54 places in Germany have been designated World Heritage Sites by UNESCO: churches and monasteries, castles and palaces, prehistoric settlements, modernist architecture, historic industrial sites and biotopes. 2024 Schwerin Castle has been awarded the coveted UNESCO World Heritage status. The castle underwent renovation in the 19th century: this gave it a romantic appearance that has since made it a magnet for visitors and a backdrop for international film productions.
“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” was filmed there, for example. UNESCO also recognised the small Saxon town of Herrnhut as a new World Heritage Site since it formed part of the Moravian Church settlements . Religious refugees from Moravia founded the village in 1722 in the wake of the .
In 1978, Aachen Cathedral was the first World Heritage Site in Germany to be included in UNESCO’s list. Emperor Charlemagne had this monumental church constructed in the year 800. 30 German emperors were crowned at Aachen Cathedral over the following centuries.
In addition, ten other churches and monasteries have World Heritage status, including Cologne Cathedral, Speyer Cathedral and Maulbronn Monastery. The commemorative sites in Eisleben and Wittenberg are associated with the work of the reformer Martin Luther, as is Wartburg Castle. There are a number of towns whose entire historic centres have been placed under UNESCO protection because characteristic ensembles have been preserved there over the course of the centuries.
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