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Berlin
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Berlin is German's Capital and its most exciting city.
More than 3,5 Mio people live and work here. Berlin was mentioned 1237 the first time. The big city Berlin was founded from eight towns and 59 villages in 1920. Today there are 12 districts.to top
Information:Getting there:
by airplane
Berlin has two airports, Tegel and Schönefeld. Budget airlines like Ryanair or Easyjet prefer Schönefeld. The Schönefeld airport, which should be extended in some years, is more remote from the city, but better in reach by train and subway/underground. It's a five to ten minute walk to the train and subway station. A ticket to town is Zone ABC, about 3,00 Euro. From Tegel there are busses in town. A ticket to the Hauüptbahnhof and most other destiantions in Zone AB costs 2,10 Euro.by train
The modern central railway station "Berliner Hauptbahnhof" is not far from the Reichstag and the Brandenburger Tor.by car
as in any European capital parcing in the city center is difficult and expensive, but in Berlin are considerable less problems. The problem is that you need a "Umweltplakette" (low emission windscreen sticker (only green from 2010 link ) or you have to pay a substantial fine, there are a lot of controls. As a tourist friendly destination there is no exception for any rental or tourists cars. You better park your car in the outskirts for free and go by subway or bus.
Getting around:
There is a vast subway/underground system (U-Bahn) for getting around the city. You can also take the suburban train (S-Bahn) or busses. A ticket costs for the Zone AB, which covers most attractions 2,10 and is valid for 2 hrs. If you don't mind walking you still find free parking places, but not next to the "Brandenburger Tor". The bus lines 100 and 200 are passing many sights of Berlin!
Accommodation
there are many hotels in every price range in Berlin. Look for discounts on the internet.
1st adresses:hotel-adlon.de, ritzcarlton.com,
For people with less moneys there are dorm rooms in hostels or backpackers.
Hostels: general: backbackernetwork.de,
alcatraz-backpacker.de , cornerhostel.de , backpackers.de, eastseven.de, heartofgold-hostel.de, helterskelterhostel.com, hostel-berlin.de, riverside-lodge.de, sunflower-hostel.de, circus-berlin.de,generatorhostels.com, meininger-hostels.com, globetrotterhostel.de,
ostel.eu (GDR style accomodation, Wriezener Karee 5, near Ostbahnhof )
Acitivities
Theater, Opera, Musical,
Berlin has more than a hundred theaters, three operas and more. You will face a choice.Links
Theater/Oper/Musical/ class. conzert (very imperfect list)
general: berliner-buehnen.de,
opera: staatsoper-berlin.de,
musical: friedrichstadtpalast.de, admiralspalast.de,
big (edificiall) theaters: gorki.de (Gorkitheater), schaubuehne.de, renaissance-theater.de, grips-theater.de (for kids and teens)
smaller (edificial) theaters: berliner-ensemble.de (Brechttheater) gorki.de (Gorkitheater),hebbel.am-ufer.de,
cabaret, comedy:distel-berlin.de , tipi-am-kanzleramt.de, komoedie-berlin.de,
more show:estret.de , bar-jeder-vernunft.de, chamaeleonberlin.de,
concert: berliner-philharmoniker.de, (with modern building from star architect Hans Scharoun)to relax
Links: liquidrom.de (shaded thermal pool with Sauna and underwater music.shopping
Beside KaDeWe and noble boutiques at the Friedrichsstrasse there are a lot of weekend flea markets. But there is more cheap junk than antique bargains. Link: berliner-troedelmarkt.de,Museums
Top Highlights are the museums at the "Museumsinsel". There are dozens more. The memorials of the holocaust and Nazi-Terror are free, but not the museums, which shows the past of the Socialist regime. It shows much of the German attitude towards political justice.Links:
Museumsinsel: smb.museum , museumsinsel-berlin.de,neues-museum.de, alte-nationalgalerie.de (10 €) ,,
Arts: neue-nationalgalerie.de, Potsdamer Str. 50, 8 €); hamburger-bahnhof.de, Invalidenstr. 50, 8 € ; gropiusbau.de, Niederkirchner Str. 10, 8 €;
Science: Deutsches Technikmuseum sdtb.de entrance 5 €, Trebbiner Str. 8; naturkundemuseum-berlin.de (6 €), Invalidenstr. 43;
History: dhm.de Geschichte (Unter den Linden 2, 5 €), stadtmuseum.de (Am Köllnischen Park 5, Stadtgeschichte, 5 €), alliertenmuseum.de ( Clayallee 135, Eintritt frei), Stasi- Museum stiftung-hsh.de, Genslerstr. 66, Eintritt 5 €, Stasimuseum stasimuseum.de, Eintritt 5 € ), story of berlin.de Kurfürstendam 208, entrance ~ 10 Euro, ddr-museum.de, Karl Liebknecht Str.1 Eintritt ~ 6 Euro)
Nazi-History: (entrance all free) : gdw-berlin.de (Stauffenberg Str.13), topgraphie.de (Niederkirchener Str. 8), holocaust-mahnmal.de (Cora-Berliner Str.)
