Original subtitles

(wind blowing)

(inspirational music)

(triumphant music)

- [Narrator] Our journey starts in the forests

and farmlands of southeast Germany.

From Bayreuth, the home of Wagner's operas,

we travel to the historic city of Nuremberg

then it's east along one of the greatest waterways

in the world, the Danube.

On its banks is Walhalla, Germany's answer

to Athens Parthenon.

Close to the Austrian border is the sleepy village

of Marktl, birthplace of Pope Benedict XVI.

We finally arrive at Munich

in time to join the biggest beer festival

in the world, Oktoberfest.

(Bavarian accordion music)

To the rest of the world, it's Bavaria

more than any other part of Germany

that sums of the land of lederhosen,

sausages, beer, and quaint medieval towns.

Like Bad Berneck here in the northern part of Bavaria.

(Bavarian music)

Nestled in a picturesque valley,

it's topped with it's own 12th century castle ruin.

(Bavarian music)

(inspirational music)

Situated in the southeast of Germany,

Bavaria is the largest of the country's 16 states.

In fact, it's almost equal in size

to its two neighboring countries,

the Czech Republic and Austria.

Bavaria is one of the oldest states in Europe

and with a rich history going back to the first millennium

its people see themselves Bavarian first and German second,

with they're own culture and traditions.

(inspirational music)

And one of the greatest of all

Bavarian traditions are its festivals.

In the medieval town of Bayreuth,

holds one of the most famous in the world,

the monthlong Wagner Festival.

(orchestral music)

Every summer the town attracts thousands of opera fans,

some of whom have waited up to 10 years

for one of the annual 58,000 tickets.

(orchestral music)

The Richard Wagner Festival was started by

the 19th century composer himself,

who set out to design the ideal place

to perform his epic operas.

(orchestral music)

The result was this, the Bayreuth Festival Hall.

(orchestral music)

From the 1930s to the Second World War,

the town became the center for Nazi ideology,

bowing to Hitler's particular love for Wagner's music

and the festival.

(orchestral music)

But the Nazi dictators personal interest in Bayreuth

led to heavy bombing by the allies,

laying waste about a third of the town

and resulting in the loss of hundreds of civilian lives.

Amazingly, the festival hall was undamaged.

(orchestral music)

After the war Bayreuth tried to distance itself

from its Nazi past and it wasn't until 1951

that the Wagner Festival was revived.

It's been sold out ever since.

(orchestral music)

The town of Bayreuth is situated

within the district of the same now.

Well known for its temperate climate and fertile soil,

it's lush farmland such as this that makes Bavaria

one of the top agricultural regions in Germany.

The flat farmland soon gives way to hills

and dense forests.

This is Franconia, a nature park,

an 1,100 square kilometer conservation area

that's a testament to the German tradition

of loving the outdoors.

Franconia Park is one of the sunniest areas

of southern German

and offers a very varied landscape

with mixed forests, rivers, and even vineyards.

Intended to align nature with people,

it's one of over hundreds such projects in Germany

that together make up a quarter of the country's land area.

On the edge of the nature park is Ansbach,

a town with a population around 40,000.

It's well known for its

Christmas Winter Wonderland exhibitions

held in the town center,

as well as the 18th century palace,

which was once home to a succession of nobles and royals.

The court gardens were created to the formal French style

which also incorporated an orangery and herb garden.

The Riccoco Festival takes place in the gardens each summer,

during which the periods splendor of the court

is brought back to life.

(orchestral music)

Today Ansbach is a thriving university town.

But as with so many places in Germany,

the numerous plaques commemorating murdered civilians

during Nazi rule are a constant reminder

of the ill-fated events of the last century.

And not far from Ansbach is the city

that witnessed both the rise

and fall of the Nazis, Nuremberg.

(dramatic music)

Southeast of the town is Dutzendteich People's Park

where the Nazi Party infamously held annual rallies

in the 1920s and '30s.

(dramatic music)

Tens of thousands would travel from all across Germany

to see Adolf Hitler deliver his speeches.

Monumental buildings were planned

to denote the supposed greatness of the Third Reich,

like the Congress Hall, whose facade was modeled

on the Colosseum in Rome.

The structure, which was to have a domed roof

and seating for 50,000, was never completed.

(dramatic music)

And this field served as a parade ground for the rallies.

A giant swastika once sat atop the grandstand.

It was ceremoniously blown apart

after the Allies victory in 1945.

And since Nuremberg was the ceremonial birthplace

of the Nazi Party, it was considered by the Allies

to be a fitting place for its symbolic demise.

And the dramatic conclusion to Nuremberg's

role in the war took place here at the Palace of Justice.

An international tribunal tried 21 top ranking Nazis

for war crimes.

11 were subsequently hanged.

(dramatic music)

But despite the town's association

with some of the darkest episodes in German history,

today's Nuremberg is a thriving city of half a million.

(dramatic music)

After the heavy bombing by Allied forces,

much of its architectural heritage was restored,

like these bridges from the 16th and 19th centuries.

