Original subtitles

(upbeat music)

- Our journey begins in the Thuringia Forest,

inspiration to Germany's greatest poets,

artists and writers.

Then it's on to the old border of East and West Germany,

a remarkably well preserved monument to the cold war

that divided the country through much of the 20th century.

Moving west, we find the Magnificent Wilhelmshohe Castle

set amidst the extraordinary backpack,

Europe's largest hillside grounds.

Close by is the beautiful town of castle

once home to the Brothers Grimm.

After crossing the spectacular Hart's mountains,

we discover Ballenstedt Castle.

Finally, we reached the town of Magdeburg

and it's Cathedral a sorry masterpiece

that took over 300 years to build

and remains one of the largest churches in Germany.

In the center of Germany is the Thuringian forest

known as the country's green heart.

This landscape 4700 square kilometers of thick pine

and mixed woodland has few roads,

and it's only rarely visited by foreign travelers.

But with its breathtaking natural scenery,

the forest has been an inspiration

to Germany's greatest poets and artists throughout the ages.

It was here in 1685, that Johann Sebastian Bach

was born and raised, where Martin Luther

translated the New Testament,

and were hundreds of years later,

Goethe converted the entire Bible into a modern language.

Goethe considered the Thuringia Forest his spiritual home,

saying, "Where else in Germany,

"can you find so many wonderful things

"in such close proximity?"

Today, it's popular with hikers,

and with over 16,000 kilometers of trails,

Thuringia continues to captivate and inspire visitors

with its unspoiled natural beauty.

The forest also carries a reminder

of Germany's divided past.

This is the old border, once a part of the iron curtain

that was drawn across Europe,

From the end of the Second World War,

until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

This was where the communist states

of the Warsaw Pact met Western Europe.

Just a month after the fall of the wall,

conservationists from both sides met to make plans

to turn the old border into a German Green Belt,

part of a band protected woodland

that stretches from the Czech Republic to the Baltic Sea.

Preserved in the Greenbelt are relics

of the walls military past,

like this concrete Lookout Tower,

which still has its search light.

Until the 1960s, the border was easier to cross.

But as the Cold War grew colder,

the East German government decided to upgrade their defenses

to form what they called the modern frontier.

Drawing on lessons learned from the Berlin Wall,

barbed wire fences were upgraded with steel mesh,

tripwires and mines were placed across no man's land,

and the old wooden guard towers were replaced

with observation bunkers

and prefabricated concrete tars such as this one.

This free freight train is hauling goods cars.

Germany's first railways were built in 1831,

before the country was unified.

Later, they became a symbol

of the country's industrialization,

and many different railway gauges were standardized.

In the 20th century, the system

was extensively used by the military

to move troops throughout the country in both World Wars.

Once one of the world's most heavily industrialized nations,

Germany has embraced renewable energy.

It's said to be the country's biggest

and most expensive project

since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In the first quarter of 2014,

renewable energy met over a quarter

of the country's electricity demand.

Perched on a steep hill, overlooking Lake Edersee

is Schloss Waldeck, built in the 11th century

as the home for the local counts,

it later served as an Army barracks and a prison.

In 1900, and five, it was redeveloped as a luxury hotel.

Today, it also houses a museum to its prison past,

commemorating its captive guests.

Lake Edersee is 11.8 square kilometers in area

with almost 200 million cubic meters of water.

It's one of Germany's largest reservoirs.

With it's clean, cold waters, it's popular for fishing,

sailing, and for the hearty few swimming.

The lake is formed by the 48 meter high Edersee Dam

built in 1914, this hydroelectric facility

is almost 400 meters long and six meters thick.

(soft music)

In the Second World War,

the dam was a vital part of the German war machine,

providing water and hydroelectricity

to their industrial heartland.

As such, it was one of the main targets

of operation chastise

the bouncing bomb attack made famous

in the 1955 film, the Dambusters.

Designed by engineer Barnes Wallace.

The British used bombs that skipped along

the water towards that target.

The raid was a success Edersee Dam was breached,

and floodwaters surge down the valleys

destroying war factories and infrastructure.

The Science, flying skill, bravery

and the impact of the raids made

it front page news around the world.

Although the reservoir was soon rebuilt by forced labor,

the effect of the Dambusters on allied morale

was a turning point in the war.

Ahead of us is the spar town of Bad Adelson,

and at its center is an imposing mansion of the same name.

(soft music)

Built on the sight of a 12th century monastery,

it fell into the hands of the Waldeck counts

join the Protestant Reformation and the 16th century.

In 1712, Count Friedrich Anton Auric

was made an imperial Prince.