diverse: heinrich-zille-museum.de (Probststr.11, 4 €), labyrinth-kindermuseum.de 4 €, Osloer Str.12, for kids), Jewish Museum, jmberlin.de (Lindenstr. 94, 5 €), deutsche-kinemathek.de Sony Center 6 €
others art/ galeries: galerien-berlin.de, art-in-berlin.de, art-forum-berlin.de,
Sightseeing tours
some available to reasonable fares. Cheapest option is a ride by bus line 100 and 200, which are passing many sights of Berlin. By boat along the Spree: reederverband-berlind.de, by Rikscha velotaxi.de, by metro panorma-bahn.de, by bike berlinonbike.de, at underworld berliner-unterwelten.de,Festivals and events:
Christopher Street Day csd-berlin.de 19.6.2010, Karneval der Kulturen karneval-berlin.de 21.5-24.5.2010, Berlin Marathon 26.10.2010 scc-events.com, Silvester Party at the Brandenburg gate sylvester-in-berlin.de, Music for free (June) lafetedelamusique.de, adfc-berlin.de June biking, langenachtderwissenschaft.de (night of science), lange-nacht-der-museen.de museum night, gauklerfest.de (August),Beaches at Lakes berlinerbaederbetriebe.de,
Wannsee strandbadwannsee.de,
the largest beach on a lake in Germany. An around a mile long and 80 meters wide sandy beach.Horse racing courses berlintrab.de,
horse course are in Hoppegarten und Karlshorst
Books and films
recommended novels
Berlin Alexanderplatz Alfred Döblin 1929
Emil und die Detektive Erich Kästner 1929, childrens book
Herr Lehmann Sven Regner 2001recommended films which play in Berlin
Berlin Alexanderplatz
Ein Himmel über Berlin (a bit melancholic)
Sonnenallee - GDR Comedy
Good by Lenin -GDR Comedy
Das Leben der Anderem - about Stasi
Highlights
Kurfürstendamm metro stop U 2, 9 S 5,7,9 Zoologischer Garten kurfuerstendamm.de,
The Kurfürstendamm was before falling the wall the center of West-Berlin. The old chancellor Bismarck wanted something like the Champs Elysee in Berlin. It has lost some of its glory after the unification.Kudamm
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche metro stop U 2,9 Zoologischer Garten
in Neoromantic stylewas named after the last German Emperor Wilhelm II. After the war the area around was the central point of West Berlin. The Berliner peopled wished to keep the bombed west tower of the church, what they called "hollow teeth" with the new chapel, which nickname is "powder tin". It's typical for the Berliners to invent funny names for their buildings.Gedächtniskirche click on to enlarge
Nearby is the "KaDeWe" (Kaufhaus des Westens kadewe.de) a big noble shopping market, the most known in Germany.Berlin Zoo metro stop U 2,9 S 2,5,7 Zoologischer Garten zoo-berlin.de, entrance up to 20 Euro.
