WELCOME ΤΟBerlin

Established between 1894 and 1905, the Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom), situated on Museum Island, is the most iconic religious temple in the German capital. Sitting in front of the Lustgarten park, it is considered the most prominent religious edifice in Berlin. The Berlin Cathedral became the main church and burial place of the Hohenzollern dynasty and their court because of its proximity to the Palace. The interior of the Cathedral is immense with a striking main altar made of white marble and onyx. Another highlight worth discovering is the imposing Sauer organ that was built at the same time as the original Cathedral. It was the largest organ in Germany when it was inaugurated. The Hohenzollern Crypt is located below the Cathedral. The crypt holds over 90 tombs all belonging to the royal family, dating from the end of the sixteenth century until the beginning of the twentieth century. The climb to the top of the dome is a bit like walking up to an abandoned attic, since the staircase is not in very good condition. Nevertheless, climbing the 270 steps is worthwhile, as the views of central Berlin are magnificent.

The Charlottenburg Palace, constructed between 1695 and 1699 in a baroque style, was commissioned by the wife of Friedrich I of Prussia as a summer residence. Charlottenburg Palace was extended in 1702, a year after Friedrich crowned himself. He had previously sent the royal architect to study architecture in Italy and France, especially the Château de Versailles. Sophie Charlotte died in 1705 and did not see the finished version of the Palace. In her memory, the King renamed the mansion Charlottenburg. It had formerly been called Lietzenburg, after the district in which it was constructed. The British air force bombarded Berlin in 1943, destroying part of the Palace. Some of the building’s decorations could never be fully restored. Some of the halls, ceilings and walls preserve the original furniture, decoration and frescoes. Unfortunately, the second floor of the Palace was not as lucky and was badly damaged during World War II, ruining the beautiful decorative elements. One of the most charming areas of Charlottenburg are the extensive and well cared for gardens designed in 1697 in a French Baroque style and reformed in an English romantic style in 1788. The enclosure was also badly hit during the air raids and was redeveloped in 2001, giving the Gardens a baroque style again.

Most of the Berlin Wall was knocked down in 1989. One of the parts that was preserved is a 1.3 km stretch that was transformed into the East Side Gallery, the longest open-air art gallery in the world. The whole wall, situated near the city center, is covered by approximately one hundred graffities from artists from different nationalities. These have left their testimony of a great historical event, most of the paintings demonstrating a moment of extreme happiness and opportunity. Some of the graffiti paintings are extremely striking, but the most-renowned are the “My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love” that depicts the Soviet politician Leonid Brezhnev kissing the leader of the GDR Erich Honecker. And “Berlin Wall Trabant” shows a Trabant, the typical East German car crashing through the wall.

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is better known as the Holocaust Memorial by most Berliners. Opened in May 2005, the memorial in Berlin-Mitte is located near the Brandenburg Gate and is one of the city's most impressive sights. The Holocaust Memorial consists of an undulating field of concrete steles, which can be passed through from all sides. Beneath the memorial is the Information Centre, which documents the crimes of the Nazi era in themed rooms. In June 1999, the Bundestag decided to build the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe - which is the official name of the memorial - in the immediate vicinity of the Brandenburg Gate. After two years of construction, the memorial was ceremoniously opened on May 10, 2005. On a field of about 19,000 square meters, 2711 steles were installed - just as the design by the New York architect Peter Eisenman envisaged. The memorial is the central Holocaust memorial in Germany.

Opened to the public in 2001, the Jewish Museum Berlin (Jüdisches Museum Berlin) was created to spread the history and culture of the Judeo-German population. The Berlin Jewish Museum is housed in two buildings, one of which was designed by Daniel Libeskind. The Museum has become one of the most emblematic landmarks in Berlin. The exterior of the newest building is covered in zinc and was created by the Polish-American architect to describe the tensions there have been throughout the German-Jewish history. The most remarkable parts of the museum include the “Holocaust Tower”, a small tower almost completely plunged in the darkness, the “Garden of Exile”, an area made up of 49 concrete slabs that will remind you of the Holocaust Monument in Berlin. And the “Void Void”, an alleyway with thousands of face-shaped iron masks are placed. When you walk on them, they make a hair-raising moan. The Museum houses a 3,000-square meter permanent exhibition about the last 2,000 years of Jewish-German history. The collection includes photographs, letters and numerous everyday items that show how the Jews lived in Germany throughout the centuries.

The Neues Museum ("New Museum") is considered the gem of the five museums on Museum Island. The building has received several architecture prizes and its collection is surprising. Founded between 1843 and 1855, the building was severely damaged during World War II. During the following forty years, the ruins were exposed to inclement weather. It wasn’t until 1986 that East Germany began working on the reconstruction. However, the works were stopped when the Berlin Wall fell. In 1997, the British architect David Chipperfield was selected to lead the reconstruction project, but the works didn’t start until 2003. The “New Museum” was reopened in 2009 after being closed for over 70 years. Today, Neues Museum is home to some of the most famous archaeological elements, like the Nefertiti Bust and other samples of prehistoric and protohistory Egyptian art. It features over 2,500 objects displayed along 3,600 square meters divided on three floors. And It is probably the most important section of the gallery.

One of the most popular attractions in Berlin, the Pergamon Museum is world famous for its archaeological holdings. The Pergamon, located on Museum Island, is really three museums in one – the Collection of Classical Antiquities (also on display in the Old Museum), the Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Museum of Islamic Art. The Pergamonmuseum takes its name from its main attraction, the altar of Zeus from Pergamon . Considered a masterpiece of the Hellenistic Age, this ancient Greek structure was shipped to Berlin in 1910, and the museum was built, in part, to house it. The Museum of the Ancient Near East, which ranks among the world’s best collections of treasures from this region, is dominated by the imposing bright blue glazed-brick Ishtar Gate of Babylon from 6th century BC. The Museum of Islamic Art was started in 1904 with a donation of precious carpets by Wilhelm von Bode. Today, the Museum of Islamic Art exhibits Islamic art of the 8th to 19th century representative of the various Islamic cultures ranging from India to Spain, although the collection’s emphasis is primarily on Egypt, Iran, and the Middle East.

The Brandenburg Gate is one of the most iconic sights in today’s vibrant Berlin. More than just Berlin’s only surviving historical city gate, this site, designed in 1791, came to symbolize Berlin’s Cold War division into East and West – and, since the fall of the Wall, a reunified Germany. The neoclassical gate stands 26-meters high and was inspired by the Acropolis of Athens. In 1795 the monument was crowned with a chariot drawn by four horses heading into the city, known as the Quadriga. The bronze statue represents the Goddess of Victory. The original sculpture was destroyed during World War II, so it was replaced by an exact replica made in West Germany in 1969. In 1956, the East and West joined together to rebuild the landmark. Several years later, in 1961, the Soviet Union built the Berlin Wall and the Gate stood between both parts, with little access to it. When the city was reunified, the Brandenburg Gate finally regained the importance it was once given.

The German Museum of Technology is a museum where visitors can learn about the history of science in a fun and entertaining way. It is a great option for children. Housed in the railyard of the former Hamburger Bahnhof, which was destroyed during World War II, the German Museum of Technology features a large collection of steam trains and electric trains. It also includes a historical brewery and a blacksmith’s working-place, where visitors can see how the blacksmiths work. Moreover, there is also a windmill and a water wheel. Established in 1982, the museum shows numerous facets of both old and modern technology, including technology in the history of civilization and the daily life of humans. Most of the new building is dedicated to sailing and aeronautics, where dozens of military aircrafts are on display. There is also an interesting collection about technology in photography and the textile industry.