Located 20 km south of Cologne on the river Rhine, Bonn
is the 19th largest city in Germany. Bonn
was the capital of West
Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official
seat of government for united Germany
until 1999. Today, Bonn is still the centre of politics and
administration but also is home to some of Germany s largest corporate
players, specifically in telecommunications and logistics.
Bonn
is best known as the birth place of Beethoven.
Located next to the market place in the Old Town Hall,
Beethoven s birth place is still used as a bureau for the mayor and boasts the world's most extensive collection of Beethoven exhibits.
Also not to be missed is Poppelsdorf
Palace. This
magnificent baroque architecture palace is host to the "Poppelsdorf Palace
Concerts" each summer.
There are many outstanding museums to be enjoyed on museum
mile near the government quarter.
Specifically, a visit to the German
Museum and the House of
History are well worth the trip. Art
lovers should be sure to visit the Federal Exhibition Hall and the Bonn Art
Museum.
In between sites, be sure to stop at some of the beer
gardens and pavement cafes along the river Rhine.
For a rustic and traditional experience, try the Brauhaus B nnsch where the house
beer is a perfect accompaniment to many Rhenish specialities.