Trip: Winter in Germany

Built over the site of a Roman temple, the plan of this 11th-century church echoes that of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Notable artworks inside include a unique carved wooden door and a wooden crucifix.

Built in 1130-60 as a house for noble canonesses, it later became an Augustinian convent. Today the church shelters the Schnütgen Museum, an excellent collection of medieval religious art.

Located a block from the cathedral, the Aachen Treasury is a must-see. It contains numerous golden medieval reliquaries and other important religious artworks.

The impressive "Black Gate" in Trier is a 2nd-century Roman city gate. It owes its survival to early use by a revered hermit monk and subsequent transformation into a two-story church.

The birthplace and childhood home of Ludwig van Beethoven, the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn is now a museum dedicated to the composer.

This beautiful 12th-century basilica on Burg Square houses a very sacred relic - a vial said to contain the coagulated blood of Christ, collected at the crucifixion by Joseph of Arimathea.

Reopened in 2003, this museum's collection includes a wondrous variety of treasures from the Rhineland, including Germanic, Roman, Christian (Late Antiquity to Renaissance) and Jewish art.

Picturesquely located on the forested shores of a crater lake, the Benedictine abbey church of Maria Laach is a notable example of German Romanesque architecture.

Housed in the former Bishop's Palace and facing the Mezquita, the Diocesan Museum of Cordoba displays an excellent collection of religious art.