Stretching from the coast of the North and Baltic seas to the precipitous peaks of the Alps, this guide journeys from north to south, traversing the many different natural and cultural landscapes of Germany. From the unique environment of the coastal mudflats and the popular islands of Sylt and Rügen, across the plains of northern Germany and the midlands hills to the highest point in the land, the Zugspitze, this illustrated volume depicts the country's geographical diversity in all its glory. Churches, castles, and palaces are captured, bearing witness to a rich and turbulent past, from the Romanesque cathedrals of the German emperors to the fairytale castles of Ludwig II of Bavaria. Medieval cities, such as Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Lübeck, and Wernigerode and modern metropolises boasting up-to-the-minute architectural constructions--with the new capital of Berlin firmly to the fore--harbor many highlights of Germany's artistic and cultural history. Showcasing this country in the very heart of Europe, this guide also comments on the castles on the Rhine and Saale, the making of wine, and the great writers of Classical Weimar, Goethe and Schiller.