Tower sights in Germany
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Funkturm
The Funkturm (radio tower), next to the trade-fair grounds, is by far the most visible structure in western Charlottenburg. Its filigree outline, which bears an uncanny resemblance to Paris’ Eiffel Tower, soars 138m into the Berlin sky (150m with antenna) and has been transmitting signals since 1926. In 1935 the first regular TV program in the world was broadcast from this tower, which looks especially pretty when lit up at night. From the viewing platform at 125m or the restaurant at 55m you can enjoy sweeping views of the Grunewald and the western city, as well as the AVUS, Germany’s first car-racing track, which opened in 1921; AVUS stands for Automobil-, Verkehrs- u…
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Rathaus
A short walk north of Residenzplatz, via Schrottgasse, is Passau's Rathaus , a grand Gothic building topped by its 19th-century landmark painted tower. A carillon chimes several times daily (hours are listed on the wall, alongside historical flood-level markers). The entrance on Schrottgasse takes you to the Grosser Rathaussaal (Great Assembly Room) where large-scale paintings by 19th-century local artist Ferdinand Wagner show scenes from Passau's history with melodramatic flourish.
If it's not being used for a wedding or a meeting, also sneak into the adjacent 'small assembly room' for a peek at the ceiling fresco which again features allegories of the three rivers.
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St Sebalduskirche
Nuremberg's oldest church was built in the 13th-century. Its exterior is replete with religious sculptures and symbols. Check out the ornate carvings over the Bridal Doorway to the north, showing the Wise and Foolish Virgins. Inside, the bronze shrine of St Sebald (Nuremberg's own saint) is a Gothic and Renaissance masterpiece that took its maker, Peter Vischer the Elder, and his two sons more than 11 years to complete.(Vischer is in it too, sporting a skullcap.)
Tours of the church's tower are by prior arrangement only.
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Münster
Ooh, it's so big…first-time visitors gush as they strain their neck muscles gazing up to the Münster. It is. And rather beautiful. Celebrated for its 161.5m-high steeple, the world's tallest, this Goliath of cathedrals took a staggering 500 years to build from the first stone laid in 1377. Note the hallmarks on each stone, inscribed by cutters who were paid by the block. Those intent on cramming the Münster into one photo, filigree spire and all, should lie down on the cobbles.
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Water Tower
Mannheim's fave symbol, its Wasserturm, stands on the highest point of Friedrichsplatz. This square is one of Europe's finest Art Nouveau architectural ensembles and is a popular spot to hang out in summer. The tower, constructed in 1888, was designed to hold 2000 cubic meters (2616 cubic yards) of water. It was pretty much destroyed in WWII then rebuilt.
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Sammlung Ludwig Bamberg
For closer views, turning at the end of the Geyerswörthsteg then right again onto Obere Brücke brings you face to façade with the imposing tower, a baroque addition by Balthasar Neumann. It provides access to the precious porcelain and faïences - mostly from Strassbourg and Meissen - housed in the Sammlung Ludwig Bamberg.
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Neues Rathaus
The neo-baroque Neues Rathaus is one of the world's largest town halls with some 600 rooms and an impressive 108m-high tower. Although the building’s origins date back to the 16th century, its current manifestation was completed in 1905. The restored interior makes it one of the finest municipal buildings in Germany.
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Westfalen Park
Dortmund's inner-city green lung is a haven for sunning, strolling and smelling the roses. The park features the blooming lovely German National Rosarium, lakes, walking paths and the Florianturm, a 220m-high TV tower complete with observation decks and revolving restaurant. The best view in Dortmund!
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Historische Mühle
Maulbeerallee is the only road cutting straight through Park Sanssouci. North of it is the Historische Mühle, a functioning replica of an 18th- century windmill. Admission lets you examine historic exhibits and, more interestingly, the enormous grinding mechanism.
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Schwerin Cathedral
Rising above the market square, Schwerin's 14th-century cathedral (Dom) is an impressive piece of north-German Gothic architecture - and locals love to point out that its tower (118m) is a whole 50cm taller than Rostock's Petrikirche! It offers stupendous city views.
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Schlosskirche
Did or didn't he (Luther) nail those 95 theses to the door of the Schlosskirche ? We'll never know for sure, for the original portal was destroyed by fire in 1760 and replaced in 1858 with a massive bronze version inscribed with the theses in Latin.
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Reichenturm
The Reichenturm provides aerial views of the Altstadt. The addition of the baroque cupola in 1718 caused the 53m-high structure to start tilting. Today it deviates 1.4m from the centre, making it one of the steepest leaning towers north of the Alps.
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Schlossturm
Next door to the Schlosskirche, you can climb the city's landmark Schlossturm, but be warned that the floor feels a little shaky in parts, and the view is expansive rather than breathtaking.
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Aussichtsturm
The forested Schlossberg dominates the town (that's why the French built a fort there in the late 1600s). It's topped by the ice-cream-cone-shaped Aussichtsturm; the views are fantastic!
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Glockenturm
The best views of the Olympic stadium are from the 77m-high Glockenturm, where interesting exhibits document the 1936 Olympic Games and the history of the grounds.
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MDR Hochhaus
Sticking out like the tall kid in your third-grade picture, is the landmark MDR Hochhaus, a rather attractive skyscraper from 1970, with a viewing platform and restaurant on top.
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Petrikirche
The Gothic Petrikirche has a 117m-high steeple - a mariner's landmark for centuries - that was restored in 1994, having been missing since WWII.
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Alte Wasserkunst
South of the Schloss the Alte Wasserkunst is a tower containing an ingenious and fully functional late-medieval pumping station.
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Hausmannsturm
For fine views, head up the Hausmannsturm. Numismatists might like to pop into the Münzkabinett (Coin Collection), also in the tower.
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Basilika of St Ulrich & Afra
Another onion-domed tower, belonging to the late-Gothic Basilika of St Ulrich and Afra, crowns the southern end of Maximilianstrasse.
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Petrikirche
Panoramic views over the city unfold from the Petrikirche, which has a tower lift to the 7th floor.
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Neues Rathaus Tower
For pinpointing Munich's landmarks without losing your breath, catch the lift up this 85m-tall tower.
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Perlachturm
For widescreen city views, climb the Perlachturm next door to the Rathaus.
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