Explorers from Germany

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Germans Explorers of all time. This list of famous Germans Explorers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Germans Explorers.

1. #1

   

   Martin Behaim

   1459 - 1507

   HPI 72.7036 langs

   Martin Behaim is most famous for inventing the first globe.

2. #2

   

   Heinrich Barth

   1821 - 1865

   HPI 67.3939 langs

   Heinrich Barth was a German explorer and missionary who traveled to Africa in the 1800s. He is most famous for his explorations of the...Read moreShow less

   Heinrich Barth was a German explorer and missionary who traveled to Africa in the 1800s. He is most famous for his explorations of the Sahara, including the Niger River, and for his translations of Arabic texts.

3. #3

   

   Carsten Niebuhr

   1733 - 1815

   HPI 67.0929 langs

   Carsten Niebuhr was a German physician and explorer who was the first Westerner to visit the ruins of Palmyra, Syria.

4. #4

   

   Philip Johan von Strahlenberg

   1676 - 1747

   HPI 65.6025 langs

   Swedish officer and geographer

5. #5

   

   Adam Olearius

   1603 - 1671

   HPI 65.4228 langs

   German writer, scholar and diplomat (1599-1671)

6. #6

   

   Hans Staden

   1525 - 1579

   HPI 64.8318 langs

   German conquistador

7. #7

   

   Gustav Nachtigal

   1834 - 1885

   HPI 63.8727 langs

   German physician, consul-general and explorer of Central and West Africa (1834–1885)

8. #8

   

   Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg

   1873 - 1969

   HPI 63.8123 langs

   German explorer (1873-1969)

9. #9

   

   John Sutter

   1803 - 1880

   HPI 62.6622 langs

   Swiss pioneer of California

10. #10

    

    Wilhelm Filchner

    1877 - 1957

    HPI 62.4031 langs

    German explorer (1877-1957)