With more than 3 million inhabitants Berlin is the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany as well as a federal state.

The city state which is made of 12 districts is in terms of surface the biggest local municipality in Germany and in terms of population the second largest in the EU. Berlin is the centre of the metropolitan area of Berlin/Brandenburg. The rivers Havel and Spree run through it. Berlin was mentioned for the first time in records in AD 1237.

This metropolis in the heart of Europe has become Germany’s most popular touristic city. No other German city is as rich in historical and modern places of interest as Berlin is with 175 museums, three opera houses, eight symphony orchestras, about 130 theatres and ensembles as well as numerous bars in the quarters of Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg.

Due to its past Berlin has several centres. There is the city around Kurfürstendamm, Alexander square, Potsdam square and the Brandenburg Gate with government quarters and the Reichstag.

Worth visiting is also the castle of Sanssouci in Potsdam with its extensive park.

Museum Island

The Berlin Museum Island is one of the most important museum complexes in the world and as cultural and architectural ensemble it is recognized as UNESCO World Heritage. The Museum Island once was a swampy river floodplain. Today it harbours five important museums:

The „Old Museum“ (Altes Museum) with its antiques collection which comprises artefacts belonging to the Greek culture until the beginning of the Roman Era. On the upper floor since 2009 arts and culture of the Etruscans and Romans are displayed.

The “New Museum” (Neues Museum), which was rebuild until 2009 on the Museum Island. Since then it harbours the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection with the well-known bust of Nefertiti. Furthermore exhibitions of the Museum for Prehistoric and Early Historic Archaeology are organized here, displaying, for example, copies of the “Schliemann Gold” found in Troy.

Along with the name-giving altar, the “Pergamonmuseum” exhibits the history, arts and culture of Anatolia and the Middle East. It also harbours the Museum of Islamic Arts. The most spectacular exhibits are, along with the Pergamon Altar, the Market Portal of Milet and the Ishtar Portal of Babylon.

In the “Old National Gallery” (Alte Nationalgalerie) sculptures and paintings stemming from the 19th century, including the German painter Caspar David Friedrich and French Impressionists, are displayed.

Last but not least the Bode Museum, re-opened in 2006, shows Byzantine Arts, also “Old Masters” and coins stemming from Asia Minor are displayed.

Brandenburg Gate

Built 1791 according to the wish of the Friedrich Wilhelm II., King of Prussia, the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) nowadays is not only a symbol of Berlin, but also of all Germany, although, until the reunification of Germany took place, it had been a symbol of the divided country, because it was situated right on the border between West and East Berlin.

Thus being a former symbol of the Cold War, the monument in 1990 became a symbol of Germany´s reunification. The Brandenburg Gate is an early classicist monument made of natural stone quarried near the Elbe River, and its architect Langhans planned it with a height of 26 meters, a width of 65 meters and a depth of 11 meters. The Doric columns show Ionic cannelure and thus an eclectic architectural style.

Reichstag

The Reichstag building is one of the most favoured tourist attractions in Berlin. During a guided tour you will find out very interesting things about history and architecture of the Reichstag building. At the same time you will be enlightened on duties, approaches and constellation of the parliament itself. Be aware, that the Reichstag is nothing for spontaneous visits. Tourist numbers are such high that participating in a guided tour requires previous registration.

Most interesting is the dome of the Reichstag. It has a terrace and a miraculous view of the parliament and government quarter. But also here, you have to do registration and booking in advance.

The Reichstag is located on the Square of the Republic and since 1999 seat of the German Bundestag, the parliament. Originally opened in 1894, its construction took 10 years. A fire and World War II severely damaged the Reichstag, but it was renovated in the 1960s. Formerly it was seat of the Reichstag of the German empire and the Reichstag of the Republic of Weimar.

The Berlin Wall

For 40 years Berlin was a town divided in two by „the wall“. The part of the city belonging to the Federal Republic of Germany was under legislation of western allies while the part belonging to the GDR was under Soviets‘ rule.

In August of 1961 the wall was closed to crossings. Until then more than 2,7 million people had left the GDR. The guarded wall ran for 161 kilometres through the city, mostly double built with the so-called „stripe of death“ running in between the two parallel walls. Due to uprisings in East Germany the wall fell on 9th of November, 1989. At some few places still remaining parts of the wall can be found; however today they are brightly coloured painted. At checkpoint Charlie, the probably best known former border crossing point, is today a museum.

Tiergarten (Zoo)

In the middle of the city lies the „Tiergarten“. On an area of 220 hectares Tiergarten is the most popular park in Berlin. Created by Frederick the Great, this baroque park was reshaped and finally destroyed in the following centuries. Today, shady avenues, meadows for barbecuing and sunbathing as well as walking ways on the water side lure lots of people every day.

In the centre of the park is located the „star“, a converging point of all big streets. In midst of the roundabout stands the 60 metres high pillar of victory. On top of it stands golden Victoria in memory of the victorious Prussian wars.

If you climb all 285 steps, you will have a magnificent view. 

City East

Alexanderplatz, the centre of East City, is the counterpart of the City West around Breitscheid square and Kurfürstendamm in Charlottenburg. At the moment the square is reshaped and gigantic skyscrapers in Manhattan style will soon arise here.

Kreuzberg/Friedrichshain

What makes this district so much interesting are the prevailing living contrasts. Previously, this part of Berlin was quarter of the working-class and industry. Today it is a trendy part of town.

Old and new things can be found here. Once the area was a down-and-out area, but since a couple of years a continuous boom is on. Buildings arise, renovations are done and change can be witnessed wherever you look. The trend to move to Berlin changes city parts around city centre. The old inhabitants are not always happy with this change. Students, greenies, punks and leftists dominate the townscape now.

In Friedrichshain days can be spend calm and the nights absolutely thrilling. Creativity, the feeling of a “new deal” and economic boom are omnipresent.

Numerous cafés are one of the favoured things in Kreuzberg. You see them everywhere. Nevertheless life is less trendy in Kreuzberg than it is in Prenzlauer Berg or Friedrichshain, the parts of Berlin that got much attention after the reunification of Germany.

More information: http://www.berlin.de/en/

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