Original subtitles

(wind whistling)

(reverent orchestral music)

- We start our journey

in the forests of Thuringian,

which have inspired creatives and theologians for centuries.

Emerging from the dense woods, it's on to the town of Fulda,

resting place of Germany's patron saint, Boniface.

And then we'll weave through the skyscrapers of Frankfurt,

continental Europe's financial powerhouse.

Then, gliding from modernity into the past,

we travel to the city of Worms, the famed medieval city

where Martin Luther was exiled from the Catholic Church.

At Ludwigshafen, we'll have a chance to marvel

at the world's biggest chemical plant

before traveling onward

to the Enlightment-era gardens of Schwetzingen Castle.

And here we delve back into the rolling mountain forests,

ending our adventure at the formidable Trifels Castle.

(soft orchestral music)

The Thuringian Forest has often been described

as Germany's green heart.

Many consider the wooded hills

to be the poetic and philosophical soul of the nation.

These mountain ridges form a 1,000-year-old boundary

known as the Rennsteig, which separates the peoples

of southern and northern Germany,

each with their own unique dialects and ancient customs.

And sitting on that boundary line is Großer Inselsberg,

or 'big island mountain.'

Though it's now topped with transmitter towers

and broadcast stations,

this ancient site is steeped in legends.

It's where covens of witches

were once believed the hold feasts and orgies.

But in more recent times,

myths of a different sort would emerge from this summit.

Because it was here that an antenna erected in 1939

commenced broadcasts of Nazi propaganda messages

during World War II.

Moving southwest, the sighting of a medieval castle ruin

is a reminder of the region's long history.

And one thing that probably hasn't changed in all that time

is the Thuringian passion for the outdoors,

as captured in a local folk song which goes,

"I wander so happily over the Rennsteig,

"bag on my back, guitar in my hand, joyous and carefree.

"I'll stay as long as it pleases me."

Crossing over into the neighboring state of Hesse,

we arrive at Fulda.

Nestled between two mountain ranges,

this town had the misfortune

of lying exactly where it was presumed

that any ground invasion route would occur

between NATO and Soviet forces during the Cold War.

Its situation here, on the old east-west border,

meant a massive military presence on either side.

But today, Fulda is considered

more for its religious history,

the center of which is its cathedral.

In 754, when Boniface, the patron saint of Germany,

was murdered along with his 54 followers,

his remains were brought to Fulda.

He was eventually buried in the cathedral,

making it an important Catholic site for pilgrimage.

Although the state of Hesse works to preserve its rich past,

the region also keeps a keen eye on the future.

It leads Germany in wind energy production,

with over 20,000 turbines scattered across the countryside.

Its aim is to generate one-fifth of all energy consumed

from renewable sources by 2020.

And one of the main consumers

of all this renewable energy are Hesse's farmers,

the caretakers of these vast swathes of agricultural land.

As well as crops, livestock farms abound,

producing the region's unique butter and cheese.

Carving through the countryside is the A5 motorway.

We join it as it heads southwest

towards the capital city of Hesse: Frankfurt,

the largest financial center in all of continental Europe.

(soft meditative music)

Its full title, Frankfurt am Main,

has earned it the nickname Mainhattan

because of its American-style skyline.

Of Germany's 10 tallest buildings, nine are here.

And towering over the rest is,

without doubt, the Europaturm.

Completed in 1974 and standing at 331 meters,

it's the tallest freestanding structure in Germany.

It took five years to complete

and the six-ton antenna was set in position by a helicopter.

Frankfurt serves as the seat

of both the European Central and the German Federal Banks.

Indeed, this city of 600,000 is known for far more

than being the namesake

of a popular bread and sausage snack.

While most of continental Europe still remains

adamantly opposed to a skyline dominated by skyscrapers,

the irreparable destruction of Frankfurt

during the Allied bombings in World War II

left the city a clean slate

upon which architects could practice their craft.

In fact, the city's so proud of its dazzling buildings

that a skyscraper festival is held each year

where visitors are given the opportunity

to wander through them at their leisure

and admire the construction and design.

And one of the few structures in Germany

with its own postal code is the Messeturm,

or, as locals prefer to call it,

Bleistift, meaning 'the pencil.'

This 63-story skyscraper

is the second-tallest habitable building in Germany.

Upon its completion in 1991, it set the world record

for the longest continuous concrete pour.

90 trucks poured concrete for 78 hours

into the six-meter-deep foundation.

And at the heart of this bustling city

is Frankfurt Central Station, which sees over 1,100 trains

and 350,000 passengers come and go every day.

Today, Frankfort Airport sees around 1,400 flights each day

is headed for Frankfurt International Airport,

the busiest in Germany and third-busiest in Europe.

It came to prominence as a key air base in the 1940s.

And it was from here that the first bombers took off

during the Nazi invasion of France.

Though by the end of the war,

the runway and fuel depots were completely destroyed

by Allied airstrikes,

the complex was made fully operational once again

during the subsequent US occupation.

