Thursday, July 10, 2008

Exploring Berlin City



























 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
1. One hour tour of the "old" and "new city center with live commentary, sights included The Berliner Dom Cathedral, Nikolai and Government quarter, Reichstag Parliament, Lehrter Bahnhof station, chancellery to the "Mobaiter Werder" and back.
2. Reichstag Parliament
3. The Potsdamer Platz
Berliner Dom - Built 1894 - 1905 as the court church and cathedral for Emperor Wilhelm I. ( See the magnificent pulpit, large sauer organ, ceremonial sarcophaguses, baptism and marriage chapel, royal staircase, hohenzollern family crypt, and dome.
More information - http://www.berlinerdom.de/
 
Unter den Linden - The stately Unter den Linden boulevard, the old heart of Berlin, strecthes from Pariser Platz, with the Hotel Adlon, down to the Schlossbrucke (Palace Bridge), passing many imposing sights including the Berliner dom Cathedral, the Neue Wache, the staatsoper Unter den Linden Opera House, the Humboldt University and the area around the Palast der Republik. The Palast der Republik used to house the Volkskammer, the East German Parliment, and a cultural leisure centre. Now, it is being demolished; afterwards, as of late 2008, the old Berlin City Palace will be reconstructed on the site.
The Museum Island - lying between two arms of the River Spree, is a UNESCO world heritage site and comprises five museums packed with remarkable art treasures: The Pergamon Museum, Bode Museum, the Old Museum and the Old National Gallery, plus the New Museum - scheduled to reopen in 2009 as the new home of the Egyptian Museum.
The Brandenburg Gate - has come to epitomise Berlin, symbolising both the dividend city and German reunification. After that simply stop over at the "Raum der Stille" (Room of Silence) in the northern gatehouse. The nearby Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is a powerful reminder of the importance of historical awareness. The Field of Stelae, designed by New York architect Peter Eisenmann, comprises 2711 concrete blocks.
On the other side of Brandenburg Gate, the Reichtag Parliament building, seat of the German Bundestag since 1999, is equally near. The Reichtag;s impressive glass dome is well worth a visit.
The short detour to the new Berlin Hauptbahnhof central station is well worth it. The outstanding design of Europe's largest and most modern interchange rail hub houses a diverse range of shops on two floors, making it popular destinaton 7 days a week.
The world-renowned Unter den Linden boulevard begins on the easter site of the Brandenburg Gate, at Pariser Platz. Berlin's largest park, the Tiegarten, is to west, with the strasse des 17.Juni and the dramatic Siegessaule (Victory Column) topped by a vast statue of the goddess of victory. The column's viewing platform is 67 meters up - great for a view across the city;s green lung, the spreading park and woods of the Tiegarten.
The Potsdamer Platz - is a popular attractio in today's Berlin. Once, this are was a desolate no-man's land split by the Berlin Wall but when the Wall fell, it rapidly became a vibrant centre with outstanding cutting-edge architecture. Now, it's a magnet for both tourists and locals alike - a lively entertainment district with theaters, restaurants, cafes, cinemas and an attractive shopping mall.
The futuristic Sony Centre, with its impressive roof, is an exciting place to be, whatever the weather- with restaurants, eateries and businesses, plus the historic Kaisersaal reception rooms, the German Museum for film and TV, and an IMAX cinema.
The Charlottenburg Palace - The Prussian palaces and stately buildings lend the classical Berlin its own particular charm. The Charlottenburg Palacee, the only surviving major Royal palace in the city, was built as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte, the first queen of Prussia. The Palace is a magnificient example of Baroque architecture, with landscaped park grounds and its own Orangery.
The Berggruen Museum, with its stunning collection of Picasso and classical modern artists, is close by and a direct neighbour of the Brohan Museum, which focuses on Art Nouveau and Art Deco interior and graphic arts. The nearby Pre-and Early History Museum has one of the largest specialised collections of its kind.
That special experience of sauntering up and down the popular Kurfurstendamm boulevard is simply a must for every Berlin Visitor. This traditional centre for up-scale shopping comprises both Kurfurstendamm and Tauentzienstrasse, which meet at Breitscheidplats square in front of the Europa Centre. Both boulevards and the neighbouring side-streets offer an array of exquisite shops, flagship stores, art and antiques dealers, bookshops, clothes stores, restaurants, cafes, cinemas and theaters. Breitscheidplats square, with its World Fountain, is close to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial chruch, preserved as a reminder of the horrors of wars.
 
 
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