If you are an enthusiatically zoo visitor you might spend a day there. The Zoo is famous and aside is also an aquarium/crocodile section. Another geat Zoo is the former GDR Zoo in Lichtenberg tierpark-berlin.de (Entrance 11 €)
In the Hotel SAS Radisson is a sealife aquarium also with sharks sealifeeurope.comentrance ~ 18 €After that you can walk through the Tiergarten, a big green park, to the Siegessäule along the Street of the 17. June to the Brandenburger Tor or you walk directly to the Potsdamer Platz
Siegessäule U 9 Hansaplatz, S 5,7,9 Tiergarten
the Siegessäule (=Victory Column / Nickname: "Goldelse") was built after Prussia had widen its power after winning some wars in the 19th century. The column is from 70 m high and on top is the 8 m high, golden goddess "Victory". Once it was facing the Reichstag, but it was removed in 1938/39 to the roundabout "Großer Stern".Siegessäule click on to enlarge
The surrounding park, which was a former noble hunting ground, was formed by the garden architect Peter Joseph Lenné into an English style park,
A short sidetrip to the left you can have a look at "Schloß Belvue", this palace is now the seat of the German President. The new Oval building next to is the presedential administration office.Pariser Platz Pariser Platz U
place before the Brandenburger Tor and here is Berlin's first hotel adress, the Hotel Adlon.Brandenburger Tor = Brandenburg Gate Pariser Platz U , Unter den Linden S 1,2
The Brandenburger Tor (Tor =Gate) was built in 1788-1790 AD in Greek style and is the last remaining town gate. It was fighted by Napoleon and destroyed in World War II. In the cold war the Gate was lying in the no-zone directly at the "Berliner Mauer = the Wall" and it was a sympbol as a gate between the freedom in capitalism and socialist oppression. On top is the Quadriga and the Godess of victoryBrandenburger Tor click on to enlarge
some meters to the left you find the
Holocaust Memorial U 2 Mohrenstrasse S 1,2 Unter den Linden holocaust-mahnmal.de
Holcocaust memorial, a wood of beton steleas from "Eisenmann". It is quite an intersting art memoral. There is an information center (entrance is free) which documents the mass murder of the European Jews. It is to cruel, so not recommended for small children.Holocaust Memorial
You return cross the "Brandenburger Tor" and some meters to the right is the
Reichstag Metro Stop: U Pariser Platz, Unter den Linden S 1, 2 bundestag.de, bundesregierung.de, (German parlament, government)
The Reichstag (built 1884-1894 in Neo-Renaissance Style renovated by Norman Forster in 1994-99) is the House of the German Parliament (= Bundestag ).Reichstag click on to enlarge
copula
It was the seat of Parliament also in the Kaiserreich and Weimarer Rebuplic but moved from Berlin to Bonn from 1945 to1990, when Germany was occupied by the Soviets in the East and the West Alliertes (USA, Britain, France) in the West. The Reichstag was totally wrapped in cloth by the Artist Christo in 1996. The new glas cupola is open for the public (entrance free).
The German Constitution "Grundgesetz"
The German constitution follows the French idea of the independency of the three state powers of legislation, administration and judical power, but also the American idea of an association of partly independent federal states.
The jurisdictation of legislation power is determined in the "Grundgesetz". Some federal laws could be passed only by the "Bundestag = federal parliament" (Reichstag is only the name of the building) but federal laws concerned the states affairs also need the majority consent of the "Bundesrat", which is the House of Representatives for the sixteen German states. State laws are passed by the parliaments of each state. The "Chancellor =Bundeskanzler" (today Merkel, before Schröder) is elected by the Bundestag. The Chancellor is the head of administration power, appoints the ministers (secretaries of state) and determines the political guide lines.The "Bundespräsident =President" has only representative function, but he has to approve passed laws as constitutional.Every four years are elections for the representatives of the Bundestag. Half of the representatives are choosen members of the German parties correspondending to their share of votes (but minimum is 5 %). The other half of representatives are elected directly by wards. Today is ruling a coalition of CDU (Christ Democratic Party) and FDP (Liberals). Their goal is less taxes and less governmental control. The Opposition is the SPD (Labour Party), the GRÜNE (ecologists), and the LINKE (Socialists). Right winged parties were under 1 % in former West-Germany, but more popular in the former "East Germany" (about 3-10 %).
The first articles of the Grundgesetz contain the bill of fundamental human and political rights. Art. 1 GG assure the human dignity, then other human rights as personal freedom, equality before law, right to believe, freedom of speech, art, profession and press, and political rights as the right of demonstration, asyl, forming unions and strike, the protection of the family, property and privaty of house, a fair trial, and the abolishment of the death penalty.
Big noble ideas, but politcs and justice in Germany often work different.KanzleramtChancellor Building
is the seat of the German Chancellor, today Mrs. Merkel, who is the political leader of Germany. The president Köhler has only representive duties.Chancellor building
The building, which is between Reichstag and the central railwaystatio "Hauptbahnhof" is built by the architect and the Berliners call it theBerliner Hauptbahnhof hbf-berlin.de.
is the central railwaystation. It is a georgious modern glas buildingBerlin Hbf
Unter den Linden Metro Stop: Unter den Linden U 1,2; Friedrichstrasse S 5,7,9
it is the historic boulevard - means below the lime trees- that was the former city center before the seperation of Berlin. It is bordered by international consulates, palaces and theatres for almost a mile. It startes from the Brandenburger Tor and pass the Humbold University and the shopping mall Friedrichsstrasse nearby. There are also located some operas, the Neue Wache, Hotel Adlon, the National Library and the Museum of German History.Unter den Linden
Friedrichstraße Metro Stop: Friedrichstrasse S 1,5,7,9 U 6
is the 2 miles long avenue crossing the center of Berlin. It cuts the Checkpoint Charlie (U 6 Kochstraße) which was the crossing point from East and West for diplomats and the allied forces after the erection of the Wall. only a controll booth is left.Checkpoint Charlie
The Friedrichstrasse plunges then into a fine shopping district at the Französische Strasse and goes further on by crossing the Avenue Untern den Linden and ends by crossing the Spree in one of Berlin's Szene areas with theatres, bars, pubs and restaurants.
At Friedrichstrasse No 75-85 is the noble shoppig store Layfayette galeries-lafayette.de and in stylish ambiente the store Quartier206 quartier206.com,Gendarmen Markt (constablers square) Metro Stop: Stadtmitte/Französiche Straße U 2, 6,
which was designed in the 18th to 18th century is located at the center of Friedrichstadt and it is one of the finest squares in Europe.It is framed by the French and German Cathedral and the Schauspielhaus (designed by Schinkel 1818-21), which is today concert hallHumboldt University hu-berlin.de,
founded in 1810. Albert Einstein, Robert Koch, Max-Planck were lernig or teaching hereUniversity building
Berliner Dom Metro Stop: U- Alexanderplatz 2, 5, 8, S- Hackescher Markt 5,7,9, berliner-dom.de,
was built from 1894-1905 in Italian Renaissance style and is the largest protestant church in the 19th century. It has place for 2.000 people. From interest is the altarpiece (Schinkel design) and more of 100 sarcophages of the Hohenzollern Dynasty in the crypt.Berliner Dom
Opposite of the Berliner Dom is the DDR-Museum(ddr-museum.de, entrance ~ 6 Euro), which shows the life in the former socialistic part of Germany.Museumsinsel Metro Stop: Hackescher Markt, 5,7,9 smb.museum , museumsinsel-berlin.de,neues-museum.de, alte-nationalgalerie.de,
On the northern part of the Spree Island are located the most famoust museums of Berlin, the "Pergamon Museum", the "Alte Museum", the "Alte Nationalgalerie", the "Bode Museum" and the "Neue Museum" (built 1859). Entrance for each 8-10 €.Neue Museum
Not fare from there are the Hackesche Höfe (hackesche-hoefe.de, S 3,5,9 Hakescher Markt), a complex with galleries, arts and crafts shops.
