Auerbachs Keller © Travel Signposts

Auerbachs Keller (Auerbachs Cellar) owes much of its fame to Goethe who immortalized the wine tavern in Faust I -  In part V, Mephistopheles, the demon, takes Faust to the tavern in an attempt to ruin him, but fails.

Goethe frequented Auerbachs Keller as a student and called it his favorite wine bar. It is for this very reason that we’ve come to check out this most famous and second oldest of Leipzig restaurants, even though it was a bit too early to eat or drink.

Auerbachs Keller is located below Leipzig’s famous shopping arcade, the Mädlerpassage. Even before you descend into the cellar, the sculpture of Faust and Mephisto gives a hint of which famous individual has strong links here.  If you’re wondering why Faust’s left shoe is lighter in colour than the right, locals believe that if you rub his foot, you will receive good luck.

There are four historical dining rooms in Auerbachs Keller, including one named after Goethe: the Fasskeller (Barrel Cellar), Lutherzimmer (Luther Room), Goethezimmer (Goethe Room), Alt-Leipzig (Old Leipzig), and since 1913 the Großer Keller (Large Cellar). If you just want a drink, the Mephisto Bar is on the floor above.

A Brief History on Auerbachs Keller

Auerbachs Keller’s origin can be traced back to 1525 when Heinrich Stromer, a medical professor from Auerbach, opened a wine bar in the cellar of his house. In 1528, Stromer had the 200-year-old building torn down and a new house with an enlarged cellar built, with the Hexenküche, Fasskeller, Lutherzimmer and Goethezimmer rooms surviving to this day.

Mephisto and Faust © Travel Signposts

In 1911, Anton Mädler purchased the building, with the intention of demolishing it and replaced it with an elegant trade fair building. Auerbach Keller was part of the demolition plan, however due to worldwide protests, Mädler not only retained the Keller, but he also enlarged it with the inclusion of the very elegant Großer Keller.

But it hasn’t always been plain sailing for the Auerbachs Keller. The restaurant was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1995 when its then owner, a ‘construction magnate’ got the restaurant caught up in his dodgy financial deals. Thankfully a new owner arrived on the scene the following year and the restaurant’s door reopened.

Auerbachs Keller Today

The cuisine at the Großer Keller restaurant is marketed as hearty home-style cooking, supplemented with international dishes. Looking at the elegant restaurant, one might expect prices to be rather expensive, but the meals are at “family-friendly” prices.

At the Gift Shop, visitors can buy all kinds of Goethe and Faust-themed souvenirs, and for Euro 2.60 you can even buy a facsimile of a receipt for champagne that was made out by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in 1804.

Mädlerpassage is at Grimmaische Straße 2 in Leipzig’s historical district, close to the market.

Map of Leipzig:

Regensburg Bratwurst sausages are famous German fare!

German cuisine and French cuisine may be neighbours geographically, but they’re a long way apart in character. Whilst Germany’s Oktoberfest and beer festivals are famous around the world, its food unfortunately does not enjoy the same reputation. Germany’s cuisine is actually very region-based and varies according to geographical factors and access to waterways for transportation.

Many, many years ago, my brother visited the Munich Oktoberfest and his main food mission was to try the pork knuckles that he’d heard so much about. As someone who loved his food and could eat a lot, he was overwhelmed by the portions served at the festival. His description of the size of the plate and how he was defeated by the heap of food on it left an everlasting impression on me.  As a result, my sterotype impression of German cuisine is that its full of meat, stodgy and fatty.  So, is there more to German cuisine than sauerkraut, bratwurst and schnitzel?

One thing the Germans are really good at is making excellent breads and this is Tony’s favourite country for breakfasts. Breakfast is usually a hearty affair and there is a great variety of breads to choose from, accompanied by cheese, sausages and fruit preserves, including marmalade.

Salads and soups are popular at lunchtime.  Most cafes or restaurants would offer an excellent salad or a bowl of filling soup for lunch or a special fixed-price menu.  Popular soups include the Linsensuppe (a lentil soup which, when served with sausages, makes a satisfying lunch), the Leberknodelsuppe (a Bavarian specialty which is a clear consomme served with liver dumplings) or the Kartoffelsuppe (a creamy, marjoram flavoured potato soup which is served with slices of sausage).

In the earlier centuries, due to the lack of refrigeration, it was traditional to preserve foodstuffs through salting, smoking, curing or pickling.  The Germans appear to like this form of food preparation and it is still a common way of preparing fish, meats and vegetables. Examples of popular German dishes like Sauerbraten (roast beef cured in vinegar and wine), Schwartenbraten (roast pork served with sauerkraut and bread dumplings), Matjes (pickled herring), or Sauerkraut illustrate this style of food preparation.  The Germans claim that from bratwurst to beer and sauerkraut to spaetzle, its cuisine is among the best comfort foods in the world, with ‘comfort foods’ being the operative words. Food is a very personal taste and for me, I believe that fresh is best!  Some people though could live on bratwurst, like our travel companions who couldn’t wait to get off the boat at Regensburg so that they could dig into their bratwurst.

