Berlin: Been there, done that

Germany’s capital, Berlin, is a world city with both modern and historical influences and architecture. Berlin’s eventful history makes it a great place to learn about Germany past and present. With its 12 neighborhoods, and even more attractions, Berlin takes several days to experience. Tourists can probably get by in Berlin without knowledge of the German language, but knowing key phrases is usually appreciated by the locals. Berlin is big city, but it has an extensive public transportation system with several types of transportation that go everywhere: the S-bahn (S for street train), the U-bahn (U for underground train), trams, and buses.

Since the public transportation is so good in Berlin, visitors can stay anywhere in the city and be connected to the sights. The Mitte district, however, is close to many of Berlin’s main sights, restaurants, and shopping, as well as hotels and hostels across all price ranges.

Mitte, which means “middle” in German, is the historic part of Berlin, which was mainly part of East Berlin when the Wall divided the city. Unter den Linden is a beautiful boulevard in this part of Berlin, which is great for shopping or just going for a stroll. The street’s name means “Under the Linden,” which are a type of tree which line the street, leading the way to the Prussian royal palace. Attractions near Unter den Linden include a statue of Frederick the Great of Prussia on a horse, and historic buildings like the Old Library, on Bebelplatz, the square where Nazi book burning took place – where there is now a memorial of empty bookshelves.

A bit farther down the street, the Brandenburger Tur (the Brandenburg Gate) stands as the entrance to the city. Built in 1730, the wall has served as part of the fortification of the city, a symbol of the Nazi Party, and eventually as a symbol of freedom, once the Berlin Wall fell. Nearby, the Reichstag building, with its glass dome top, is Berlin’s parliament building. The building offers tours and free admission, allowing visitors to trek up the dome and onto the roof for spectacular views of Berlin. Visitors must make reservations in advance.

The Siegessäule, or Victory Column, also offers panoramic views of the city after a climb up the 67 meter tower (there’s no elevator). This column is situated in the middle of a busy roundabout, but an underground passage allows visitors easy access. The column is topped with Victoria the Goddess of Victory, also known as Goldelse (Golden Else).

The Berliner Dom, or Cathedral is a must-see ornate Protestant church, with great architecture, also located in the Mitte district. A short distance from that, Museum Island sits in the Spree River, with 5 museums containing art and artifacts from the Greeks, Etruscans, Egyptians, and more: Altes (Old) Museum, Neues (New) Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery), Pergamon Museum, and Bode Museum. The Jewish Museum has two buildings of informative exhibits and contains 2,000 years of Jewish history.

World War II and the years that followed had a large impact on Berlin, especially because of the division of the city. The Berlin Wall was erected in 1961, and torn down at the start of Berlin’s reunification on November 9, 1989, but parts of it remain. The East Side Gallery is a mile-long stretch of the Berlin Wall, which was painted with murals and political graffiti by artists from around the world in 1990. The wall serves as a sobering reminder of the people who were trapped behind the walls, or were shot for trying to escape.

The Holocaust Memorial, called the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, was dedicated in 2005. The memorial consists of rows of concrete blocks (called stelae) of various heights covering 4 acres, which demonstrates the disorienting effects order can have.

Another remnant from the Berlin Wall-era is Checkpoint Charlie, one of the checkpoints between East and West Germany. The checkpoint still stands in the middle of Friedrichstrasse, where actors in military uniform stand guard for photos. Next to it, the Checkpoint Charlie Museum offers a glimpse into life with the Berlin Wall, as well as many stories of escape.

Friedrichstrasse is a main street for shopping, and was once the main spot for Berlin’s Roaring Twenties. Other busy centers that visitors to Berlin must check out are Alexanderplatz and Potsdamerplatz.

Berlin’s food specialties are the “Berliner” or pfankuchen, which are jelly-filled donuts, Currywurst, which was created in Berlin, and other types of sausage, especially from street vendors. Beer, sauerkraut, and potatoes are the perfect additions to your Berlin meal. On food, Fernsehturm Berlin (Berlin TV Tower) has a good restaurant and offers 360 degree views.

With all these sights and more, most visitors to Berlin quickly find their way back to experience more of this beautiful city.

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Tags: Been there done that, Berlin, berlin wall, Europe, History, holocaust, Travel

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