Berlin Travel Guide

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ARRIVAL THE CITY

WORTH SEEING

MUSIC & THEATER

OFFICIAL BUILDINGS

POTSDAMER PLATZ MUSEUMS

SHOPPING

LOCAL TRANSPORT

IMPRINT

Arrival

OVERNIGHT TO BERLIN

The ÖBB Nightjet brings travelers safely, comfortably, and above all completely stress-free to Berlin. Whether it's a business or vacation trip, traveling by train is not only more comfortable, it is also much more environmentally friendly.

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The City

BERLIN

The capital of the Federal Republic of Germany has about 3.5 million inhabitants and is the largest Germanspeaking city. Berlin is the center of the Berlin/ Brandenburg regions and Berlin.

The municipality is divided into 12 districts, which are subdivided into 96 neighborhoods.

The first historical traces go back to the year 1237, when the city was called Cölln. Berlin itself was first

mentioned in 1244 as a settlement on the northeastern bank of the Spree. In 1701, King Frederick I elevated Berlin to the Prussian capital. After the Second World War, Berlin was divided into four parts. From 1961 to 1989, the Berlin Wall marked the border. In 1991, the Bundestag decided to relocate the seat of the federal government back to Berlin.

Worth Seeing

BERLIN WALL

The Berlin Wall divided the city from August 13, 1961, to November 9, 1989. The Berlin Wall Memorial serves to remember the division of Berlin and commemorates the victims who died because of this border installation.

It's best to go to Nordbahnhof and walk along Bernauer Straße.

BRANDENBURG GATE

Frederick William II had the Brandenburg Gate built from 1788 to 1791. During the time of the Wall, the Brandenburg Gate was the border between East and West Berlin. To the left of the Brandenburg Gate is the

Berlin Tourist Info. In the immediate vicinity are the embassies of the USA, France, England, and the Russian Federation.

CARILLON

The automatic carillon plays daily at 12 and 6 PM. On many days, there are also public concerts of the handplayable carillon. The Carillon is a gift from Daimler Benz AG on the occasion of Berlin's 750th birthday.

John-Foster-Dulles-/Corner of Große Querallee

The concert dates for the Carillon are published here: http://www.carillon-berlin.de

CHARLOTTENBURG GATE

From 1907 to 1908, the city of Charlottenburg built the Charlottenburg Gate with the Charlottenburg Bridge over the Landwehr Canal.

The city fathers wanted to create a counterpoint to the Brandenburg Gate with it.

CHECKPOINT CHARLIE

PANORAMA AT CHECKPOINT CHARLIE

CHARLIE’S BEACH AT CHECKPOINT CHARLIE

CATHEDRAL

The Berlin Cathedral is a Protestant church located on Museum Island. It is Berlin's largest church. The Hohenzollern Crypt is particularly important. The burial site is one of the most significant dynastic burial places

Lustgarten

on the continent. If you climb the 270 steps to the dome walkway, you will be rewarded with a great view.

TELEVISION TOWER

At 368 meters, the Berlin Television Tower is the tallest structure in Germany. The elevators take about 40 seconds for the ride. In Bar 203, you can enjoy great cocktails.

If you don't want to stand in line at the ticket counter for long, you can buy the ticket online:: https://tvturm.de

GENDARMENMARKT

It is in the historical center of the city. Its name dates back to 1799 and is meant to commemorate the stables of the cuirassier regiment of the "Gens d'armes" under Emperor Frederick William I. The Gendarmenmarkt is

Gendarmenmarkt

considered the most beautiful square in the city. In the center is the Konzerthaus Berlin.

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HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL

The "Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe," commonly known as the "Holocaust Memorial," is intended to commemorate the murdered Jews during the time of National Socialism. In addition to the 2,711

stones, there is an underground exhibition of nearly 1,000 m² that provides insight into the suffering.

MOUNTMITTE

A great climbing garden for children and adults. Also at the same address is BeachMitte. At BeachMitte, sports enthusiasts have 50 beach courts to choose from. Right in the middle of Berlin, there is a piece of beach. Right

next to it, by the way, is the minimalist Hotel CUBE Lodges, a mix of hotel and camping.

NEPTUNE FOUNTAIN

Opened as Kaiserbrunnen, then Schlossbrunnen, and finally Begasbrunnen; the Neptune Fountain has had many names.

The layout of the fountain resembles a cloverleaf. Sea god Neptune towers over the four ladies representing the Rhine, Vistula, Oder, and Elbe.

SED BUILDING

The history of the "House at Werderscher Markt" dates back to 1934 to 1949, when it was built as an extension of the Reichsbank.

After the Second World War, this was the Berlin City Office and later the Finance Ministry of the GDR. From 1959 onward, the Central Committee of the SED resided here.

VICTORY COLUMN

The Victory Column was completed in 1873 and moved from Königsplatz to its current location in 1939. Each of the segments and the Victoria standing on the top of the column commemorates one of the three Prussian

victories from 1864 to 1871. The fourth segment was added on the occasion of the relocation of the Victory Column.

TOWNHOUSE SETTLEMENT

Since the beginning of 2008, a luxury settlement has existed opposite the building of the former Central Committee of the SED, on Caroline-von-Humboldt-Weg.

Each townhouse is 6.5 meters wide and is an individual creation of the builder. The idea behind it is to bring life back into the cities.

Music & Theater

CLÄRCHEN'S BALLROOM

Bühler's Ballroom was opened in 1913 and soon affectionately called "Clärchen's Ballroom" by Berliners after Clara Bühler.

On the ground floor there is the dance hall and on the upper floor the mirror hall. The venue is one of the last authentic places that recall Berlin around 1900.

CULTURE BREWERY

In 1842, August Heinrich Prell founded a small brewery; over the years and with stormy business development, it became the world's largest lager brewery in 1920.

Brewing operations were discontinued in 1967, and the entire building complex was converted into a cultural brewery. Cinemas, beer gardens, and a museum can be found here.

COMIC OPERA (KOMISCHE OPER)

The name refers to the French Opéra comique and stands for the artistic direction honored in this opera house.

The Komische Oper Berlin stands for contemporary and lively musical theater and has thus made a name for itself among German-speaking opera houses.

55-57

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GERMAN OPERA (DEUTSCHE OPER)

The Deutsche Oper Berlin is the largest of the three Berlin opera houses. With 1,859 seats, the house in Charlottenburg is by far the largest opera house in the city and one of the largest theaters in the Federal

Republic of Germany. The Deutsche Oper performs works by Strauss, Wagner, Puccini, and Verdi.

STATE OPERA (STAATSOPER)

Since the Staatsoper Unter den Linden is being renovated until the end of 2017, the Staatsoper in the Schiller Theater serves as a substitute venue.

The Schiller Theater was built from 1905 to 1906; after complete destruction in the Second World War, it was rebuilt from 1950 to 1951.

FRIEDRICHSTADT PALAST

In 1984, the Friedrichstadt Palast was built as the last magnificent and modern splendor building of the GDR. The biggest names in the world performed on the stage. Some of the artists were Shirley Bassey, Joe

Cocker, Phil Collins, Udo Jürgens, Hildegard Knef, Liza Minnelli, and Caterina Valente. The foyer can also be visited outside of performance times.

MONBIJOU THEATER

From the "Hexenkessel Hoftheater" founded in 1994 in the backyard of a squatted house in Prenzlauer Berg, the Monbijou Theater was created in 2014.

Theater is performed here, and afterward, there are daily dance evenings with tango, swing, and other standard dances at the beach bar, right on the Spree riverbank.

Official Buildings

BELLEVUE PALACE (SCHLOSS BELLEVUE)

Bellevue Palace was completed in 1786 by the youngest brother of Frederick the Great, Ferdinand of Prussia. It has been the official residence of the incumbent German Federal President since 1994. South of the

palace, hidden by large trees, is the Office of the Federal President.

ASSOCIATION OF TAXPAYERS (BUND DER STEUERZAHLER)

When you're in Berlin, you can certainly check the "Debt Clock" to see how high Germany's national debt is. The German Taxpayers' Association e.V. is an organization

that also points out waste of public funds and announces the current debt level of the nation here.

FEDERAL CHANCELLERY

The building was designed during Helmut Kohl's term in office. Chancellor Gerhard Schröder first moved into the Federal Chancellery in 2001. In Berlin vernacular, the building is also called "Elefantenklos" or "Kohllosseum."

Registration for a visit to the Federal Chancellery by email to: besucherdienst@bk.bund.de

FEDERAL COUNCIL (BUNDESRAT)

The Federal Council sits in the Prussian House of Lords. You have a great view of the building from the "Mall of Berlin." The Federal Council can also be visited, but pre-

registration is mandatory. Tours take place from Monday to Friday.https://www.bundesrat.de

CHARLOTTENBURG

Since the beginning of 2016, the Old Palace in Charlottenburg has not been accessible to visitors due to extensive renovation work. The Hohenzollern residence is hidden behind scaffolding, hopefully to

Damm 20-24

shine in new splendor soon. However, the New Wing, which Frederick the Great had built, is open.

PAUL LÖBE HOUSE (PAUL-LÖBE-HAUS)

The Paul Löbe House is a functional building of the German Bundestag, located between the Reichstag and the Spree. The building is intended to act like a powerful "engine of the republic" with its characteristic

Platz der Republik 1

elements. The building was named after the politician Paul Gustav Emil Löbe.

REICHSTAG BUILDING (REICHSTAGSGEBÄUDE)

The building was completed from 1884 to 1894. The Reichstag of the German Empire once met here, and later the Reichstag of the Weimar Republic. Since 1999, the Reichstag building has been the seat of the German

Bundestag. The Reichstag dome can be visited; preregistration 2 days before the visit is necessary.

RED CITY HALL (ROTES RATHAUS)

The name is not derived from the respective governing party of Berlin, but refers to the red brick facade. A special design element is the balcony at the height of the first floor. On 36 relief panels, each measuring four

by six meters, the history of Berlin and Brandenburg is shown.

Potsdamer Platz

TRAFFIC TOWER (VERKEHRSTURM)

Potsdamer Platz was one of the busiest traffic hubs in Europe until the 1940s of the last century. To control traffic, the first Berlin "traffic tower" was erected on the square in 1924, which was in operation until 1936.

Potsdamer Platz

The first traffic light in Germany was installed in Hamburg in 1922.

ART AT POTSDAMER PLATZ

Daimler Benz AG, which bought large parts of Potsdamer Platz after reunification, has installed eight sculptures in the Potsdamer Platz quarter.

Keith Haring's "The Boxers" has stood in front of the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Eichhornstrasse since 1998.

THE THREE (DIE DREI)

The three high-rises convey the urge "upward." Far left is the Forum Tower, in the middle the Kohlhoff Tower, and right the Bahntower. After the Wall opened, Potsdamer Platz was an empty area over which the

Potsdamer Platz

Berlin Wall ran and where the Soviet, British, and American sectors met.

SONY CENTER

The Sony Center was built as Sony's European headquarters; it now houses the German branch. The roof is meant to recall Japan's sacred mountain, home of the Kami. In addition to a film house, gastronomy,

and retail, the Sony Center also has extravagant living spaces.

Museums

CURRYWURST MUSEUM

A museum for currywurst, that's typical for Berlin, of course. Everything you need to know about the favorite dish of Berliners (and Berlin visitors) can be found here.

Just around the corner from Checkpoint Charlie, the German Currywurst Museum invites the hungry and the curious.

DALI MUSEUM

Over 450 exhibits by Salvador Dalí provide a comprehensive insight into the work of the genius. "Come into my brain," Dalí once invited himself.

Right next to Potsdamer Platz, art enthusiasts can enjoy the daily open exhibition in the museum.

MAGICUM

A fantastic museum where you can not only see and marvel, but experience magic to touch and dream. The museum is open daily.

Große Hamburger Straße 17

The museum is housed in the renovated and heritagelisted Hamburger Hof. Magicum is suitable for all ages.

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MUSEUM OF COMMUNICATION (MUSEUM

The permanent exhibition also includes a treasure chamber. The first telephone apparatus by Philipp Reis, the "Kosmos stamp" that traveled to space with cosmonauts, and the Blue Mauritius are the highlights

Leipziger Straße 16

FÜR KOMMUNIKATION)

of the exhibition. The Museum of Communication Berlin is open daily except Monday.

MUSEUM ISLAND (MUSEUMSINSEL)

Museum Island is bordered on one side by the Spree and on the other by the Spree Canal.

In 1999, the buildings of Museum Island were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. There are five museums here, which are briefly presented below.

OLD MUSEUM (ALTES MUSEUM)

MUSEUM (NEUES MUSEUM)

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM (NATURKUNDEMUSEUM)

The Museum of Natural History has more than 30 million objects. Berlin is particularly proud of the loan of "Tristan Otto," a skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex about 66 million years old. Since mid-December 2015,

numerous visitors have flocked to the museum to admire the fossil.

SPY MUSEUM (SPIONAGEMUSEUM)

The exhibition deals with the history and methods of international intelligence services. One focus is espionage during the Cold War in Berlin.

In addition to an Enigma cipher machine, film props from the James Bond movies are also shown. The museum is open daily.

Platz 9

Shopping

GALERIES LAFAYETTE

In Berlin, there is a branch of the Parisian Galeries Lafayette. In keeping with its reputation, lifestyle shopping based on the French model is offered here.

The latest fashion trends, sophisticated perfumes, as well as specialties and delicacies from France round off the offering.

Französische Straße 23

KADEWE

The Kaufhaus des Westens, or KaDeWe for short, is the largest department store on the European continent. The traditional house was founded by Adolf Jandorf as early as 1907.

Tauentzienstraße 21-24

Since 2015, KaDeWe has belonged to the Thai conglomerate Central Group.

MALL OF BERLIN

Located right next to Potsdamer Platz, this massive shopping temple is the optimal destination for all who want to test the performance of their credit card.

About 270 stores and a huge area where you can eat and drink to your heart's content. Worth seeing is the covered piazza with a view of the Federal Council.

MASKWORLD

The colorful world of costumes has a home: Maskworld. Spread over several floors, you can find masks and costumes for all occasions and from all areas here.

Impressive and very high quality. So if you want to celebrate Halloween in a completely "American" way, or stand out at a masquerade ball, a visit is worthwhile.

Local Transport

STREETCAR

Streetcars mainly run in the eastern part of the city and complement the subway network there. The Metrotram operates day and night, with a 30-minute interval starting at 00:30.

An overview of the lines can be found here:

https://www.bvg.de/de

S-BAHN

The S-Bahn Berlin is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn. The normal tickets apply, which are valid for all public transport.

The 15 lines operate weekdays from about 04:30 to 01:30 and run 24 hours on weekends.

https://sbahn.berlin

U-BAHN

The Berlin U-Bahn was put into operation in 1902. The ten lines stop at 173 stations. Operating hours are

weekdays from about 04:00 to 01:00 and 24 hours on weekends, without interruption.

https://www.bvg.de/de

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

Of course, there are also the big sightseeing buses in Berlin, but if you want it a bit more "personal," the Velotaxi is simply unbeatable. Comfortably, it passes the

highlights of the city and in an environmentally friendly way. With the Velotaxi, you get a tailor-made personal tour.

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The team

This e-book was made possible through the kind support of the regional tourist offices and the OBB. German proofreading and editorial: Martin Andergassen.

References

Text, videos and photos by Rudolf J. Strutz unless otherwise stated. Timetables and travel information: OBB

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