Nuremberg Gingerbread is a renowned taste treat...

Today, Germans still fall back on their rich heritage, serving wild game, lamb, pork and beef with old and new ways of preparing them as well as their side dishes. Popular spices used are mustard, horseradish and juniper berries.  Modern German chefs have started to create newer, lighter fare, incorporating traditional foods into their menus.  I may be wrong, but my sense is that the vast majority still prefer their hearty meat dishes in thick sauces, wurst, pork knuckle and various types of dumplings.

As for deserts, we all know of the famous Black Forest cake and at afternoon coffee you’ll see a wide selection of popular German treats like the fruit tarts, cheesecake, plum or cherry cakes.

Helen

See our Photos of Kaiser Wilhelm’s Monument HERE

Archbishop Diether von Trier donated a small part of the landed estates of St Castor Monastery to the Knights of the German Order in 1216. The Knights’ Barracks were established here immediately after the donation and the spot of land precisely at the junction of the Moselle and the Rhein was called ‘German place‘ or ‘German corner‘ – Deutscher Ordt (Ort) or Deutsche Ecke – reminding everyone of the new proprietors – the Knights of the German Order.

The name stuck and the place became well-known throughout the German Empire. Few weeks after the death of William I, in 1888 the Prussian administrator of Coblenz came up with the idea that a special monument should be built to express general gratitude and admiration the nation felt towards William I.

The final decision for this particular location was made by the young Emperor William II. A small natural island at the very confluence of the Moselle into the Rhein was connected with the bank and the small harbour was filled in, thus creating the construction site for this monumental equestrian statue. Today, you would never guess that the island had ever existed separately from the mainland. There is now a spacious area in front of the huge monument that could be used as a parade ground, although perhaps it would be more pleasant if it was grassed over and made into a small park.

An impressive amount of 1 million marks was raised and the construction started in 1893. The project by Hundrieser and Schmitz was completed in 1897 to the admiration of the general public. The total height of the monument of 37 m/121 ft was just 1 m/3’3" higher than the Niederwald Monument in Rüdesheim (‘Germania’) and 2,900 m3/102,412 ft of granite and 17,500 kg/19.2 US tons of copper were used for its construction.

The verse of the poet Max von Schenkendorf saying ‘The Empire will never be destroyed, for as long as you stand united and loyal to each other’ ("Nimmer wird das Reich zerstört, wenn Ihr einig seid and treu!") was engraved upon it.

The monument was unveiled in the presence of William II, the grandson of William I on August 31, 1897. The semi-circular pediment with its 10 m/33 ft high hall of columns survived the last world war.

The 14 m/46 ft high equestrian statue of Emperor William I in his parade uniform, followed by the female allegory of the Empire carrying the imperial crown of Germany on a velvet cushion, was destroyed in March 1945 by an artillery shell.

In 1953 the monument was declared the Memorial to German unity by German president Theodor Heuss. The Germans remember the date since they sung their national anthem here for the first time on that occasion after the defeat in WW II. But the people of Coblenz wanted their ‘old Emperor William’ back. This was made possible by a generous private donation of 3 million marks (EUR1.53 million/$1.9 million) and a local fundraising effort in Coblenz which brought in 350,000 DM (EUR180,000/$225,000). The heavy statue of 63.5 tons/69.4 US tons was unveiled to the public on 25 September 1993.

See our Photos of Kaiser Wilhelm’s Monument HERE

See also: Coblenz (Koblenz)

Don’t know where a place is? Try this map (opens in new window): Map of Germany

Or visit our zoomable Google Satellite Map page

TRAVEL TO GERMANY WITH US: PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

Other Germany pages:

Travel to Germany: a Europe Tour that’s a lot more than Beer, Lederhosen and Cuckoo Clocks!

When to travel to Germany for your tour: weather and seasons

Useful facts, dates and links to help you plan your tour of Germany

Book your sightseeing tours or day-trips in Germany online

Book your hotel in Germany online

Coblenz

Miltenberg

Nuremberg

Passau

Regensburg

Remagen

Rüdesheim

See our Nuremberg Photos HERE

Nurnberg Marktplatz

This former Free Imperial City is the second largest town in Bavaria, and principal town of the region of Franconia. In German tradition, Nuremberg is often referred to as the Mastersingers’ city, the city of Dürer, toy city, and even Christmas market and gingerbread town. Indeed, Nuremberg is still known as the `Treasury of the German Empire‘. The city walls, originally built in 14th and 15th C, with numerous gates and towers still maintain both the historical identity and integrity of Nuremberg.

