Germany’s Most Beautiful Old Towns (2) | A Bird’s-Eye View of Old Germany — From Goslar to Görlitz

Germany's historic city centers are filled with magnificent buildings from different eras. Join us on a journey to five old towns that are especially worth seeing. Whether brick Gothic architecture in Stralsund, Arnouveau in Görlitz or half-timbered houses in Erfurt, our flying guide will take you across Germany. This is the historic city center of Goslar. The town is located at the foot of the northern German Harz mountains and has over 1,500 half-timbered houses. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Emperor Henry II built an imperial palace here, where his successors held court for over 200 years. The ornate decorations on the buildings bear witness to the wealth of the former owners. Goslar owes its growth and wealth to an ore vein discovered in the Rammelsberg mountains. Regensburg's historic center in Bavaria is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded by the Romans in the 2nd century AD as a legionary camp named Castra Regina Fortress by the river Regen. Regensburg Cathedral is one of the most important Gothic cathedrals in Germany. Another landmark in Regensburg is the oldest preserved bridge in Germany. According to legend, the master builder of the old stone bridge made a pact with the devil to aid him to speed up construction. In return, the devil was to receive the first three souls who crossed the bridge. But the master builder outwitted the devil and instead sent a dog, a rooster and a hen as the first to cross the bridge. We head north, to Stralsund. The city hall is the town's landmark. It's one of the foremost examples of northern German brick Gothic. In the 14th century, Stralsund was one of the wealthiest cities in the Baltic and a member of the medieval trade confederation, the Hanseatic League. Many of the typical brick structures have survived. In 2002, UNESCO added the old town with its bright red churches to the World Heritage List. Görlitz's old town has been discovered by Hollywood. Scenes for major productions like the Grand Budapest Hotel and The Monuments Men were shot here. And earned the city on Saxony's Polish border the nickname, ''Girlywood''. The historical backdrop is made up of over 4,000 listed buildings from five centuries of architectural history. Görlitz was largely spared the destruction of the Second World War. But not the disrepair so typical of East Germany. After reunification in 1990, the old town underwent restoration. The next stop on our flight is known as Thuringia's Rome. It's Erfurt. The city's home to 77 church buildings, the most famous being the Erfurt Cathedral. It holds the world's largest free-swinging medieval bell, the Gloriosa, famous for its pure tone. In the Middle Ages, Erfurt was a powerful center of both trade and learning. The old town's many Renaissance buildings bear witness to Erfurt's one-time great wealth. The Merchants' Bridge was part of the Via Regia, a trade route linking east and west. And for now, our journey through and over some of Germany's most beautiful old towns. Has come to an end.