Venues

The 2006 World Cup will take place in 12 World Cup venue cities across Germany .

Berlin - the nation's capital, largest city and most lively tourist destination.

Cologne (Köln) - historical city in the Rhine-Ruhr area, famed for its massive cathedral.

Dortmund - the beer capital of Germany.

Frankfurt - cosmopolitan modern city and Germany's financial center.

Gelsenkirchen - post- industrial city in the northern Ruhr built on coal, iron and steel.

Hamburg - prosperous, liberal Baltic port city famed for its nightlife.

Hanover - historical city famous for the exquisite gardens at Herrenhausen.

Kaiserslautern - provincial city noted for its US Army presence and football tradition.

Leipzig - transformed dramatically since reunification - the city of Bach, Mendelssohn & Wagner.

Munich (München) - Bavaria's hi-tech, cosmopolitan capital - famed for its palaces, museums and the annual Oktoberfest.

Nuremberg (Nürnberg)- historical & charming Bavarian city of commerce and culture.

Stuttgart - capital of Baden-Wurttemberg: modern, dynamic home to Daimler Benz and Porsche.