Nuremberg was first mentioned in an imperial document in 1050. The Stauffer Emperors extended the castle which had been built on a sandstone hill (“Nuorenberc” = rocky hill) into an imperial palace. With their support Nuremberg flourished as a centre of trade in the Middle Ages and was granted the status of a Free Imperial City. By the 15th C Nuremberg was wealthy and provided an ideal climate for the arts and sciences.

Following the Thirty Years War, however, the city fell into decline. In 1806 it became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria and flourished once again, this time as an industrial centre. The darkest chapter in Nuremberg’s history was ushered in when the Nazis chose it as the site of their Party Rallies and in the 1930′s it became a symbol of National Socialism. The old town centre was reduced to rubble in 1945 as a result of Allied air raids.

The birth of German industrial tradition and its technical achievement is often associated with Nuremberg. Martin Behaim (1459-1506) designed the world’s very first globe here. Peter Henlein (1480-1542) produced the first pocket watch (Nürnberger Ei), The first German railroad came into operation here, serving Nuremberg and Fürth in 1835. The pride and joy of the Nurembergers are the famous poet Hans Sachs (1494-1576); painter and printer Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) and the master of Renaissance sculpture Veit Stoss (1445-1533).

Points of particular interest:

National Museum of German Art and Culture: Founded in 1852, the National Museum of Art and Culture is the world’s largest museum of the art and culture of the German-speaking world with more than 1.2 million exhibits. (Kärtäuserg; 1; Tue-Sun 10-6; Wed 10-9; Mon Closed; Admission €5.00)

Fascination and Terror Documentation Centre – Nazi Party Rally Grounds: Nazi Party buildings reminiscent of their building megalomania now house a modern information centre documenting the history of the rally grounds and the ruthless misuse of power under National Socialism. (Bayernstr. 110; Mon-Fri 9-6; Sat-Sun 10-6; Admission €5.00)

Albrecht Dürer’s House: Introduces the world and the work of Germany’s famous Renaissance artist with a multivision presentation `Albertus Dürer Noricus’ (Albrecht-Dürer-Str. 39; Tue-Sun 10-5; Thu 10-8; Admission €14.00)

See our Nuremberg Photos HERE

Don’t know where a place is? Try this map (opens in new window): Map of Germany

Or visit our zoomable Google Satellite Map page

TRAVEL TO GERMANY WITH US: PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

Other Germany pages:

Travel to Germany: a Europe Tour that’s a lot more than Beer, Lederhosen and Cuckoo Clocks!

When to travel to Germany for your tour: weather and seasons

Useful facts, dates and links to help you plan your tour of Germany

Book your sightseeing tours or day-trips in Germany online

Book your Nuremberg hotel online

Coblenz

Kaiser Wilhelm’s Monument

Miltenberg

Passau

Regensburg

Remagen

Rüdesheim

Reichstag, the German Parliament in Berlin

Most people associate travel to Germany with either big modern cities and Mercedes thrashing down autobahns or quaint wood-beamed houses, men in lederhosen and buxom barmaids holding gigantic steins of beer in each hand while cuckoo clocks chime in the background.

OK, I’m exaggerating,

but sometimes Germany does seem to have a split personality (especially when tourist organisations are involved). Travelling in Germany can obviously involve visits to a major metropolis like Duesseldorf or Stuttgart, but are you really touring Germany to see them? I don’t think so.

What you’re really out to see:

A pleasant summer drink in Bamberg

• Historic cities, romantic castles, rural farming villages, picturesque lakes, renowned spa towns and awe-inspiring fortresses.
• Twisting alleys and narrow gabled houses, romantic half-timbered cottages and picturesque old town centres, lush winegrowing areas and mediaeval free cities.
• Romanesque monasteries, gothic cathedrals and village churches, the Alps, the Baltic, wineries, pubs, bistros and gourmet restaurants.
• “Little Red Riding Hood” forests and places of sagas, myths and Grimms’ fairy tales, the Romantic Road, the Black Forest (and cake), scenery, cuisine and ambience.

And if that’s not enough, you can visit the Ries Crater at Nordlingen where American astronauts trained for their moon walks, and yes, the largest cuckoo clock in the world at Schonach…

Our other Germany pages:

Tour Routes in Germany

When to travel to Germany for your tour: weather and seasons

Useful facts, dates and links to help you plan your tour of Germany

Book your sightseeing tours or day-trips in Germany online

Book your hotel in Germany online

Coblenz

Kaiser Wilhelm’s Monument

Miltenberg

Nuremberg

Passau

Regensburg

Remagen

Rüdesheim

TRAVEL TO GERMANY WITH US: PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS