Strange, Unusual and Expensive Things Found Only in Germany

Found in: Berchtesgaden, Bavaria
Est. Cost: $25.75 for a train ticket from Berlin to Berchtesgaden*

In the UK, they roll wheels of cheese down hills and race after them. In Spain, there are festivals where locals dressed as devils jump over babies. One of Germany’s most beloved traditions is the annual cow parade through the Bavarian Alps, known as Almabtrieb. 

A cow parade through the Bavarian Alps (Almabtrieb) ©FooTToo/shutterstock.com

After spending the summer grazing on the lush alpine meadows, the cows are beautifully decorated with flowers and bells and herded down the mountains by their proud owners. The festival is a celebration of the cows’ safe return and the abundance of the harvest season, and something of which bovine fanatics worldwide can’t get enough.

Found in: Gablenz, Saxony
Est. Cost: $1 per hour for parking*

Located in Kromlau Park, the Rakotzbrücke Devil’s Bridge is a stunning example of Gothic architecture. Its unique design, with a curved reflection that perfectly completes the bridge’s circular shape, has made it a popular attraction for visitors worldwide. 

Rakotzbrücke Devil's Bridge @atlasobscura/Pinterest

Legend has it that the bridge was built with the help of the devil himself. However, its delicate nature has led to it being closed off to the public in recent years to prevent further damage from tourists climbing on it. Despite this, the bridge remains a fascinating example of Germany’s strange and mysterious landmarks.

Found in: Bavaria
Est. Cost: $50 for a bus from Berlin to Bavaria*

There are a lot of ‘interesting’ competitions out there, from haggis throwing to log rolling. Still, those have nothing on Bavaria’s annual event. You see, in Bavaria, they take finger-pulling seriously. The Finger Pulling Championships, also known as Fingerhakeln, involves two competitors gripping a Fingerhakeln ring —usually made of leather. 

Finger Pulling Championships (Fingerhakeln) @atlasobscura/Pinterest

Competitors continue pulling until one of them can no longer hold on. The rules are simple, but the competition is fierce, with contestants training for months leading up to the event. The sport is still lacking major sponsors like Nike or Adidas, but Fingerhakeln athletes are hopeful for the future.

Found in: Brunsbüttel, Schleswig-Holstein
Est. Cost: $45 for a train ticket from Hamburg*

Professional athletes dread playing their respective sports in the rain because that usually means there’s mud. And when there’s mud, it’s significantly harder to play their sport, let alone play it well. Things are a little different in Germany. In fact, there’s an annual event called Wattolympiade that celebrates muddy athletics. 

The Mud Olympics @atlasobscura/Pinterest

Every year since 1978, people have gathered in Brunsbüttel to take part in the Mud Olympics, a messy and entertaining competition featuring various games such as mud volleyball, soccer, and handball. Participants wear costumes and brave the mud pits, battling it out for medals and bragging rights.

Found in: Munich, Bavaria
Est. Cost: Free to see

In the heart of Munich, you’ll find an interesting art installation known as Umschreibung. Designed by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson and built in 2004, the sculpture features a spiraling staircase that seems to lead to the sky but actually circles back down to the start and continues this cyclical journey indefinitely. 

Umschreibung: A stairway to heaven, or to nowhere at all ©Diego Grandi/shutterstock.com

The piece is meant to challenge traditional ideas of progress and growth, encouraging visitors to question their own path in life while walking the stairs themselves. It’s a unique and thought-provoking attraction that perfectly embodies Germany’s penchant for pushing boundaries and exploring the unconventional.

Found in: Berlin
Est. Cost: Free admission

Believe it or not, Germany never quite got over the stardom of David Hasselhoff. They can’t get enough of his acting from Knight Rider to Baywatch. Nor his music. That’s right. David Hasselhoff is a rock star to many Germans. Hasselhoff’s star has grown so large in Germany that they’ve built a museum in his honor.

David Hasselhoff Museum ©VanderWolf Images/shutterstock.com

Berlin’s David Hasselhoff Museum features memorabilia from Hasselhoff’s career, including his iconic red Baywatch swimsuit and KITT, the talking car from his hit show Knight Rider. Visitors can also take pictures with a giant Hasselhoff cut-out and enjoy a themed cocktail at the museum’s bar.

Found in: Berlin
Est. Cost: N/A

The Berlin Wall may be long gone, but its memory is kept alive by various remnants and memorials scattered throughout the city. For instance, the East Side Gallery, a stretch of the wall just under a mile long has been transformed into a colorful outdoor art gallery. 

