bombing were burnt on this spot.". And high above, in the dome, hundreds of life-sized soldiers on horses return from battle. The wine (85 percent white) is particularly good from the Mosel and Rhine areas. Try. It premiered on September 3, 2000; since then a total of 10 seasons and … Coffee was exotic and trendy back then, and this extravagant centerpiece, while never actually used to serve coffee, certainly made an impression. Saxony, part of the former East Germany, remains a secret to most travelers. And they confiscated piles of cassette tapes that contained forbidden Western pop music. Bach's tomb, adorned with flowers, is like a pilgrimage [site] for music lovers. Using Airbnb.com and booking.com, stayed at centrally located pensions and small hotels. In this episode we'll visit two great German cities bombed and then rebuilt after World War II. For 40 years, through the Cold War, Dresden was part of communist East Germany. DO NOT POST HERE. In Berlin, we explore museums dedicated to the history of the gone-but-not-forgotten Wall. Smaller text Larger text. The Battle of the Nations marked the turning point in the fight against Napoleon. 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