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Berlin by day A - Z
ALEXANDERPLATZ
Called the "Alex" for short, it's the hub of life in Berlin. Named for a Russian Czar Alexander I, this square includes a major U-bahn (underground) and S-bahn (overland train) station as well as a major shopping center and is home to the Berlin TV Tower (Fernseturn).
AQUARIUM
Located just beside the zoo, the Berlin Aquarium has the largest and most comprehensive collection of aquatic animals in the world. There are more than 250 tanks displaying an amazing variety of fish. The reptiles, amphibians and the insectariums are definitely worth a peek.
BERLINER DOM
The Berliner Dom is one of the most important examples of the Wilhelm Berlin style. This magnificent building was built from 1893 - 1905. It was painstakingly restored from 1975 - 80 and is now used for many important musicals, concerts, and of course, normal religious services.
BERLINER RATHAUS
Referred to as the "Red Town Hall", this building is the official home of the city government for Berlin. It was constructed between 1861 and 1869 in the neo-renaissance style and given a 74-meter tower. Its terra cotta frieze surrounds the building depicting events from the history of Berlin.
BRANDENBURGER TOR
Probably the most famous symbol of Berlin, Brandenburg Gate is always associated with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Erected between 1788-91, it was modeled on the ancient Greek propylea on the Acropolis. This is definitely a must-see for any tourist visiting Berlin.
BUNDESKANZLERAMT
Home to the Bundskanzler, Angela Merkle, this complex along the Berlin Spree (canal) is a vast web of offices for all of the Chancelor's support staff as well as various important meeting rooms.
CHECKPOINT CHARLIE
Once the American crossing point between East and West Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie has also become a major must-see for visitors to Berlin. The site includes museums, pictures and historical artifacts that insure that we will never forget the past and its impact on German history.
EAST-SIDE-GALLERY
Located just outside of Ost Bahnhof, Berlin's Eastern Train Station, this is a well preserved portion of the former Berlin Wall in which artist have painted various depictions on life before and after the fall of the wall. It is very colorful and historical and taking pictures are a must.
FERNSEHTURM
The pride of the former East German, the Berlin TV Tower stands 368 meters high, actually higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It was built between 1965 and 1969 and includes a viewing platform at 203 meters and a revolving cafe.
FESTIVALS
January
BREAD & BUTTER 20/01/10 - 22/01/10
The upcoming BREAD & BUTTER BERLIN takes place from 20 - 22 January 2010 under the motto THE ORIGINAL in Berlin-Tempelhof.
FASHION WEEK - 20/01/10 - 24/01/10
Twice a year, Berlin transforms into a national and international fashion metropolis. As part of the Berlin Fashion Week (BFW), buyers, fashion experts and media reps come together to attend glamorous fashion shows and awards ceremonies, to visit trade fairs and to enjoy a variety of exhibitions and off-site events.
February
BERLINALE - 11/02/10 - 21/02/10
Now in its 56th year, the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) and held each year in February, this film festival is only rivaled by the festival in Cannes, France. Many national and international actors, actresses, directors and producers display their films to an astute audience.
May
CARNIVAL OF CULURE - 21/05/10 - 24/05/10
Absolutely a wonderful, colorful weekend in Berlin. This is a time when the multi-cultural Berlin comes out in full force. You can see every ethnicity, race, and nationality in the Carnaval. There are parades, booths, shows, and exhibitions and everyone has a wonderful time.
June/July
FETE DE LA MUSIQUE - 21/06/10
The "Fête" has begun to spread outside of France in 1985 on the occasion of "Année Européenne de la Musique". Since 1995, the European network named "Fête européenne de la Musique" has built itself up over the years and organizes European artistic exchanges (in more than 100 cities). Music here and there and everywhere – for free!
CHRISTOPHER STREET DAY - 19/06/10
Sometimes referred to as the Gay Pride Weekend, this is time of celebration, parades, exhibitions, and fun. Held every year in June, even the mayor of Berlin who publicly acknowledges being gay can be found celebrating from time to time.
September
POPKOMM - September 2010
Popkomm is the international music and entertainment business trade show. The Popkomm Festival gets in excess of 400 bands from all over the world onto the stages of Berlin's hippest clubs. The Popkomm Conference covers topics such as the live sector, digital marketing, mobile music, pop and politics as well as covering important artist relevant issues.
LITERATURFESTIVAL - 02/07/10 - 04/07/10
Nation and International authors meet in this festival to discuss the current trends in literature. There are also readings, book-signings, and exhibition. This festival is usually attended by as many as 30,000 visitors.
BERLIN MARATHON - 26/09/10
Ran of course every year through the streets of Berlin, the Berlin Marathon attracts professionals as well as amateurs to this event.
November
JAZZFESTIVAL - 04/11/10 - 07/11/10
An annual event usually held in November of each year, the Berlin Jazz festival is a staple for jazz lovers across Europe.
FILMMUSEUM BERLIN
Located in the Sony Center in historic Potsdamer Platz, this museum contains memorabilia from blockbuster films throughout history not only in the German industry but worldwide.
FLEE MARKETS
Berlin is famous for its Flee Markets. Berliners love to visit these markets on Sunday mornings and buy new, used, and undiscovered treasures. It's worth a visit for any tourist or collector.
TIERGARTEN
Flee Art Market (Straße des 17. Juni)
MITTE
Flee Market Mauerpark (Bernauer Straße)
FRIEDRICHSHAIN
Boxhagener Platz
GEDÄCHTNISKIRCHE
This church was originally constructed by Kaiser Wilhelm II as a memorial to his grandfather. The ruins of the spire of this church were not restored as a reminder of the Second World War. Today it houses a small museum with original photos and there is also a must-see chapel just in front that has very beautiful blue-stained glass walls.
GENDARMENMARKT
The superb buildings located here are a testimony to the reconstruction work of Berlin. The layout date from the 18th century and the square is often regarded as one of Berlin's finest. Located in this center of the square is the Schauspielhaus (theatre). It was completely destroyed and then reconstructed as a concert hall in 1984. On one side there is the Franzosisches Kirsche (French Church) and on the other is the Deutscher Dom (French and German Cathedral).
HACKESCHE HÖFE
Formally a large Jewish community, today there are numerous theaters, nightclubs, bars, and the largest Starbucks in Berlin. Hacksche Hofe is a great place to get something to eat as well as take in a show.
HOLOCAUST-MAHNMAL
Finally completed in 2005 after several years of discussion and confusion, this monument to the victims of WWII is fast becoming a must-see for tourists in Berlin.
JÜDISCHES MUSEUM
David Libeskind's academic and intellectual practice culminated in this much-talked-about and unusual building. The design is based on a rather involved process of connecting lines between locations of historic events and locations of Jewish culture in Berlin. These lines form a basic outline and structure for the building.
JÜDISCHES QUARTIER
The Scheunenviertel (Stable Quarter) is both Berlin's newest hot spot and one of its oldest areas. It was originally founded in the 17th century outside the medieval city walls. It survived Allied bombing raids and the Red Army's assault on the city. Recently, the quarter's old buildings have been reincarnated as trendy bars, cafes, restaurants, and galleries. It is lively, trendy and bohemian and well worth a visit.
KULTURFORUM
Located adjacent to the Potsdamer Platz, it is home to the New National Gallery, which played host to the MOMA exhibition in 2004, the Gemaelde Museum, home to paintings Tizian, Rubens, and Rembrandt, and the History of Rural Life Museum, which displays the history of rural life in the Germany.
www.smb.spk-berlin.de/ort/k.html
KURFÜRSTENDAMM
Called the "Ku-Damm" by the locals, this Berlin most famous street. It is a wide boulevard ideal for shopping and strolling along. It has many shops, cafes, restaurants, theatres, and cinemas.
MUSEUMSINSEL
Literally, an island of museums open daily for tourist to appreciate the history of German and non-German art, music and literature, the Berlin Museumsinsel is a unique ensemble of museum buildings that illustrate the evolution of modern museum design over more than a century. The museums include the National Gallery, the Old Museum (Altes Museum), the Pergamon Museum and The Bode Museum.