Another complex of theaters, cafés and studios is the the Tacheles tacheles.de, built in 1908, which was a long time the largest warehouse in town.Hackesche Höfe
Oranienburger Str. and Tacheles U 6 Oranienburger Tor S 1,2 Oranienburger Str.East Side Galery Metro Stop: S 3, 5,9 ; U 1 Warschauer Strasse
a fragment of the former "Berliner Mauer = Wall" which seperated the East- from West Berlin. a 130 m long segment was painted by 118 artists and is declared as East Side Gallery.
The "Berliner Mauer = Wall "
was built in 13.8.1961 and was tore down at 9.11.1989. It hindered the East Germans from fleeing to West-Germany and the "Berliner Mauer" was part of the best guarded border of the world. People who wanted to get over the Wall were killed mostly without warnings.Neue Wache Metro Stop: Friedrichstraße S 1,2 5,7,9 U 2 Französische Straße U 6
the building was built by Schinkel in 1816-1818. It is now a memorial to the victims of the war and tyranny, showing the scultpure of a mourning mother from which is a portrait by Käthe KollwitzNikolai Quarter Metro Stop: U 2 Klosterstraße
old quarter in Berlin with refurbished historic buildings around the Nicolai Church like the "Ephraim Palace", the "Knoblauch Haus" and the Tavern "Zum Nussbaum" and the "Gerchtslaube, which is he courtyard of the medieval townhall of BerlinNikolai Quarter
Potsdamer Platz U 2 S 1,2 Potsdamer Platz sonycenter.de, potsdamerplatz.de,
was the hugest investion area in the ninethies. It is a shopping area with restaurants, cinemas etc. A place where people meet together.Sony Center Potsdamer Platz
There is also a subway and train station there.Alexanderplatz U 2,5,8 S 5,7,9 berlinerfernsehturm.de, entrance fee ~ 6 €
huge place with much space. It was the former center of East Berlin.Alexanderplatz with TV Tower
There is the World Clock and nearby is the Berliner Fernsehturm (TV-Tower), which is more than 200m high and from the panoramic floor (203m) or the revolving restaurant in 207 m you have phantastic views over Berlin.Schloss Charlottenburg U 6 Richard Wagner Platz S 4 Westend spsg.de (entrance 6 €)
the most interesting of the nince palaces or castles of Berlin is the palace of Kings Frederick, which was built in the 17th century and after that often redesigned, finally in 1790. Around the palace is an old French Baroque garden, which was later extended to an English-style landscape park.Schloss Charlottenburg
Berlin´s history under the Kings of Prussia
- Brandenburg's Kurfürst (electoral) Friedrich I was crowned 1701 as King of Prussia, he built Schloss Charlottenburg, founded the academy of arts .
- Friedrich-Wilhelm I until 1740, Soldatenkönig (soldier king), instituted comulory school and reformed administration
- Friedrich II thre Great until 1786, conquerer and founder of the global power Prussia,
- Friedrich-Wilhem III until 1840, victory against Napoleon, three class voting system from 1838, founing of the Humboldt university in 1810
- Wilhelm I until 1888, victory against France, Bismarck became chancellor and Berlin capital
- Wilhelm II until 1918, leads Germany into World War I
more: Deutsches historisches Museum (German history museum), Unter den Linden 2, entrance 5 €, dhm.de,Messegelände and Funkturm U 2 Kaiserdamm ,
SOlympiastadium U 2 Olympiastadium , olympiastadion-berlin.de,
The Olympic Games in 1936 took place here. The most successful athlet at the games was Jesse Owens, who won 4 gold medals. Many of the old architecture could be seen thought it it is a modern stadium with 5 Fifa stars today. The Bundesliga team and oncoming German football champion of 2010/2011 Hertha BSC plays here every second Saturday during the football season.
in the outskirtsSpandau U 7 Spandau Altstadt-Zitadelle ,
Spandau is situated at the western shore from the Havel, a 10 minutes ride with the S-Bahn to Brandenburg.
