Felicity Long
In an increasingly unsteady world, one constant has been the appeal of Unesco World Heritage Sites, which not only drive tourism but also remind us of some of history's unforgettable moments -- from the challenging to the triumphant.
Unesco's defined goal when choosing these sites is to "encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity."
In Germany -- a country with a complicated history -- there are a whopping 51 sites, including a handful of new ones joining the roster this year.
The Mathildenhohe artists' colony, may be historic -- it was founded in 1899 by the Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig -- but its significance is all about modern art and architecture. Fans of the art nouveau and new objectivity movements, considered the sources of inspiration for the Bauhaus movement, can see works by 23 former members of the artist colony, including the Wedding Tower, for example, designed by architect Joseph Maria Olbrich and considered a landmark in the city of Darmstadt.
Also new on the Unesco list are the spa towns Baden-Baden, Bad Ems and Bad Kissingen, which have been added to the "Important spa towns in Europe" category, which spans seven countries.
The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is highlighting these and its other 350-plus spa and medicinal bath facilities in its German.Spa.Tradition campaign, which focuses on their cultural tradition and the health-promoting applications and well-being they offer.
The ShUM, the collective name for the cities of Mainz, Worms and Speyer from the first letters of their names in Hebrew, honors the history of the European Jewish community. The ShUM sites that now have the World Cultural Heritage designation include the Speyer Jewish Court, the Worms synagogue district and the old Jewish cemeteries in Worms and Mainz.
Also new on the list is the Lower German Limes, added as part of the series called "Frontiers of the Roman Empire."
The 249-mile section of the ancient border fortifications runs along the Rhine from Rheinbrohl in Rhineland-Palatinate through North Rhine-Westphalia to Katwijk on the Dutch North Sea coast.
According to the GNTB, the Rhine formed the natural border between the Roman province and Germania and comprised 44 towns, forts, legion camps and temples, and many of the antiquities and excavations are well preserved.
The final new entry on the list is the western segment of the Danube Limes, a 373-mile network of military fortifications that follows the Danube from Bad Gogging in Bavaria through Austria to Slovakia. Some of the sites are still visible and offer facilities for visitors.
"With this year's new additions, 51 natural and cultural heritage sites in Germany now bear the Unesco World Heritage seal of quality," Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the GNTB.
"Together with our partners, the Unesco Commission Germany and the Association Unesco World Heritage Sites Germany, we use the international attention for these important testimonies of human and natural history to continuously strengthen brand awareness for Germany as a travel destination."