What Is Germany Famous For? - Top Things Germany Is Known For

Germany has attractions that people travel from all over the world to see. If you only know Germany because of its beer and sausages, you’re about to find out a lot more!

Take a look at the things Germany is known for:

Beer

What do Germans like to drink? That can only be beer. Germans are the second-largest beer drinkers in Europe, and when we think of them, we always think of someone holding a large mug of beer. Beer production has been perfected in Germany. The German Purity Law verifies that their beer is made with regulated ingredients, only water, malt, hops, and yeast.

In 1844, King Ludwig I of Bavaria imposed a beer tax, provoking a serious outbreak of ‘beer riots’. They were only put to rest when the king ordered a 10% reduction in the price of beer.

Here are some of the most famous German beers:

• Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier. 
• Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock. 
• Bitburger Pilsner. 
• Erdinger Weissbier. 
• Köstritzer Schwarzbier.

Football

Germany is one of the most successful national teams in international competitions, it won four FIFA World Cups (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014). Today’s most famous football players come from Germany, for example, Miroslav Klose, Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, and Mesut Özil, who play for big clubs. 

The German National Football Team, or Bayern Munich, gathers people of all ages to watch matches in the town square. 

Bread & Sausages

Bread, like beer, is something Germans make with a lot of care and it must be a certain way. Germans love baking bread and there are thousands of different breads to choose from. You have loaves, rolls, dark or white, and sweet to plain. 

Some famous options you can try:

• Apfelwein Bread
• Bavarian Pretzel
• Berlin Rye
• Black Forest Bread
• Bremen Coffee Bread
• Dresden Stollen Cake

When we think of Germany, we also think about a lovely grilled sausage with mustard. Called “Wurst” in German, you can have a sausage made from pork, beef, or veal. 

Some famous options: 

• Bratwurst
• Weisswurst
• Blutwurst
• Frankfurter Würstchen
• Leberwurst
• Thüringer Rostbratwurst

Castles & Palaces

Germany is the land of palaces and castles. Experts say the country has over 20,000 castles. The country’s most famous castle is Schloss Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, used as the model for the castle in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.

Let’s explore the other castles and palaces: 

• Hohenzollern Castle. This castle belonged to the Hohenzollern royal family. It’s still a new building; everything about it isn’t older than 160 years. It’s a prime example of neo-gothic architecture.
• Wartburg Castle. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, the Wartburg castle is 1,000 years old. This castle was a shelter for reformer Martin Luther, who also translated the New Testament into German while living there. 
• Meersburg Castle. Beautifully standing in Lake Constance, this is the oldest inhabited castle in Germany. You can visit this castle’s kitchen, the knight’s hall, and the torture chamber. The famous German poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff lived and died in this castle in the 19th century.
• Schwerin Castle. Now state-owned, this castle used to be the home of the grand dukes of  Mecklenburg. It’s an old castle built back in the 900s.
• Sanssouci Palace. This palace was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990. It is small but world-famous and was Frederick the Great’s favorite place. He would retreat and spend the summer without any cares—which in French means “Sans Souci”—hence the name.
• Ludwigsburg Palace. This palace was supposed to be a small hunting lodge for the dukes of Württemberg, who lived 12 kilometers away in Stuttgart. Things turned out differently, and this building turned out to be the most beautiful Baroque complex in the 18th century. 

Cathedrals & Monuments

Germany perfectly shows the historic architecture and it’s a sight for sore eyes!

Here are some examples:

• Cologne Cathedral. This iconic symbol of Germany, which took over 600 years to build, was visited by 4.3 million people in 2022. At 157 meters tall, it’s the third-largest church in the world and can hold 4000 people.

• Berlin Wall Memorial. The wall, which stood between 1961 and 1989, symbolized the ‘Iron Curtain’—the split between East and West—that existed across Europe and between the US and the Soviet Union, and their allies during the Cold War.

• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The Holocaust Memorial is a memorial in Berlin to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, designed by architects Peter Eisenman and Buro Happold. It was officially opened on 10 May 2005.

• Aachen Cathedral. Aachen Cathedral was the first German cultural monument to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978. It’s one of the best architectural monuments of the Carolingian period.

Festivals & Carnivals

Carnivals and festivals in Germany have deep roots in Catholicism but have turned into street parades where people wear costumes.

Here are some famous festivals and carnivals:

Cologne Carnival

Carnival in Cologne is one of those experiences that you have to live in your life. It’s a week-long party with street parades, people dressing up with masks, and partying in bars all over Cologne. Cologne has the largest carnival celebrations in all of Germany, with over 2 million people. 

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest started as a wedding celebration more than 200 years ago when Bavaria’s Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese of Saxony. Now, it’s the world’s largest celebration of Bavarian culture. 

The area of Bavaria is famous for beers, brats, and its use of bustiers. The festival takes place at the end of September and lasts for 16-18 days.

The first Oktoberfests used small beer booths because there weren’t as many people as the millions of people the festival sees today. Today’s Oktoberfest beer tents hold anywhere between 5,000 and 11,000 thirsty people! Be prepared to pay between 4€ and 6€ for a delicious German beer (way stronger than a regular beer). 

Here are some famous Oktoberfest tents:

• Hofbräu-Festzelt
• Schottenhamel Festhalle
• Hacker Festzelt
• Augustiner Festhalle
• Paulaner Festzelt

Famous Germans

There are lots of people from Germany who have made an impact worldwide. These Germans are inventors, musicians, writers, and more. 

Let’s read about them: 

• Albert Einstein: Theoretical physicist who developed the general theory of relativity.
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Composer and pianist who widened the scope of the symphony, the sonata, the concerto, and the quartet.
• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Polymath and writer, the most influential writer in the German language.
• Werner Heisenberg. Theoretical physicist, one of the main discoverers of the theory of quantum mechanics.
• Johannes Gutenberg. Inventor of the movable-type printing press.
• Karl Marx. Philosopher, a famous advocate for communism.

Cars

German car making is as old as Germany itself. Some of the earliest car brands are Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, which are high-performance cars. 

One important moment in German car history is the introduction of Volkswagen Beetle in the 1950s. It was an affordable car, and accessible, which made it one of the most popular cars in the world.

Here are some German-owned car brands:

• Volkswagen Group
• BMW Group
• Opel
• Mercedes-Benz
• Porsche

Nuremberg Christmas Market

Christmas time in Germany means Christmas markets, and there are over 2000 of them, each with a special feature. The Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt is one of the oldest Christmas Markets in the world. Everyone interested can buy traditional, hand-made Christmas decorations. There are also gingerbread treats, Spekulatius almond cookies, and so much more.

Free Education

Germany has free education in public universities, and everyone can benefit from it, even international students! But, there is no such thing as free food. You will still have to pay for accommodation, living, and travel to get here.

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