Places not to miss in Berlin
If I could describe Berlin very briefly I would say it is a house for everyone. Berlin is a city full of history and culture, with many must-visit destinations. Let’s find out the places not to miss in Berlin.
It is a city ideal for lovers of art and culture, lovers of nature and natural landscape, someone who travels and happened to spend a few hours in the city, someone who visited the city to party and have fun in clubs, tourists who want to live it all, tourists looking for a quiet place to read a book and relax in the sounds of nature and many more.
Without much thought, below you will find the ten most remarkable places of Berlin, whether you visit the city for a few or for many days.
1. Tiergarten, the city’s most famous park
Do you want to walk, ride a bike, lie on a lawn and sunbathe, relax in the shade of a tree, have a picnic, or whatever someone does in a park? This lush park is ideal for all of these. Tiergarten also houses the Berlin Zoo and the Wing Column with its winged statue. Tiergarten except for the paths with trees along them, gives visitors the opportunity to see many interesting memorials as well as cultural and political sights. Admission in park is free to the public and as you understand it is absolutely accessible to anyone who uses a bicycle.
2. Reichstag, the symbol of democracy
You cannot visit Berlin and not pay a visit to Reichstag. The Reichstag building with the famous glass
dome is one of the most visited sights in Berlin. It is seat of the German parliament, the Bundestag.
Something worth noting is that the Reichstag is highly self-sufficient in its production of energy. The
shape of the dome is constructed in such way that allows the building to make use of natural
lighting. But of course except for the part of sustainability, Reichstag is the place where decisions
that affect everyone’s life are being made.
3. Brandenburg Gate, the symbol of peace
In the heart of the city stands imposing the Brandenburg Gate, considered to be a symbol of unity. A
place where many remarkable things happened. Napoleon’s triumphal procession, Nazi parades and
Hitler’s speeches, but also street celebrations after the fall of the Berlin Wall. What once symbolized
the division of Berlin now symbolizes peace. On top, the bronze sculpture depicts a chariot with
Eirene, the Greek goddess of peace, who drives the four horses with a Prussian staff and eagle in
hand.
4. East Side Gallery, the symbol of hope
What was once a border crossing to East Germany, accessible only to West Germans, was later
transformed into a canvas for international artists. Following the Peaceful Revolution in 1989, most
of the Berlin Wall was dismantled – except for this part (nearly 1.3 km). One year later, over 100
artists from 21 countries staged a painting session on the eastern side of the Wall. The East Side
Gallery was eventually declared a monument by local authorities.
5. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Holocaust Memorial.
A wave-shaped field that consists of columns of different heights and labyrinth corridors gives the
visitor the feeling of the disorientation felt by the persecuted Jewish population of Europe. The
discussion about the location, message and form of the memorial ultimately lasted almost a decade.
The architect that designed it wanted to raise the concern of the visitor and to give everyone the
opportunity for their own version of what it represents. So while someone interprets it as
tombstones, others see it as a maze or a ruined city.
6. Museum Island, the UNESCO World Heritage Site
Consists of five large museums built under the Prussian rulers and It is one of the most renowned
museum complexes in the globe. The museums it houses are Pergamon Museum, Altes Museum,
Neues Museum, Bode Museum and the Alte Nationalgalerie. The Museum Island is most famous for
the architectural exhibits in the Pergamon museum, where visitors can see archaeological findings
from the Middle East.
7. Berlin Cathedral, known as Berliner Dom
While facing the cathedral, one cannot be unimpressed by the size and the huge dome that covers it.
If you go down to the so-called crypt, you can find sarcophagi of the Prussian Kings. What you should
definitely do, is climb to the top of the dome. You will climb several steps (270) and pass through
narrow corridors, but you will be rewarded by the view. From there you can see Museum Island,
Alexanderplatz, Unter den Linden and Hackescher Markt and in the background one can see without
exaggeration the whole Berlin.
8. Television Tower, known as Fernsehturm
Close to Alexanderplatz, you can find the Television Tower which is the highest building in Europe
open to the general public. It was constructed as a symbol of the communist system’s superiority. The
TV tower today represents the city, nationally and internationally, and from there you can have a
panoramic view of Berlin.
9. World Clock, Weltzeituhr and Alexanderplatz
Located in Alexanderplatz this clock was constructed so, to reflect the 24 time zones of Earth.
Depending on where you are standing, any time in the world can be shown. Berliners use it as a
meeting point. Alexanderplatz is a great spot for starting your sightseeing tour in Berlin. It is one of
the best known public squares in Berlin and owes its current name to King Frederick William III, who
renamed the square on the occasion of the visit of Tsar Alexander in 1805. In the winter you will find
several Christmas markets there.
10. Charlottenburg Palace
Named after Sophie Charlotte, the first Queen consort in Prussia, it is together with the Old Palace
and the New Wing today Berlin’s largest and most impressive palace. Surrounded by a Baroque park
(Schlossgarten), the palace is famous for its ornate furniture and collection of 18th-century French
paintings. The old palace (Altes Schloss), is full of baroque rooms and a collection of Chinese and
Japanese porcelain. The new wing (Neuer Flügel) houses King Frederick’s luxurious private chambers.
Giorgos Mamalis
Posted at 17:15h, 28 JanuaryWow. Just wow