800 years? 400? Its growth rings are the only way of telling how old "Dicke Marie" (Fat Mary), Berlin's oldest tree, really is. Until that time comes, it is worth hunting down the gnarled oak tree in Tegel Forest.

Splendour, opulence and sublime beauty: Aachen Cathedral represents more than 1,200 years of glorious history. It is a coronation cathedral, burial site, place of pilgrimage and church. It combines earthly radiance and divine inspiration. The cathedral has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978.

If there was one place that made church history, then it would definitely be the All Saints' Church in Wittenberg. This is where Martin Luther began to disseminate his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517; this is the cradle of the Reformation. 2017 will see the 500th anniversary of this event celebrated at the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It embodies power, religion and spirituality: Berlin Cathedral on Museum Island in the heart of the historic capital wows visitors with more than just its glorious appearance. Berlin's largest church represents 500 years of history in Brandenburg and Prussia, and is renowned as one of the most important dynastic burial sites in Germany.

The Bishopric of Brandenburg was founded on Cathedral Island in 948 and the present-day cathedral's foundation stone was laid in 1165. Precisely 850 years later, to mark the cathedral's anniversary in 2015, the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul – along with its enclosure, curiae and ancillary buildings – once again set the stage for endorsing a great idea when it hosted the "Brandenburg Freedom Award" ceremony.

A church and museum rolled into one: Cologne Cathedral is not just one of the largest and most prominent cathedrals in the world, it is also home to fascinating and moving old art treasures of former beauty. It truly is a World Cultural Heritage Site.

Ruins that bring hope for a new era: Dargun Palace and Abbey in the heart of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern symbolises centuries of history with all its mortality and finitude. It retraces the past, but does not leave visitors feeling sad.

Built like a castle – solid, impenetrable, distanced. A place wanting to be conquered, or so it seems. It would definitely be worth it, as it houses many treasures. The Minster in Bad Doberan near the Hanseatic city of Rostock is the only place in Europe where you will find such a well-preserved, opulent medieval building.

With its Romanesque and early Gothic buildings, Eberbach Abbey is one of the most prominent art monuments in Europe. Yet the former Cistercian abbey has become a household name for its wines, which were once produced by the monks and have transformed the abbey into Germany's largest wine estate over the centuries.

The King's Hall, old abbey walls, exhibition depot and Carolingian open-air laboratory: Lorsch Abbey has a unique way of bringing history to life and making it easy to understand. The UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is also mentioned in the Song of the Nibelungs, is an interactive museum dedicated to the Middle Ages.