Cobblestones

I had no idea that the street and sidewalk pavers would be so interesting! (if this doesn't sound exciting to you, you might want to skip this post)

  

They are also VERY German.  Just as many German words are 'built' by putting simple words together (Einfamilienhaus = ein+familien+haus=single family dwelling), so a sidewalk or road is made of individual pavers rather than by pouring and smoothing a big slab of concrete.  One cool thing about it is if you need to work on a conduit pipe under the street, you pull up the pavers, put them in a pile, dig down to the pipes, fix them, then put the dirt back and RE-LAY the same paving stones.

Another cool thing is that they make them out of different colors of concrete and then use them to mark different areas:  bike lanes are grey/green (on the right above), walking paths are red (on the left). 

White or grey pavers mark parking places.  Very handy.

The pavers look neat where different patterns meet 

In the center of town (der Romer Platz) there is a plaque surrounded by pavers, marking the spot where the Nazis burned the books in 1933.

a sea serpent

And they use them creatively on playgrounds and in gardens.

These are parking lots only when needed

Even the Japanese garden gets in on the act.

All of these newly added cobblestones below are from the temple.