The fortress (Zitadelle) in Italian style from the 16th century is unique in Northern Europe. It is a institution of arts and crafts and a museum today.
Annually 10.000 bats are hibernaing in the Zitadelle. Some concerts are taken place here in summer citadel-music-festival.de.Nice is also the old town Spandau with its alleys, halft timbered houses, the St.Nikolai Church and the Gotic House.
Spandau U 7 Spandau Altstadt-Zitadelle ,
a former independent town now a quarter of Berlin, situated in th north west. Interesting castle Zitadelle with Julius tower. The Kolk-quarter in the town center with its crooed alleys and its old houses, the Nikolai church and the Gotique house is worth for a leisurely stroll.Köpenick
nice old town center at the river Dahme. Read the tale of the "Hauptmann von Köpenick". Nearby is one of the largest lakes the Müggelsee. It has a beach and a water sport areal.Wannsee
the lake Wannsee, a big enlargement of the river Havel is a big lake in Berlin. The island in the lake Pfaueninsel with its palace Schloss Ferry ~ 4 € retour, Entrance ~ 3 € is an Unesco heritage sight. Around the palace the famous garden architect Lenné created the garden park.
The beach Strandbad Wannseestrandbadwannsee.de, is the biggest public beach pool at a lake in Europa with sandy beaches. There are playgrounds for sports, children playgrounds and also sections for nudists.Marzahn
there is a garden park which displays different gardens of the world (Entrance 10 Euro) gaerten-der-welt.de,Treptower Park
nice trip, there is a sowjet soldier memorial, an old observatory, among others a beer garden and an open air cinemaBabelsberg
nice day at the film studios, backstage and shows filmpark-babelsberg.de,
Berlin and around
PotsdamPotsdam is anther very interesting city full of history only 20 km from Berlin. It is the capital of the German state "Brandenburg". You can get there by the S-Bahn (suburban train) in 30 minutes trip from Berlin- Hauptbahnhof. Unesco Heritage Sight.Palace Sansouci click on to enlarge
quarter Alexandrowa
Palace Sanssouci - Unesco Heritage Sight.
The Prussian King Frederick the Great's chateau was built by the architect von Knobelsdorf from 1744. It is following the architecture of Palace Versailles in Paris. Today some of the 200 rooms can be visited, very stunning is the theatre, the southern side wing, the grotto hall and the museum with old masterpieces of Italian and Netherlands painters. Sanscouci has a wide park for strolling around, have a look at the "Chinese Tea House"Dutch Quarter
The Prussian King Frederick the First, who was called "Soldier Emperor" because he strengthen the military forces, liked the Dutch craftsmen and architecture. So he expanded the baroque quarters of the town with a quarter in Dutch architectur stile.Alexandrowa (Russian Quarter)
here are some old wooden houses in Russian style.
Links:
berlin-tourist-information.de ,berlin.de, berlin-info.de, berlininfo.com, berlin-hidden-places.de, berlin-stadtfuehrung.de/Sehenswuerdigkeiten.html,
Hostels: general: backbackernetwork.de,
alcatraz-backpacker.de , cornerhostel.de , backpackers.de, eastseven.de, heartofgold-hostel.de, helterskelterhostel.com, hostel-berlin.de, riverside-lodge.de, sunflower-hostel.de, circus-berlin.de, generatorhostels.com, meininger-hostels.com, globetrotterhostel.de,
AO-Hostel, Boxhagener Str.73, tel. 030-297781-0, ostel.eu (GDR style accomodation, Wriezener Karee 5, near Ostbahnhof )others:
stadtverfuehrung.de, berlin-hidden-places.de,smb.spk-berlin.de (museums), dtmb.de (Technikmuseum),
fahrradstation.de, berlinonbike.de bike rental,
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Questions, feedback, corrections, news, critics, links and suggestions are welcome !!
mail me:Excuse my English, thanks!
Because English is not my native language, there are mistakes in writing and grammar. It would be kind to mail me 1-5 mistakes you found, if you think this side is helpful for your trip. Thanks!to top