Vestiges of the Berlin Wall ©VanderWolf Images/shutterstockc.com

Of course, there’s also the Berlin Wall Memorial, where you can see a section of the original wall complete with watchtowers and ‘death strips.’ The Checkpoint Charlie Museum, which explores the history of the Berlin Wall and the efforts of those who tried to escape to the West, stands on the site of the infamous former Soviet checkpoint.

Found in: Munich, Bavaria
Est. Cost: $20 for a train ticket from Berlin to Munich*

Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer festival, held annually in Munich, Bavaria. It lasts for 16 days, attracting millions of visitors from all over the world who come to enjoy the festive atmosphere, music, food, and of course, the finest beverages in Bavaria. 

Munich Oktoberfest © Joerg Koch/Getty Images

The festival started in 1810 and has become a significant part of German culture. Each year, breweries release their Oktoberfest specials for the festival, and visitors enjoy them in traditional liter-sized steins. Aside from drinking beer, visitors also indulge in German cuisine, such as giant pretzels, sausages, and roasted chicken. 

Found in: Grünwald, Bavaria
Est. Cost: $21.50 for admission*

Fans of The Neverending Story love the treasures housed at Bavaria Filmstadt. This movie-themed amusement park, located just outside of Munich, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the beloved film. Visitors can see the puppets and models used in the movie, explore the studio sets, and even ride Falkor, the luck dragon. 

A vault of treasures from the Neverending Story (Bavaria Filmstadt) @Google/Pinterest

The park also has exhibits on other popular films like Harry Potter and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. With so much to explore, Bavaria Filmstadt is a must-visit destination for any fan of fantasy movies.

Found in: Xanten
Est. Cost: $13 for one-day admission*

The Swords, Bread, and Games is one of the world’s largest Roman festivals, taking place every two years in Xanten, a German city famous for its Roman history. Traditionally, this festival was a way to symbolize taking and stealing from commoners.

The Swords, Bread, and Games @focus_online/Pinterest

Now, the Swords, Bread, and Games are all about history, social activities, and fun, no political corruption entailed. 500 “Roman” citizens, legionnaires, gladiators, and market-sellers arrive at Xanten for a week-long festival of Roman games, market displays, gladiator fights, and traditional Roman Empire cuisine. 

Found in: Lohmen
Est. Cost: $2 for admission*

The Bastei is a true blast from the past, as this medieval castle, which is located in Lohmen, Germany, is a maze of eleventh-century ruins. Germany is full of medieval castles, but the Bastei is one of the most popular.

The Bastei ©Andreas Zerndl/shutterstock.com

It was destroyed by besieging armies a century ago, but people still visit the ruins to see the beautiful view of a valley surrounded by sandstone mesas. The site itself is a gateway to hikes around the region, and, in addition to hikers, the Bastei is popular among rock-climbers.

Found in: Berlin
Est. Cost: $120 for a guided tour*

This interestingly-designed landmark is known as Teufelsberg or Devil’s Mountain, and it is an abandoned NSA field station. Set atop a high, artificial hill at the edge of Berlin, Teufelsberg’s incline was created from the rubble of 400,000 buildings from World War II.

Teufelsberg ©OlliFoolish/shutterstock.com

Rather than destroy the structures, it was easier for Berlin to bury them and turn them into a hill. During the Cold War, the U.S. constructed the listening center to help eavesdrop on East Berlin. After the Berlin Wall collapsed, the station was abandoned, but not destroyed.

Found in: Auerstedt 
Est. Cost: $0 to visit*

Famous architect Marcel Kalberer created this palatial design by weaving living saplings together, forming a domed cathedral known as Auerworld Palace. Built in 1998, this Palace took three-hundred people to build, all using techniques that ancient Sumerians used to construct their reed homes in Mesopotamia.

The Auerworld Palace @atlasobscura/Pinterest

Kalberer has built seventy of these structures across Europe, but Auerworld is one of his most impressive. Each year, it is home to dance parties at the full moon, attended by pagans and other lovers of nature-inspired art.

Found in: Nationwide 
Est. Cost: $0*

If you go to Germany, you might, when visiting a city or a town, see items like gloves, hats, phone chargers, and wallets hanging from certain trees. This is because Germans believe that hanging lost items from trees will help their owners find them again.

Hanging Lost Items From Trees @sophia971922/Pinterest

This tradition is a reflection of just how much German society likes to show gratitude and help others. Though Germans might have a reputation for being harsh, the country is actually quite friendly to both locals and tourists.