More videos
Berlin
Interesting places in Berlin:Berlin is the capital city and one of the sixteen states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is the heart of the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region, located in northeastern Germany. With a population of 3.4 million, Berlin is the country's largest city, and the second most populous city in the European Union.
Museums
Bodemuseum is part of the Museumsinsel
Berlin has a vast array of museums. Most museums charge admission for people aged 16 or older - usually €6 to €8 (only available is a day ticket with which one can also visit the other state museums - except special exhibitions) for the big museums, discounts (usually 50%) are available for students and disabled people with identification. However, the state-run museums grant free entrance four hours before closing every Thursday. A nice offer for museum addicts is the three day pass for €15 (reduced €7.50), which grants entrance to all the normal exhibitions of the appr. 50 state run museums. Note that most museums are closed on Mondays!
The main museums (for a more detailed list check the district articles) are:
- Museuminsel Literally "Museum Island", this area is best known for the vast Pergamonmuseum, which houses an extensive collection of ancient Greek, ancient Middle-Eastern and Islamic art and architecture. Other museums which belong to the Museum Island are the Altes Museum (with the Egyptian and the antique collection), the Alte Nationalgalerie (with mainly German paintings of the 19th century) and the recently reopened (October 2006) Bodemuseum with its fantastically presented sculpture collection and Byzantine art. The Neues Museum is under restoration and will open in 2009, it will harbour the Egyptian collection then.
- Deutsches Historisches Museum, Unter den Linden 2, tel. 20 30 40. German historical museum coverung everything from pre-history right up to the present day. One can spend many, many hours here!
- Jüdisches Museum, Lindenstraße 9-14, tel. 30 25993 300. 10AM-8PM. Jewish Museum. Learn about the history of jews in Berlin. Exhibitions of art and impressive modern architecture by Liebeskind. There is a small unrelated Jewish Museum at the Uranienburg Synagogue.
- Information center at the memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Holocaust museum at the impressive Holocaust memorial near the Brandenburg gate, entrance free, usually a long line.
- Gemäldegalerie, Matthäikirchplatz, tel. 266 2951. At the Kulturforum. Thousands of European paintings from the 13th to the 18th century. Works from Dürer, Raffael, Tizian, Caravaggio, Rembrandt and Rubens.
- Neue Nationalgalerie, Potsdamer Straße 50, tel. 266 2951, At the Kulturforum. Art from the 20th Century. This museum often houses temporary exhibitions during which the permanent collection is usually not on display.
- Hamburger Bahnhof, Invalidenstraße 50-51, tel. 3978 3439. Near the mail railway station. Berlin's biggest museum of contemporary art.
- Museum für Naturkunde. Near the main railway station. Natural science museum with a big collection of dinosaur skeletons, fossils and minerals. Opened, but under restoration (some pieces are not shown) till summer 2007.
- Deutsches Technikmuseum, Trebbiner Straße 9. Museum for science and technology with many interesting objects, very interactive.
- Museum of Musical Instruments,
- Film Museum, Near the Kulturforum.
- Berlinische Galerie, Alte Jakobstraße 124-128. Collection of modern art from the first half of the 20th Century, related in any way to Berlin, nicely organized and well selected. It also houses contemporary exhibitions.
- Museum für Fotografie, Jebenstrasse 2 . This museum is dedicated to Helmut Newton and usually hosts a part of his works in a temporary exibition.
- Mauermuseum at Checkpoint Charlie. This museum is situated at the most famous historical checkpoint between the two Germanies.
- Deutsche Guggenheim, Unter den Linden 13-15 , tel. 030 20 20 93. Compared to New York, Bilbao and Venezia it is a relatively small exhibition place. It usually hosts a temporary exibition and is free on Monday, with a free guided tour starting at 6PM. Since the place is small and the name "Guggenheim" a very famous one, the place is often very crowded.
- Museum Scharf-Gerstenberg. A museum dedicated to surrealist art. Will be reopened near Charlottenburg Palace in 2008.
- Museum Bröhan. Dedicated to Art Nouveau applied art. Near Charlottenburg Palace.
- Museum of Prehistoty and Early History at the Charlottenburg Palace. Best known for its Trojan collection excavated by the famous discoveror of Troy, