7 Memorable Sights in Berlin
Berlin, Germany’s premier city, is a culturally rich and ethnically diverse metropolis. With over 3.5 million people from 190 nations, Berlin is a renowned university center and cultural hotspot given by the 140 museums scattered around the city. To top it all off, aesthetic architecture is enhanced by plenty of parks, gardens, lakes and rivers. If you want to grasp the essence of Berlin, here are seven amazing and memorable sights the city has to offer:
1. The Brandenburg Gate – This monumental gate is the city’s most prominent symbol and one of Europe’s most famous landmarks. The structure was originally part of a wall around Berlin and served as the main entrance to the city. Designed by Carl Gotthard and commissioned by Wilhelm II, the gate’s design was inspired by the Acropolis and Greek mythology. The gate became infamous after the Second World War, when it divided East and West Germany as port of the Berlin wall. It survived the Second World War with extensive damages but was refurbished on several occasions, culminating with a private investment of six million US dollars in 2001. It was open to visitors a year later and now stands as a sign of Communist liberation.
Image by MoUrInO
2. The Charlottenburg Palace – Berlin’s only palace dates back from the reign of the Hohenzollern family and was constructed between 1695-99 to serve as the summer house of Sophie Charlotte, wife of the Elector of Brandenburg, Frederick III. Expanded a century later, the palace is tastefully decorated in the Baroque and Rococo styles. In the 19th century, the palace added a garden, Belvedere teahouse, as well as the impressive Schinkel pavilion. In the southern part of the palace, two museums attract visitors interested in modern art: the Sammlung Berggruen and Bröhan-Museum.
3. The Berlin Cathedral – This Baroque structure was the court church of the Hohenzollern Dynasty and was built during Kaiser Wilhem II’s reign, at the end of 19th Century. What makes the Berlin Dom (how Germans refer to it) is the intricate mosaics that decorate its walls. A birds’ eye view of the dome can be seen from the gallery accessible through a 270-step stairway. The Dom contains the royal crypt of the Hohenzollern – around 100 German royalty buried here for over five centuries.
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4. Alexanderplatz- Destroyed in World War II, the Alexanderplatz later became the center of East Berlin and a place to showcase socialist architecture. Dominated by the Fernsehturm (TV Tower), the square was rebuilt after the fall of the Iron Curtain. A competition won by Hans Kohlhoff resulted in the mass renovation of the buildings around the market and a redevelopment of the square. Alexanderplatz is now a common meeting point and a place for various cultural activities.
5. Unter den Linden – This prestigious boulevard leads from Pariser Platz to the Schlossbrücke bridge and dates back from the mid-1600s when Duke Friedrich Wilhelm beautified the area with linden trees. On the linden street you can find the Berlin Opera (No. 7), the Berlin State Library (No. 8 ) and many other impressive buildings worth seeing. Stroll down Unter den Linden to find captivating tourist attractions.
6. The Tiergarten – Located in central Berlin, this park is a popular destination among locals and tourists alike looking for open green spaces. Tiergarten, the largest park in the city, is home to the Berlin Zoo, an aquarium and a popular birdhouse. One of its most prominent symbols is the The Victory Column (Siegessäule), a golden statue of a goddess with an observation deck on top that gives excellent views of the area. Close to the Victory Column, you will also find Bellevue Palace, the official residence for the German President.
7. The Olympic Stadium – Built for the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, the Stadium has a long football tradition, hosting matches from the 1974 and 2006 FIFA World Cup. Now the stadium is home to the soccer team Hertha BSC. Anyone can use the stadium for a wide variety of recreational pursuits; in the summer thousands of visitors use the Olympic swimming pool to exercise and cool off.