NEUE SYNAGOGUE
While this building is no longer a place of worship, it has been restored to its former glory as a museum documenting Jewish life in the area. When it opened in 1866, it could seat three thousand and its size and the Moorish dome was a reflection of the vitality of the neighbourhood. Since that time it has suffered a dreadful history including being located just a few blocks from a Nazi deportation station during WW II. Today, in addition to the museum of Jewish life, it serves as the archives of the Centrum Judaicum Neue Synagoge Foundation, and a Jewish adult education centre (Judische Volkshochschule.)
OLYMPIA STADIUM
Completed in 1936 in time for the 1936 Olympic games, it is the site of Jesse Owens's, American track and field hero, historic 4 gold medals to the disdain of Adolph Hitler and his superior Aryan male theory. After having been renovated, it now holds over 80,000 people and is the site of this year World Soccer Championship matches.
ORANIENBURGER STRASSE
Besides connecting the Hackeschen Hofe to Friedrichstrasse, Oranienburger Strasse has lots of bars, restaurants, and nightspots. It is also famous for squatter artists during the 70s and the 80s who created Tacheles, which can still be visited today to see art by the artists currently living there.
POTSDAMER PLATZ
Literally a parking lot and wasteland before the wall came down, Potsdamer Platz is now a buzzing and busy metropolis. With huge investments by Sony of Japan and Deutsche Bahn, the German Railway System, there is a shopping mall, several cinemas, museums, casinos, and other cultural and historical sites in this area.
REICHSTAG
Erected between 1884 and 1894 in the Italian High renaissance style, it costs nearly 30 million gold marks to build. Having a very colorful past including being completely destroyed by fire in 1933 sparking the drive toward the rise of power of the Nazis, it is today the residence of the German government. It also has an atrium that is open free to all visitors.
SCHLOSS CHARLOTTENBURG
Originally built during the reign of the first King of Prussia between 1695-99, it has been carefully restored after the war. There are 70 rooms and corridors crammed full of ornate furnishings and Watteau paintings. The east wing houses an incredible collection of romanticist paintings while the west wing houses a collection of ancient and prehistoric art and artifacts as well as very beautiful gardens to stroll through making it a must see for historians and history lovers.
SCHLOSS BELLEVUE
Built in 1785 for Prince August Ferdinand and restored in 1959, this castle is now the official residence of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany.
SIEGESSÄULE
Built between 1788-91 at the order of King Friedrich-Wilhelm II on the basis of his design and located in the center of Grosser Stern, this "Goddess of Victory", serves as a memorial to the Prussian wars victories and the founding of the Reich in 1871. It is located on the Strasse des 17th Juni which leads to Brandenburg's Gate.
UNTER DEN LINDEN
On this street, one can find such famous sites as Humboldt University where over twenty-seven Nobel Prize winners have worked as teachers as well such notables as Albert Einstein, Robert Koch, and Max Planck. Next to the university is the Staats Bibliothek, home to over 3 million books. Across the street is the Staats Opera house and continuing down the street one will end up in front of Brandenburger Gate.
ZOOLOGISCHER GARTEN
The Berlin zoo was founded in 1841. It is the largest zoo in the world with over 74-acres and some 13,000 species of animal. Today, the zoo participates in many successful programs for the breeding and preservation of endangered species. Its history, which spans more than 150 years, is reflected in the buildings, which echo the folklore and exotic reproductions of past eras. Don't miss the Elephant Gate, a magnificent oriental gate with elephant sculptures. It was constructed in 1899 on the initiative of the former zoo director, Ludwig Heck, and restored to its former beauty in the 1980s.
SHOPPING
Friedrichstraße - Mitte (S5/9, U6 Friedrichstraße)
Kurfürstendamm - Charlottenburg (U1/9 Kurfürstendamm)
Hackescher Markt - Mitte (S5/9 Hackescher Markt)
Kastanienallee - Prenzlauer Allee ( U2 Eberswalder Straße)
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