Germany in World Showcase, Epcot park in Walt Disney World

The Germany Pavilion is designed to look like a German town, but with architecture from different eras and regions. Germany is a federation of 16 states, with distinct culture and identity. The architecture of the German pavilion reflects styles from various regions of the country; for example, the Biergarten restaurant is Bavarian, but the statue of St. George slaying the dragon represents the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, commissioned in 1869 by King Ludwig II, was the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle.



The Platz (square) is decorated with a statue of St. George and the Dragon and a clock tower.

The Biergarten, at the rear of the courtyard, sells traditional German food. Biergarten Restaurant is a buffet restaurant designed to look as though Oktoberfest is being celebrated there. Schnitzel, strudel and beer offer a taste of Bavaria. It features live entertainment and beer served in one liter steins. The dining hall was supposed to be the the entrance area for the never built boat cruise down the Rhine (Germany did not fund it).

Sommerfest is a quick-service restaurant

The pavilion has numerous small shops selling German goods, including dolls and cuckoo clocks.

Karamell-Küche (Caramel Kitchen) is a sweets shop specializes in caramel concoctions of every sort, from caramel corn to caramel fudge. Operated by Storck, makers of Werther's caramels, this is the only standalone Werther's retail location in the world.

The area near the pavilion (next to the restrooms) is decorated by an extensive model village with working model trains.



References:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Epcot
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany_(Epcot)
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/attractions/germany-pavilion/
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/biergarten-restaurant/
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/entertainment/oktoberfest-musikanten/
Celebrate Oktoberfest All Year Long at Epcot’s Biergarten « Disney Parks Blog http://buff.ly/P4HfF1
A Guide To Drinking Around The World at Disney's Epcot http://buff.ly/1RlE4ZH