Cologne

With about 82 million inhabitants, Germany is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany's capital and largest metropolis is Berlin, while its largest conurbation is the Ruhr, with its main centres of Dortmund and Essen. The country's other major cities are Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Bremen, Dresden, Hannover, and Nuremberg. Elevation ranges from the mountains of the Alps in the south to the shores of the North Sea in the northwest and the Baltic Sea  in the northeast. The forested uplands of central Germany and the lowlands of northern Germany are traversed by such major rivers as the Rhine, Danube and Elbe. Germany's alpine glaciers are experiencing deglaciation. When thinking of Germany, beer, lederhosen and Alpine hats quickly come to mind, but these stereotypes mostly relate to Bavarian culture and do not represent Germany as a whole. Germany is a vast and diverse country with 16 culturally unique states that have been politically united since 1871. Even within states there is often considerable cultural diversity.

Germany

Its capital is Düsseldorf; the largest city is Cologne. Four of Germany's ten largest cities (Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, and Essen) are located in this state, as well as the second largest metropolitan area on the European continent, Rhine-Ruhr. Beethoven, Heinrich Heine or Joseph Beuys - Germany's most populous land has seen the birth of many well-known artists and is one of Europe's great cultural regions. Museums, theaters, orchestras and concert halls, musicals and other events attract millions of visitors every year. In addition to these cultural achievements, there are four World Heritage sites: Cologne Cathedral, Aachen Cathedral, Augustusburg Castle in Brühl and Zollverein Mine in Essen. The symbol of Cologne is even the most visited curiosity of Germany.

North Rhine-Westphalia

Museum Ludwig, located in Cologne, Germany, houses a collection of modern art. It includes works from Pop Art, Abstract and Surrealism, and has one of the largest Picasso collections in Europe.

Museum Ludwig

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