Hannover (Germany)
The first mention of Hanover dates back to 1150, when the Duke of Welf, Henry the Lion, built Lauenrode Castle on the left bank of the river. Leine. From the 12th century to the middle of the 19th century, Hanover was the capital of a separate German state, the Kingdom of Hanover. In 1866 it was occupied by Prussia and declared its province. During the Second World War, Hanover suffered terrible destruction; about 60% of the city was affected, its center was almost wiped off the face of the earth. In our time, many sights have been restored, some rebuilt, the city pleases with an abundance of unique parks and gardens. Hannover today is an economic and industrial center, the largest exhibition city in Germany. The World Expo 2000 was held here.
In Hannover, the Old Town area was rebuilt. It consists of several very charming streets with the Market Church and the Old Town Hall in the middle. Of particular interest in the design of the Old Town Hall are phials, pointed Gothic turrets and a clay frieze, which, along with princely images and coats of arms, also shows a medieval folk game.
Almost half of the urban area is occupied by parks, forest plantations and reservoirs. The Herrenhausen Royal Gardens Ensemble, founded in 1674, is the only baroque garden and park ensemble in Europe that has remained unchanged since its creation. Within the city there is an artificial lake Mash – a great place for outdoor recreation. Pleasure boats leave every hour.
Especially for tourists, a “red line” was laid in the city – this is a route 4.2 km long, covering 36 of the most significant sights. The line starts from the Main Station and goes along the sidewalks of the city. The first section of the path is to Krepko Square (Kroepke). This square is the main crossroads of Hannover. Folk festivals and political rallies are held here. At the lower level of the square is the “Wind Rose” indicating the distance from Hannover to the main cities of the world. A busy shopping street runs under the square, connecting underground the main station and the Kroepke metro station – the main interchange hub. One of the first attractions that the line leads to is the New City Hall. This building was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Inside the town hall – an exposition of the history of the city, photographs, and from the dome of the town hall, from a height of almost 100 m, you can admire the panorama of Hannover. Another unique attraction is the famous building of the Hanover Opera House. This building was built in the neoclassical style by the court architect Georg Ludwig Laves in 1814-1864. It is surprisingly light and “organizes” the entire Opera Square.
The main museums of Hannover are the Sprengel Museum, which exhibits works of art from the 1900s – 1930s. (Picasso, Klee, Malevich, Kurt Schwieters), the Kestner Museum, which presents Greek and Egyptian art, works of ancient Romans and Etruscans, as well as handicrafts from the Middle Ages to the present day, the Museum of Lower Saxony.
Marienburg Castle is one of the significant sights in the vicinity of Hannover. Its premises store historical and artistic-historical values. The fully furnished living quarters of the last Hanoverian royal couple give a glimpse of princely life in the mid-19th century.
Düsseldorf (Germany)
According to Computerdo, Düsseldorf is located in the western part of Germany on the banks of the Rhine, at the confluence of the Düssel River. It is the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany ‘s most populated state. The first mention of Düsseldorf dates back to 1159, and as a city it has been known since 1288. The strategically advantageous position determined the successful fate of the settlement, which became the largest trading center. At the end of the XVII century. Düsseldorf became the residence of Elector Johann Wilhelm, who founded a new city, attracted artists to his court, and founded an art gallery.
Definitely the most interesting place in Düsseldorf is the Old Town or Altstadt, located on the right bank of the Rhine. Alstadt is called “the longest bar counter in the world”: more than 260 pubs, restaurants, pizzerias, bars, discos, Irish pubs hospitably open their doors to citizens and tourists every day. Here is the traditional market square and the Gothic Town Hall. Near the Town Hall on Burgplatz are two symbols of the city – the Church of St. Lambertus and the Castle Tower(Schlossturm), both built in the 13th century. A little to the east is the Church of St. Andreas. The Hofgarten garden adjacent to the Altstadt offers beautiful fountains and statues, among which is a monument to the famous German poet Heinrich Heine, who was born in Dusseldorf.
Among the museums of the city, it is worth noting the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Ceramics, the Museum of Fine Arts. The Museum of Modern Art has become famous throughout the world for its collection of paintings by artists of the 20th century, including Klee, Matisse, Kandinsky, Kirchner, Polock, Jones, Miro, Dali. The Museum of Ceramics tells about the 8000-year history of this craft. Here are Roman, Greek vases, ceramics of the Middle East, Asia, Japanese masks, French faience busts, Art Nouveau cutlery, wall clocks, stylized animal figurines created by the tribes of the Incas, Aztecs, Maya, Chinese porcelain, sets from famous European porcelain manufactories.
South of the Old Town rises a 234-meter TV tower Rheinturm with a revolving restaurant at an altitude of 172 m. Not far from the tower is the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia. This building is considered one of the most modern government institutions in Europe.
Düsseldorf is the center of fashion, the center of which is the Royal Alley (Koenigsallee) – the most chic street in Europe, completely dotted with shops of famous couturiers. The most expensive stores are full of customers not only before Christmas, but on any ordinary day. Those who are not ready to leave a fortune in the stores “Chanel”, “Prada” or “Kenzo” turn to the neighboring Shadowstrasse street, which is full of simpler stores..
About 10 km from Düsseldorf to the east is a section of the Düssel river valley called the Neanderthal. This place became famous all over the world thanks to the discovery of archaeologists – the skull of a primitive man. Hence the name “Neanderthal”. In 1996, the Museum of the History and Evolution of Mankind was opened here.
Not far from the city is the magnificent Benrath Palace – one of the most beautiful examples of rococo architecture of the 18th century. Guests can visit the luxurious apartments of Prince Karl-Theodor, decorated with marble, wonderful moldings and paintings. The palace is surrounded by a large picturesque park, famous for its beauty and a huge pond 700 m long.