Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein is
one of three castles built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in
the 1800's. Construction for Neuschwanstein began in 1868.
The walls were decorated with scenes from his favorite
operas by Wagner: Tanhauser, Lohengreen, and Rheingold.
Towards the end of construction, the colors he used in
decorating the castle became brighter as Ludwig's eyesight
failed. Construction on the castle stopped after Ludwig's
death in 1886.
Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden, an alpine
village in Bavaria, includes the popular attractions Konigsee, the
Salzburgwerk, and the Eagle's Nest. The village was originally
inhabited by Augustinian monks who built a monestary there, and later
the monestary was taken over by Bavaria's royal family - the
Wittlesbachs. The Eagle's Nest was Hitler's mountain retreat, which
is now a popular tourist attraction.
Königsee
The Königsee is
a beautiful lake surrounded by towering mountains which
produce a perfect echo. This echo can be heard on boat trips
to the island of Saint Bartoloma, which can be taken on one
of the twenty-one boats run by the German National Park
Service on the lake. Across the lake, while voyaging to
Saint Bartoloma, tourists can see the Königsbach, a 600
foot waterfall.
Salzburg
Salzburg is one of the most beautiful and historically rich cities in Austria. Among the popular sites are the birthplace of Wolfgang Amudeaus Mozart, The Residenz palace, and Festung Hohensalzburg Castle. A popular specialty of the area is the chocolate Mozart ball which is available everywhere in Salzburg. Other popular attractions include sites featured in the movie Sound of Music.
Munich (hosts'
city) Munich is the third
largest city in Germany with 1.3 million residents and an
area of 120 square miles. Munich was colonized by a group of
monks who supported their monastery through the salt trade.
The city is located near the Isar river, which provided the
monks with transport for their goods. Later, in 1158, the
city was officially founded by Henry the Lion. Munich has
been an extremely prosperous city, economically and
culturally.
Dachau
Dachau, a small suburb of Munich, is the site (and title) of a concentration camp used during World War II. Unlike Auschwitz, the main purpose of Dachau was not mass execution; however, thousands of people died from sarvation, mistreatment, medical experimentation, and disease. Along with Jews, Dachau held many political prisoners, religious leaders, and homosexuals.