The Romantic Cities of Germany embrace Idar-Oberstein; Koblenz; Mainz; Speyer; Trier and Worms.
Together with the General Directorate for Cultural Heritage Rhineland Palatinate they offer history, wines and warm hospitality.
In the colder seasons, when things start to move indoors, the regions museums and exhibition halls offer insights into the turbulent history of Rhineland Palatinate, which was the scene of many major European historical events.
The Hapsburgs ruled as Austrian regents, kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from the 13th century and steered the fate of Europe into the modern era.
Rudolf I, the first Hapsburg to be elected king of the Holy Roman Empire in 1273, laid the foundations for the rise of the family.
After his death in 1291, he was buried in the Imperial Cathedral in Speyer, near to the museum that now showcases the history of his family through the Europe of the Middle Ages.
The Historical Museum of the Palatinate is hosting the state exhibition: The Hapsburgs in the Middle Ages.
The ShUM Culture
The Jewish communities in Speyer, Worms and Mainz have been known by the name ShUM since the Middle Ages.
Their ShUM remains, including synagogues, cemeteries and ritual baths, were recognised as the first Jewish UNESCO World Heritage Site in Germany in July 2021.
The city's varied cultural programme aims to highlight the multifaceted nature of Jewish culture and shed light on major historical events and Jewish heritage in Speyer.
Idar-Oberstein : Sparkling treasures in EdelSteinLand
The German Gemstone Museum has more than 10,000 exhibits, including valuable precious stones and glittering chains.
The German Mineral Museum
The German Mineral Museum, which is housed in a late 19th-century villa, has one of the most extensive collections of gemstones and minerals in the region.
The Jakob Bengel Industrial Monument
The Jakob Bengel Industrial Monument provides real hands-on industrial history with working machinery and tools in this one time jewellery factory founded in 1873.
The General Directorate for Cultural Heritage Rhineland Palatinate
The General Directorate for Cultural Heritage Rhineland Palatinate is responsible for the physical cultural heritage of the state.
Among other things, it looks after castles, palaces and ancient treasures, plus the three state museums in Koblenz, Mainz and Trier.
The coin collection in the treasure chamber of the Rheinisches Landesmuseum reopened to visitorsin September 2022.
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