Today, Frankfort Airport sees around 1,400 flights each day

and is the primary hub for Lufthansa,

Europe's biggest airline.

From the airport, we rejoin the A5

as it makes its way down through the state of Hesse.

(slow piano music)

It passes Weiterstadt Prison,

a place with a troubled past, even before it was completed.

In 1993, while it was still under construction,

members from the Red Army Faction,

a left-wing militant group,

breached the walls and detonated 200 kilos of explosives.

It was to set the project back four years and €70 million.

The prison was finally completed in 1997

and today holds 570 inmates.

Further south, along the river Rhine

is another site for which security was paramount:

Biblis Nuclear Power Plant.

At one time, such reactors were supplying

around a fifth of the country's energy needs.

But a gradual phasing out of nuclear power,

pushed on by Japan's Fukushima disaster in 2011,

spelled the end of operations for Biblis.

Today, the installation remains largely idle.

As we continue following the river,

we cross into the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate

and the city of Worms.

An ancient settlement with Celtic origins,

it is now most known for its infamous Edict Worms.

(soft chanting music)

The edict of 1521

denouncing the monk Martin Luther a heretic

was issued here at Worms Cathedral.

In this very building,

Luther stood defiant before Charles V,

emperor of the Holy Roman Empire

and refused to recant his beliefs

that questioned the church's authority.

Perhaps the assembly felt especially slighted,

as it was in this very city,

seat of the Holy Roman Empire in Germany,

where Luther had dared to translate the Bible from Latin.

Despite his excommunication,

the Protestant Reformation had already gained momentum.

And only five years after the edict,

the very first English translation of the New Testament

was printed here in Worms.

Marking another chapter in the city's long history

is St. Paul's Cathedral,

constructed during a period of great upheaval.

The late-10th century wasn't the best of times for Worms.

Beset with lawlessness and crumbling buildings,

townsfolk abandoned the city in droves.

But fortunes changed when Bishop Burchard was appointed

at the turn of the millennium.

With the construction of this cathedral,

he was able to gradually lure people back into the town.

It was deconsecrated in 1797

and has been used as a warehouse, barn, and museum.

But religious life did finally return to the old building.

It's now a monastery where Dominican monks live and worship.

Another of Worms' iconic landmarks is Nibelungen Bridge,

named after a mythological saga.

It tells the story of the hero Siegfried's tragic death

and the vengeance his companions exact upon his killers.

The name of the bridge is a wonderful example

of the Germanic fusion of ancient pre-Christian mythology

with modernity.

A modernity which becomes ever more visible

as we arrive at the BASF production plant at Ludwigshafen.

What's now the largest chemical company in the world,

employing over 33,000 people,

emerged from humble beginnings back in 1865.

(soft orchestral music)

It started as a small warehouse

where Friedrich Engelhorn produced and sold bottled gas

for lighting bars and workshops.

Over the next hundred years,

the company gradually expanded into new territories

and bought up more and more land

until the outbreak of World War II.

The massive demand of the war effort

for chemicals of all sorts

propelled the company to new heights

from which it has never fallen.

BASF's location by the river is certainly no accident.

The Rhine serves as an important corridor

of commerce and transportation for Europe.

Originating in Switzerland,

the river weaves through the Alps,

cuts through Germany, and terminates in the North Sea,

passing many important centers along the way.

Cargo-carrying barges like this one

are constantly moving up and down

the river's 1,320 kilometers.

Beyond trade, the Rhine is also seen as a national symbol,

having long been considered the sacred border of Germany,

dating back to Roman times.

It was a belief held even during World War II.

When the Allies finally crossed the Rhine,

the war was deemed all but lost.

And crossing that very river, we arrive at Mannheim,

nicknamed City of the Squares,

poking fun at its grid pattern.

But those straight roads

no doubt inspired the idea of bicycles.

The now-ubiquitous machine was invented here in 1816

as an alternative to the horse.

Beyond its reputation for innovation,

Mannheim was also a significant port

and manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution.

This booming industry necessitated the construction

of this massive marshaling yard

The Church of the Holy Spirit is a sight that lures them in.

Part of Heidelberg's appeal

is that it's one of the few German cities

that went virtually unscathed during the Second World War,

and so much of its architecture is original.

However, despite these setbacks,

the Mannheim marshaling yard

was able to reorganize and rebuild

and is now amongst the largest

and most successful in Europe.

As we follow the Rhine further south, we come to Heidelberg,

renowned as one of Germany's great university towns

and as a magnet for travelers.

The Church of the Holy Spirit is a sight that lures them in.

Part of Heidelberg's appeal

is that it's one of the few German cities

that went virtually unscathed during the Second World War,

and so much of its architecture is original.

However, unlike the rest of the town,

the 12th-century Heidelberg Castle

has had an extremely violent and tumultuous history.

As Victor Hugo put it, "What times it has been through.

"500 years it has been victim

"to everything that has shaken Europe."

Countless battles, raging fires,

even two devastating lightning strikes

took their toll on the castle.

And by the 18th century, it was a derelict ruin.

