[image: Photo: Snow-covered medieval castle in Bavaria] Idyllic scenes like this one of a snow-covered medieval castle are standard fare in the Bavarian city of Mittenwald. Nestled in the Alps of southern Germany, Bavaria is known for its classic charm and enduring traditions.
[image: Photo: Satvey Castle] Built as early as the 1300s, the famous Satzvey Castle in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia is a public attraction as well as the private residence of Count Beissel von Gymnich and his family. [image: Photo: Mother and son talking over the Berlin Wall] A mother and her son greet each other over the newly built wall that will soon come to define their existence in Berlin. From 1961, when this picture was taken, to 1989 the Berlin Wall divided the communist East from the democratic West. [image: Photo: People jumping, holding hands in traditional costume] Despite exchanging clogs for sneakers, these revelers in Herbstein, Germany, celebrate Fasching, or Carnival, the old-fashioned way. [image: Photo: Gold-colored fields in Holstein, Germany] Although some might associate Holstein, Germany, with the breed of cattle that shares its name, it is better known for its fertile feeds and beautiful landscapes. [image: Photo: Munich's famous Town Hall and Cathedral] The twin towers of Munich's medieval Frauenkirche, or Church of Our Lady, and the Gothic-styled clock tower of New Town Hall dominate the skyline of one of Germany's most famous cities. Twice a day, the square fills with people gathering to watch nearly life-size figurines act out scenes from the city's history on the famous carillon clock tower. [image: Photo: The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin] The Brandenburg Gate has stood at the entrance to Berlin's heart since the late 18th century. [image: Photo: Berlin's Reichstag Building] Reichstag was the name of Germany's parliament before it was disassembled by the Nazis. After World War II, when Germany enacted a revised constitution in 1949, a new parliament was instituted and the name was changed to * Budestag*. The building, however, retained its original name of Reichstag. [image: Photo: The Berlin Cathedral on the Spree River] The Spree River carves its course through a mixture of architecture from medieval to modern in Berlin before combining with the Havel River and flowing out to sea.