It's castle, which had to be rebuilt

and St. Lawrence church which was also devastated

during the war.

(dramatic music)

The town has also maintained

its centuries old connection with toy making.

Nuremberg now holds the largest international

trade fair for toys and games in the world.

Approximately 2,700 exhibitors from about 60 countries

come to present around one million products.

As an important industrial hub

for central and eastern Europe,

Nuremberg is served by four key expressways.

(inspirational music)

These autobahns, as they are known in Germany,

are famous for having no speed limit,

though the advisory limit is 130 kilometers an hour.

(inspirational music)

The autobahns formed the first high speed road network

as early as 1935.

And they were even used to break land speed records.

(upbeat music)

The world record of 432 kilometers an hour,

set by Rudolf Caracciola in 1938

remains one of the fastest speeds

ever achieved on a public road.

(upbeat music)

Germany's autobahn network now has a total length

of almost 13,000 kilometers,

which ranks as the fourth longest in the world

after the USA, China, and India.

(inspirational music)

And tucked away from the A6 Autobahn as it heads west

is one of Bavaria's hidden gems, the town of Amberg,

nicknamed The Egg after the shape

of its intact medieval wall.

(inspirational music)

Mining iron ore made the city rich during the Middle Ages

and it was able to afford some of the best

fortifications in Germany.

(inspirational music)

As well as the city wall,

Amberg once had a water-filled moat

and about 100 defensive towers.

Its greatest test was on the 24th of August, 1796,

when the occupying Austrian Army

held off a ferocious onslaught

of 35,000 revolutionary French soldiers.

(inspirational music)

Medieval scribe Michael Schweger declared

Munich is the most beautiful princely city,

Leipzig the richest,

but Amberg the most secure.

(inspirational music)

Today this historic town's most recognizable landmark

is this 16th century defensive bridge,

that was part of the city's wall.

The three arches once operated heavy iron gates

that would be lowered during an attack.

(dramatic music)

Flying south, we leave the patchwork of greens and golds

and approach the forests of the Naab Valley.

(dramatic music)

And it's on the picturesque Naab River itself

that we find Pielenhofen, a small town

that originally grew around the centuries old monastery

which it served.

Today the monastery is used as a boarding school

for the world famous Regensburg boys choir

and the cathedral where they sing

is just 10 kilometers along the river.

(dramatic music)

Dedicated to St. Peter, Regensburg cathedral

is one of the finest examples of gothic architecture

in southern Germany.

(dramatic music)

Although the cathedral has been here

in one form or other since 700 A.D.,

the main features we see today,

like the towers and spires

weren't completed until the 1870s.

The cathedral lies at the heart

of one of the best preserved medieval cities in Germany

and one of the few that were largely undamaged

during the Second World War.

But it's not just the splendid Old Quarter

that pulls tourists to the area.

(birds chirping)

Just outside the city on the banks of the Danube,

is this extraordinary neoclassical building, Valhalla.

(dramatic music)

It was erected in 1842 by Ludwig I of Bavaria

as a monument to Germanic people across the world.

This would include places as diverse as Holland and Russia,

Britain, and the Baltic states,

spanning a period of almost 2,000 years.

But whereas the Valhalla of Norse mythology

was home to those gloriously slain in battle,

Ludwid's Valhalla was intended not only for warriors

but also for men and women of literature, art,

music, science, and politics.

(dramatic music)

The temple, which copied the Parthenon in Athens,

opened with 160 memorial plaques and busts

and over 40 have been added since,

from Albert Einstein to German resistance fighters

against the Nazis.

(dramatic music)

The building, with its riverbank setting,

makes it a popular tourist spot.

Each year, Germany's grandest hall of fame

attracts close to one million visitors.

(inspirational music)

Our journey continues east,

following Europe's second longest river, the Danube.

(inspirational music)

Originating in the southwest of Germany,

it spans the continent from west to east

for almost 2,900 kilometers until it flows out

into the Black Sea between Ukraine and Romania.

(inspirational music)

Throughout history, this international waterway

has defined territories, from the Roman empire

through to the present day,

flowing through or acting as the border for 10 countries.

(inspirational music)

It also flows through four capital cities,

more than any other river in the world.

(inspirational music)

And it's a source of drinking water for 10 million people.

(inspirational music)

All along the Danube are reminders

of the importance of this river throughout the ages.

(inspirational music)

The town of Vilshofen hugs the banks of the Danube.

Its brewery, which is still going today after 400 years,

originally used the river water for its beer.

And up on the hill is the Benedictine Abbey

of Schweiklberg whose monks use the river flow

to drive an eco-friendly hydropower plant

for their electricity supply.

(inspirational music)

Much of the Danube is navigable

and in the summer months both leisure and commercial craft

make ample use of this grand waterway.

(inspirational music)

At Passau, which is also known as the Three River City

the Danube is joined by two of its tributaries

from the north and south.

