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Germany Prepares to Welcome the World

March 30, 2005

The World Cup comes to Germany in 2006 and the host cities already have their welcome mats out. While soccer may be the main event for most visitors, the 12 cities offer more than just a stadium and bars full of beer.

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Soccer's coming homeImage: AP

Germany, as a country of kaiser's and kingdoms, has a rich and ancient history which left an indelible mark on the landscape. The main cities have retained many of their former glories that hark back to noble times, cultural explosions and historical upheavel.

Many of the cities, as centers of power and important locations in the economy, suffered heavily during the many wars that were waged within Germany's borders throughout history. But reconstruction has created modern metropoles in the place of ruins; cities with cosmopolitan attitudes which embrace the old while presenting the new to welcome guests.

Visitors to the World Cup in 2006 may be in Germany to cheer on their team or revel in the carnival atmosphere but between matches and raised biersteins, many will discover a different side to their host country.

Here DW-WORLD presents a series of profiles detailing each of the 12 World Cup host cities.

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Reports & Analysis

Frankfurt

The birthplace of Goethe and the location for the first German parliament, Frankfurt is a historically and culturally rich city. As Europe's center for banking it is also a rich city in the literal sense of the word.
October 19, 2005

Hanover

Hanover is known in Germany as the trade fair capital, a reputation which is continues to spread globally. But Hanover has more to offer than just the opportunity to view the latest gadgets at CeBit.
October 19, 2005

Leipzig

With the motto "Leipzig is coming!“ this former East German metropolis is certainly making its mark. Leipzig has undergone huge changes since reunification and is developing into one of the most modern cities in Germany.
October 19, 2005

Stuttgart

Stuttgart may owe a lot to Gottlieb Daimler, whose auto empire holds court in the city, but the city is more than the home of the Mercedes star. It is a rich cultural and historic location in beautiful surroundings.
October 19, 2005

Munich

Small, comfortable, calm and pleasant, Munich is one of the most attractive cities in Germany. But scratch the surface and one will find a vibrant city with a love of beer and soccer.
October 19, 2005

Dortmund

Once a thriving mining city, Dortmund reinvented itself as a center for information technology after the war. Also famous for its beer and its soccer team, Dortmund is a high profile city in the north-west of Germany.
October 19, 2005

Berlin

The German capital has as diverse a history as any city in the world. It has experienced affluence, poverty, destruction and rebirth. Wherever they come from, Berlin holds a special place in the heart of most Germans.
October 19, 2005

Cologne

Cologne offers everything from Roman remains to raucous clowns. While the city's history features many somber moments, modern Cologne never needs an excuse to party.
October 19, 2005

Gelsenkirchen

Gelsenkirchen has transformed itself from a small town of coal mines and steel industries into a center of modern technology.
October 19, 2005

Nuremberg

Lots of people today remember the city of Nuremberg because of the Nuremberg trials of World War II. But the city has more history than that one dark hour.
October 19, 2005

Kaiserslautern

Kaiserslautern, a city with a history of more than 800 years spanning many conflicts and occupations, mixes the ancient and modern in a well-earned peaceful atmosphere.
October 19, 2005

Hamburg

Two and half times bigger than London, with one of Europe's biggest ports, Hamburg -- the Venice of the North -- offers everything and anything.
October 19, 2005