Travel Guide to Berlin, Germany

Berlin is one of the biggest cities in Europe (its population is 3,4 million of people) and along with it, it's, perhaps, one of the most fashionable and constantly changing cities. Since 1990 Berlin is the capital of Germany, but practically it still consists of 2 parts. When The Berlin Wall fell, Berlin became one of the musical centers of Europe that is attracting more and more musicians and art workers. And when trendy restaurants and clubs appeared, Berlin got back the reputation of the most fashionable European city.

The Berlin Wall. For about 30 years Berlin citizenry were separated by The Berlin Wall. It served as the boundary between the communist East and the capitalistic West. Nowadays the most part of it is pulled down, but by the clinkers in the pavement one can still notice, where the Wall used to be located. On the 9th of November 1989 The Berlin Wall was ruined. In a 2-year time after this symbolic event this hateful construction was practically damaged. The fragments of the Wall were sold as souvenirs. And the remains of the Wall still remind about the past. At Mühlenstraße the East Side Gallery is situated. It is a 1200-meter wall, which is painted by artists from all over the world. At Bernauerstrasse one can see the remains of The Berlin Wall with the holes that were made on the night from the 9th to the 10th of 1989. This is the memorial neutral place.

At The Documental Center you can learn about the history of The Berlin Wall from plenty of photos, documents and videos. You should also devote your attention to the Kapelle der Versönung that was built in memory of the 200 deceased, who tried to get over The Wall. The Museum at the check-point Charlie, which was created in 1962 soon after The Wall was built, is also devoted to The Berlin Wall and to the attempts to get over it. In the museum one can see how inventive the citizenry of the Eastern Berlin were, when tried to get over The Wall. Numerous devices that were used during successful escapes are exhibited there.

Alexanderplatz. Alexanderplatz, or, as the Berlin citizenry call it, 'Alex' was the second important transport flyover before the Second World War. Its name the square got in 1805 in memory of the visit of Russian tsar Alexander I. During the war Alexanderplatz was ruined a lot and as the result of the reconstruction it became larger, but with dull typical buildings, such as the Stadt Berlin Hotel and the Kaufhof department store. The square itself was turned into pedestrian zone, surrounded by streets. This artificial way the center of the eastern Berlin was created. The fountain in the centre of the square is still one the most popular places with young people. However the main point of interest is located not at Alexanderplatz, but nearby. It's the TV-tower of 368 meters high and it's the highest building in Berlin. At the height of 203 meters one can enjoy the beauty of the city from a bird's-eye view. There is a revolving restaurant there, which in half an hour completes a cycle. When the weather is clear one can see in a 40-kilometer distance. In a shiny weather a big cross appears on the metallic revetment of the tower, people called it 'the revenge of Pope' surely it wasn't foreseen by the strict antireligious regime of GDR.

Reichstag. Reichstag is the house of parliament and at the same time it is one of the main attractions of Berlin. After the arson of 1933 and the bombing of 1945 the government had to move to Bonn, but since 1999 Reichstag was restored a lot and it again has become the place of parliament sessions. The enormous glass cupola at the roof catches everyone's attention. If one gets upstairs by the heliciform staircase for visitors, he'll see the Hall for plenary sessions. At the bottom of the cupola there is a cozy restaurant with a wonderful view.

The Brandenburg Gate. The Brandenburg Gate is the symbol of Berlin. These gate is the boundary of the ancient part of the city. During the Cold War it was the very place from which building of The Berlin Wall started. It was also the place, from which in 1989 first eastern German passed the frontier, so as to get to the Western Germany. The Gate is decorated with a sculpture composition: the quadriga, charioted by goddess Victoria.

The Egyptian Museum. The Egyptian Museum is one of the most popular museums in Berlin. There a great collection of Egyptian works of art is kept; one of the most famous exhibits is the original bust of Czarina Nefertiti that was found during the archeological dig of 1900. It's more than 3000 years old. The museum suffered a lot from the Second World War. A part of the collection was lost, but they managed to save the bust of Nefertiti. When Germany divided, the collection was also shared between the two parts. The collection that was given to the Eastern Berlin was exhibited in the Bode Museum, the Western Berlin in its turn decided to keep the collection in the building that is across Charlottenburg Palace. After the unification of Germany it was decided to bring the parts of the collection together. The original building of The Egyptian Museum is under the reconstruction now. In 2009 the collection will be placed there again and everyone will have an opportunity to enjoy its magnificence. But you can visit the museum without waiting for this great day, nowadays it's rather interesting too. Besides the world-famous bust of Nefertiti one can see there, for example, Egyptian sarcophagi or the mummy, more than that the museum has a great collection of papyri.

Read more about Berlin:
Restaurants and cuisine in Berlin
Local traditions and lifestyle
'Must visit' places in Berlin
Nightlife and attractions in Berlin
Preparing for Berlin: Advices
Berlin photogallery