And it's here, close to the border with Austria

that tourists can embark on one of finest ways

to enjoy the Danube,

a 250 kilometer pleasure trip to Vienna,

the capital of Austria.

It's a two day journey from Passau which includes

an overnight stop.

But Passau, a town of 50,000 is far from being just a port.

Noted for its Baroque and gothic architecture,

it's rich history and heritage, goes back 2,000 years.

In the Renaissance period,

from the 14th to the 17th centuries

Passau was best known as one of the greatest makers

of swords and blades.

The weapons were famously stamped with the Passau wolf,

which was said to give invulnerability to the bearer.

In the heart of Passau's old town, is St. Stephens Cathedral

which houses one of world's largest church organs,

with over 17,000 pipes.

(inspirational music)

And sitting on a rocky crest, high over the city,

is the medieval fortress, Vesta Oberhaus.

In its 800 year history, it's been attacked several times

but never conquered.

For 100 years, the stronghold served

as a state and military prison.

Today it's a youth hostel and restaurant.

(inspirational music)

Flying southwest toward our final destination of Munich,

it's not long before we pass the village of Marktl.

It rose to fame in 2005 as the birthplace

of the first elected Pope of the 21st Century,

Pope Benedict the XVI.

(inspirational music)

Today, guided tours follow the Pope's early years.

They include visits to St. Oswald Church

where Pope Benedict was baptized on the same day

he was born in 1927.

And it's a Catholic connection

that takes us to our final destination,

because it was 12th century Benedictine Monks

who first settled here.

They were drawn to this region by the fertile soil

and proximity to Italy.

The settlement grew over the centuries

to become the capital of Bavaria.

Munich, a name derived from

the medieval Munichen meaning monk's place.

Though the city has had a turbulent past,

particularly in the last century,

today's Munich is frequently listed

as one of the most livable

and eco-friendly cities in the world.

It's hosted major world events,

like the 2006 Football World Cup.

And Munich's most visible landmark

is part of the Olympic Park

created for the 1972 games.

A 291 meter telecommunications tower

has a revolving restaurant that makes a complete turn

every 53 minutes.

(inspirational music)

The park itself still serves as a venue

for social and cultural events.

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Munich is Germany's third largest city

behind Hamburg and Berlin

and it's a center for finance and publishing.

A visible reminder that Bavaria

has one of the largest and healthiest economies

of any region in Germany,

is the world headquarters building for Bavaria Motor Works

or BMW for short.

(inspirational music)

Known globally as a leading car manufacturer,

BWM's distinctive blue and white logo

is taken from the flag of Bavaria.

(inspirational music)

The 22 story tower was designed to resemble

a four cylinder engine.

In Munich, sleek, modern architecture

exists side by side with the old.

The 15th century Cathedral of Our Lady

is the most famous building in the city center.

(inspirational music)

It was constructed from red brick

in the late gothic style in only 20 years.

That's half the time it took to build

the elaborate new town hall,

that's situated opposite.

It's best known for its clockwork figures

which operate twice daily.

And to the west of Munich there's a palace of gardens

that few cities could rival, Nymphenburg.

(inspirational music)

The original Baroque central pavilion

was built in 1675 to celebrate the birth of a royal baby.

Since then it's served as a summer residence

for generations of Bavarian rulers

who each modified, added, and extended the buildings.

The Wittelsbachs the royal family of Bavaria

still own the palace and gardens.

(inspirational music)

The grandeur of the palace

is only matched by its extended grounds,

which started as a relatively modest Italianette garden,

then expanded and redesigned as a formal French garden

which included a network of ornamental canals and lakes.

In the mid-1800s the trend for English style landscaping

transformed much of the grounds into what we see today.

Nymphenburg Palace and Gardens is open to the public

and draws over 300,000 visitors a year.

Few cities can match Munich for music and art,

museums and antiquities, palaces and gardens.

But we end this journey with a different kind of culture,

one that's dear to the heart of every Bavarian, beer.

(upbeat music)

This vast space here in the center of Munich

hosts a tradition that's been going for over 200 years:

(upbeat music)

The Munich Oktoberfest.

(upbeat music)

It's a 16 to 18 day beer festival

running from late September

to the first weekend in October.

As well as being one of the most famous annual fairs

in Germany, it's also the world's largest

with more than five million people attending.

(upbeat music)

It started in October 1810,

when the people of Munich

were invited to this very place to join the celebrations

of Crown Prince Ludwig's marriage

to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.

(upbeat music)

It was so successful that a resolution was passed

to repeat the celebration the following year.

And so the tradition of Oktoberfest was born.

Only beer which is brewed within the city limits of Munich

is allowed to be sold in the festival.

Large quantities of it are consumed,

typically around seven million liters

throughout the 16 day festival.

As well as the beer and the fairground rides,

visitors from around the world

can enjoy traditional Bavarian food

from cheese noodles and potato pancakes

to white sausage and sauerkraut.

All in all, it sums up Bavaria's famous love of festivals,

food, and beer.

A perfect place to end this journey.

(inspirational music)