To celebrate his new status,

he ordered the construction of this great house.

(soft music)

Models on the Palace of Versailles in France,

with its Baroque design three wings

and sprawling formal gardens,

Schloss Bad Arolsen was certainly not lacking in ambition.

Unfortunately for Olric this richness of aspiration

was not reflected in his finances.

It almost bankrupted the family.

It wasn't until 1810,

almost 100 years later that the palace was finally finished.

(soft music)

Today, visitors can explore the castles Museum,

a military exhibition of weapons and metals,

and see a number of important wall

and ceiling paintings, tapestries and furniture.

And it's still home to the heirs of Orlric's family.

Nearby in Bath Park, Europe's largest hillside landscape,

is the extraordinary Bill Hems Soeur castle.

It was built in 1786 for William the first,

the ruler of Hess Castle

by Hugo architect Seymour Louie Dory.

With its curving wings and the neoclassical style,

the castle was designed to sit sympathetically

in the landscape.

When the region was taken by the Kingdom

of Westphalia in 1806,

this was the home of Napoleon's brother Jerome.

The castle was briefly renamed Napoleon's Heur.

After the French defeat,

the house once again became a favorite summer home

for German emperors,

Prussian kings and European aristocracy.

In 1870, Napoleon III was kept as a prisoner here.

And during World War I,

it was a headquarters for the German military.

Much of the central section of the house

was destroyed by Allied bombs during the World War II.

It was rebuilt in 1974.

The castle now house is one

of Germany's greatest art collections,

featuring the work of Rubens, Jura and Rembrandt.

Facing the castle is called Berg Mountain,

the highest point in the Ville Hamza Burg Park

and at its summit, the Hercules monument.

It's made of three parts, the octagon, the pyramid

and the copper statue of Hercules.

Together, the monument is over 70 meters tall.

It's made of soft local volcanic rock,

which because it erodes quickly needs constant restoration.

Below the monument is a 250 meter long stone water feature

known as the Cascades.

In summer evenings, it's lit up for visitors.

The system is driven by natural pressure

from reservoirs and underground pipes.

It's remained unchanged for more than 300 years.

Also in the Bath Park is the lions castle.

With Gothic arch windows and ruined turrets,

it looks more like the home of a medieval Knight.

But it was built between 1793 and 1801

and actually constructed as a route.

To date serves as a decorative feature

of the park and as a leisure palace.

It's also mausoleum for it's here

in the chapel of the lions castle.

That the parks creator, William the first is buried.

The backpack has been described

as the most magnificent achievement of the Baroque style

in the blending of architecture and landscape.

It's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It has a total area of almost 240 hectares,

including ponds, waterfalls, greenhouses, grottoes,

and 12 kilometers of waterways.

It has more than 400 types of trees,

including a number of rare species.

Originally laid out in the Baroque style,

it was later remodeled to resemble the landscape garden

of an English stately home.

Today, this unique park attracts

more than two million visitors a year from around the world.

Nearby on the Fulda River, it's the city of Castle.

Famous as the home of the Brothers Grimm.

It was once an important center for German heavy industry.

Here using forced labor from the Dachau concentration camp,

trains, tanks and planes were built

for the Nazi war machine.

During the Second World War,

the city center was almost completely destroyed.

After extensive bombing,

it saw bitter house-to-house fighting

before being captured by the allied armies in 1945.

It was rebuilt in the 1950s

and much of its architecture dates from that period.

(soft music)

Castle is famous for its theater.

This is the Otto Noia, built in 1603,

and believed to be the oldest surviving

theater building in Germany.

Since 1690, it's been a museum of art and natural history.

The building was bombed in the Second World War,

destroying many of the exhibits.

Nearby is another museum the freedom of the owner.

This is one of the oldest purpose-built

museums in the world.

Designed by Seymour Louie Dori, it also has a vast library.

And it was here that the Brothers Grimm worked

as librarians from 1808 to 1830.

Today, it's an International Centre for contemporary art.

Alongside the River Fulda

is the magnificent Cazorla Park and its Orangery palace.

The grounds were laid out by the local ruler,

Land Grave Call.

It was designed in the French style,

symmetrical with straight paths radiating out,

constructed between 1701 and 1710,

the central section of the orangery

is called the Apollo hole.

Inside it, already orange and Laurel trees were planted

to remind visitors of the story of Hercules

and the golden apples.

The park was destroyed during the Second World War

by Allied bombing, with the entire orangery

consumed in flames, it wasn't rebuilt until 1981.

Since 1992, it's housed the museum

for astronomy and technical history.