But ironically, it was this romantic reminder

of the nation's heritage

that inspired successive generations

to rebuild parts of the original structure.

Today, Heidelberg Castle stands

as one of the finest examples

of Renaissance architecture north of the Alps.

It overlooks another great achievement in building design.

Straddling the Rhine is the Karl Theodor Bridge.

The bridge was adored by writers and academics.

And for this reason, the bank on the eastern side

has been dubbed the Philosophers' Walk.

These two white towers at the northern end of the bridge

are famous for once being the residence of Gert Kalow,

a writer and filmmaker.

Highly critical of postwar Germany,

it's where he penned some of his most powerful work.

A few valleys over from Heidelberg

is the town of Schwetzingen.

The gardens here completely dominate the city.

Even the castle at the heart of the estate

is lost amongst the vast tracts of greenery.

(bright medieval music)

Famous for its spacious and ornate landscape,

the compounds hosts a summer festival

of opera and classical music.

In the 18th century, the English landscape design

begin replacing the formal style.

The Schwetzingen gardens were created right at the juncture

of those two aesthetics.

It's a combination of designs,

with its formal walkways and central fountain

set against the adjoining gardens

that seek to be more in tune

with their natural surroundings.

The Schwetzingen Castle itself was built in the 17th century

and stands at the far end of the central garden walkway.

(soft violin music)

This mosque is the earliest of its style in Germany.

Built at a time when Turkish-style architecture

had become fashionable,

it was never intended as a place of prayer

but built as a work of beauty.

Theaters, temples, and classical buildings

encircle the central fountain and provide restful stops

for visitors exploring the gardens.

Just south of Schwetzingen,

we come to another vast swathe of cleared land;

this time, not for a garden

but for the Hockenheimring racetrack.

(light rock music)

It is aptly situated along the Bertha Benz Memorial Route,

a stretch of road

dedicated to the first long-distance journey

made by automobile back in the 1880s

as a way to market Mercedes-Benz cars.

And as we yet again hop from present back to past,

we come to the historical town of Speyer.

Strategically located on the Rhine,

meticulously-crafted golden artifacts

have been discovered here,

suggesting advanced settlements dating back to 1500 BC.

Officially established as a city by the Romans,

it is one of the country's oldest.

(soft orchestral music)

Speyer Cathedral's setting in the heart of the city

is a reminder of the important role it once played

within the Holy Roman Empire.

It also served as a final resting place

for German emperors spanning 300 years.

Embracing the more recent past,

Speyer opened the Technik Museum, an impressive gallery

featuring everything from an early Soviet spacecraft,

samples of moon dust,

and a retired 747 donated by Lufthansa in 2002.

(quirky electronic music)

And just outside Speyer along the Rhine

is the Daimler Global Logistics Center.

It might not sound too exciting,

but if you run into car trouble on the autobahn,

you'd be happy to break down here,

because this is the largest warehouse

for vehicle parts in the world.

It's actually situated on a manmade island

created in the 1800s

as part of a river-straightening project.

The land was reclaimed entirely with shovels,

wheelbarrows, and hours upon hours of hard labor.

And from car parts,

it's on to mass production of a different sort.

These are the vineyards of the Rhine Valley,

the second-largest wine-producing region in Germany.

In turn, Germany is among the top 10

wine producers in the world,

producing more or less the same quantity

as South Africa and Chile.

That's despite having some of the most northerly vineyards

of any country.

Being so close to the French border,

the climate here is relatively warm, sunny, and dry,

enabling the production of a wide variety of styles

of both red and white wines.

The many wineries and settlements that dot the Rhine Valley

are part of a tradition that goes back 2,000 years,

when the Romans first introduced vines to the area;

an ideal place for growing grapes,

since they were sheltered by these densely-forested hills.

They lead us into one of the biggest wooded ranges

in Europe: the Palatinate Forest,

extending far into neighboring France.

(soft orchestral music)

Covering over 1,700 square kilometers,

the UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve

presents a magical escape for visitors.

But this ruin perched on a hill

suggests a different story from times past.

Flanking the Rhine Valley,

Madenburg Castle had remained intact for hundreds of years

until it was destroyed for the first time in 1525.

Subsequently, for over a century,

the fortress suffered battle after battle

until it was totally decimated by French troops

during the Reunion War at the end of the 17th century.

Madenburg was never rebuilt.

And today, the ruins stand

as part of the rich history of this region.

But only a few hills over

is a fortress in slightly better shape

and our last stop in this journey: Trifels Castle.

Built of distinctive red sandstone,

it was said in the 13th century

that he who hold the Trifels holds the empire.

It is also where England's king, Richard I,

was imprisoned and ransomed

after being captured by Duke Leopold

on his way home from the Crusades.

The castle's importance dwindled in more recent times

and surrounding locals pillaged much of the stone

for their own use in the town.

But soon, the building came under protection

and it was restored for future generations to behold,

becoming a symbol of how generation after generation

can protect the legacy of their culture.

A fine place to end this journey.

(reverent orchestral music)