A selection of other memorial museums in Germany.
Other memorial sites for the victims of Nazism.
The imposing rotunda of the Hall of Liberation is a prominent landmark of the town of Kelheim, visible from afar. The important historical structure on the Michelberg hills looks down across the town and over the Altmühl and Danube rivers. The Hall of Liberation is a memorial commissioned by King Ludwig I of Bavaria to commemorate the victorious battles fought during the Wars of Liberation against Napoleon (1813-1815). It was built by the architect Leo von Klenze between 1842-1863. The brick rotunda is 45 metres high, excluding the foundations. The buttresses of the facade are crowned with 18 monumental statues - allegories of the German tribes. The seven-metre-high entrance gate opens up into the interior, dominated by 34 goddesses of victory made of white Carrara marble, linking hands and dancing in a circle. They support 17 gilded shields, cast from the bronze of smelted canons. Closed on Shrove Tuesday, 24-25 December. Guided tours on request.
» www.schloesser.bayern.de
The Walhalla monument is a Hall of Fame and Honour located on the Danube and is one of the major artistic creations of the Bavarian King Ludwig I. Constructed by the well-known architect Leo von Klenze between 1830-1842, the Walhalla is one of the many cultural attractions on the Danube. The temple is built in Doric style, one of the grandest and most beautiful monuments built by the Bavarian King for the Germans. A huge entry gate leads to the interior. The Walhalla memorial commemorates important Germans and figures linked in some way to the history and people of Germany since 1842 in the form of marble busts and memorial plaques. The monument is considered the most important classical building of the 19th century. Closed on Shrove Tuesday and 24-25 and 31 December.
» www.walhalla-regensburg.de
The monument to Hermann the Cheruscan stands on the old German walled fortress atop the 386m Teutberg hill, visible from afar. In an ancient suit of armour, his sword thrust into the air, Hermann looks out over the region with an air of grandeur. The 27-metre-high statue made of copper and iron is a reminder of the famous Varus battle in the Teutoburg Forest, where in 9 AD Arminus (or Hermann), the leader of the Cheruscans, inflicted a devastating defeat upon the Roman Empire. The monument, built between 1838-1875 by the sculptor and architect Ernst von Bandel, consists mainly of Gothic elements, particularly in the “Hall of Fame”, in the base of the monument. The monument is a popular attraction today, a symbol of the Teutoburg Forest.
» www.hermannsdenkmal.de
The most famous landmark in Leipzig and the largest national monument in Germany is the Battle of Leipzig memorial. The massive temple commemorating death and freedom rises 91 metres into the sky, not far from Napoleon's former command post. Designed in 1858-1913 by the architect Bruno Schmitz, it is a reminder of the pivotal victory of the Allied European armies over Napoleon in 1813. The impressive collection of memorials over an area of four hectares and the integrated Forum 1813 museum offer spectacular insights into the events of the Battle of Leipzig and its consequences. The figure on the base is the archangel Michael, a patron for many German battles. The vast cupola roof of the hall of fame contains 324 near life-sized horsemen. Guided tours are available.
» www.voelkerschlachtdenkmal.de
The Naval Monument towers 85 metres high over the Baltic coast at the entrance of the Kiel fjord and is visible for miles around. The monument was originally built to remember the members of the Imperial German Navy who died in the First World War, but in May 1954 it became a memorial for seamen of all nations and to commemorate peaceful seafaring on the open seas. Besides the unusually shaped tower, there is also an underground hall of remembrance, a historical hall with many ship models and other naval and maritime history exhibits and a 7,000m˛ open space covered with sandstone from the river Weser, on a total area of almost six hectares. A Second World War U-995 submarine was converted into a museum in 1972 to present the ideas and objectives of the Naval Monument. Visitors can gain first-hand experience of the suffering and fear faced by those involved in battles at sea.
» www.deutscher-marinebund.de
The Victory Column in Berlin on the “Great Star” roundabout is one of the most famous landmarks of the city. The goddess of victory Victoria (from Roman mythology) with her laurel wreath stands eight metres high on the Victory Column, proudly proclaiming her military roots, and is known fondly as the “Golden Else” because of her colour. Visitors can climb up a spiral staircase of almost 300 steps and come out almost at Victoria's feet. Much of the 70-metre-high column's present-day fame can be attributed to the fact that it is the venue for the final party of the annual Love Parade, but the Victory Column was originally dedicated to military deeds. The monument was designed by Johann Heinrich Strack (1865-73) to commemorate the Prussian victories of 1864, 1866 and 1870/71 against Denmark, Austria and France.
» www.berlin.de
High up on the ridge of the Niederwald in the Rhenish-Westphalian Slate Mountains is the impressive ten-metre-high statue of the mythical figure of “Germania”, visible from miles around. The 38-metre-high monument and its grand statue were built to commemorate the formation of the new German Empire in 1871, and the foundation stone was laid in 1877 in the presence of Kaiser Wilhelm I. The national monument commemorates the re-establishment of the German empire with the figure holding the imperial crown in her proudly raised right hand and the imperial sword in her left hand. It was seen as one of the greatest works of art of its time. Kaiser Wilhelm I and all of the princes attended the ceremony for the inauguration of the monument in 1883. Dates and coats of arms on the base refer back to the time when the German Empire was founded. Today, visitors can take the cable car through the vineyards to “Germania”.
» www.niederwalddenkmal.de
Nestled in the idyllic Kyffhäuser hills stands an imposing landmark. The Kyffhäuser Monument is dedicated to Kaiser Wilhelm I, who created the German empire after the Franco-Prussian War. The Kaiser Wilhelm Monument was built in 1890-1896 according to plans by Bruno Schmitz to honour Kaiser Wilhelm I and Friedrich I. The colossal, stone lookout tower is based on a pyramid design with an imperial crown at the top. The focal point of the imposing monument is the 81-metre-high tower, with a sandstone figure of Barbarossa (Friedrich I) carved at the feet of an equestrian statue of Wilhelm I. A total of 247 steps lead up to the dome at the top of the tower. Banners in the upper cornice list all the states which were united in 1871 to form the German Empire. The adjacent memorial building houses the fortress museum, which focuses on the imperial fortress and the story of Barbarossa.
» www.kyffhaeuser-tourismus.de
“Checkpoint Charlie” was the most famous border crossing point between former East and West Berlin, open only for foreigners, diplomats and members of the Allied army. The “Checkpoint Charlie” Wall Museum opened in 1963 in Berlin, with exhibits spread over three different houses and over 1,750 m˛ of exhibition space. The museum displays documentation about the wall and various attempts to escape over and under ground, both successful and failed, and the most diverse range of objects used for these escapes, including a mini submarine, cars and even a hot air balloon. It also describes the history of the international non-violent fight and the liberation movements in central and eastern Europe, right up to opposition in the GDR and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Open daily.
» www.mauermuseum.de