We leave behind castle now heading through the green hills

of the hearts mountains

to enter the state of Saxony Anhalt

when we find towering over the spar town,

the extraordinary Blankenburg castle.

(soft music)

This was one of Germany's largest feudal fortresses,

and it was from here that the entire region

was controlled for over 800 years.

First castle was built in 1123,

as a fortification against neighboring provinces.

In the Renaissance period,

it was rebuilt as a palace for the local country.

In 1705, it was converted

into this grand but rock residence that remains to date.

During the communist era,

it was used as East Germany's Technical College

for Domestic Commerce.

When the regime fell in 1990,

the castles fortunes fell with it.

After years of neglect and vandalism,

it became unsafe and was in danger of collapse.

But in 2005, a community Conservation Society

was formed to save Blankenburg.

And it has successfully restored the castle

and 2014 won a major conservation award.

Down the hill from the fortress

is the Kleiner Schloss or little castle.

Once this was a summer retreat for kings and emperors.

Today, it's a popular venue for weddings,

exhibitions and parties.

10 miles to the east is Ballenstedt Castle.

This was home to the wicked Queen for business,

no White and the Seven Dwarfs or at least

to the woman who inspired her, Buta Bon Ballenstedt.

She died here in 1046.

Childless, her money went to build Naumberg Cathedral,

in her honor, a statue was built.

And almost 1000 years later,

this Gothic likeness became

the inspiration for Disney's wicked queen.

The Castle is also famous as the resting place

of the 12th century ruler, Albert the Bar.

Leader Brandenburg and briefly the Duke of Saxony.

His name, the Bar, apparently came from his strength

and leadership rather than his appearance,

for he was also known as Albert the handsome.

Rising from the Hearts Mountain Forest

is the extraordinary Frankenstein castle.

Legend has it that it was built because of murder.

In 1080, a local nobleman killed a German Cant

to pay for his crime, he was forced

to give his family home over to become a monastery.

Stripped of his inheritance,

the nobleman son built Frankenstein castle

as a home for him and his family.

(upbeat music)

The castle was constructed between 1120 and 1180.

Its position 300 Hundred and 20 meters high

on a ridge above the Seneca Valley

gives it an excellent defensive advantage.

And despite being repeatedly besieged,

it has never been captured.

Today it's one of the most popular destinations

in the Hearts Mountains,

which has a restaurant serving many evil banquets,

and a falconry that puts on displays for visitors.

This is Bernburg and standing on the river is its castle.

(soft music)

Link was first mentioned in 936

as the crown of the region of Anhalt,

an important term in the Middle Ages on a major trade route.

The castle was converted into this nice old star Chateau

during the 16th century,

to become the home of the princes of Anhalt-Bernburg.

And today, it has the remains of a bear pit

and an old torture chamber.

It also houses a geological museum

with a collection of mineral rocks.

(soft music)

Sadly, the town is also known

for its infamous association with the Holocaust.

Its mental hospital was like killing center for the Nazis,

murdering many thousands of Jews,

disabled people and political prisoners.

We continue on our journey following the E 49,

Autobahn, or motorway.

They are well known to lovers of speed

as some have them have no limit.

And off the Autobahn is the beautiful city of Magdeburg

situated on the River Elba,

this was one of the most important centers

of medieval Europe.

Magdeburg Cathedral is the oldest Gothic example in Germany

with steeples rising over 100 meters.

It's also one of the tallest.

It was built on the site of a 10th century monastery.

Founded by Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great.

He and his wife are buried here.

Construction on this cathedral was begun in 1209

and took over 300 years to complete.

Today, it's the principal place of worship

for the Evangelical Church of Central Germany.

On the edge of the town is the remarkable Millennium tower.

Built is a frame covered in stretch top polling,

it's one of the tallest wooden towers in the world.

(gentle guitar music)

It was created for the 1999 Federal Garden Show.

It houses a museum that leads visitors

through 6000 years of human history.

Exhibits include a telescope,

through which can be seen the clock face of Magda Cathedral.

Back in the city, we reach our final destination,

the extraordinary Green Citadel, shockingly pink.

Its name comes from the plants and trees

that sprout from its roof and walls.

It was designed by famous Austrian architect,

Friedan's Reich Hunter Vasa,

he said he hoped the Citadel would serve as an array

for humanity and for nature in a sea of rational houses,

it has a hotel theater, offices, shops,

a kindergarten and 55 residential apartments.

It was built on the site of one of Magdeburg's,

first East German prefabricated slab apartment blocks,

making this colorful development filled with contrasts,

quirks and contradictions, the statement of joy,

a perfect place to end this journey.

(upbeat music)

(logo whooshing)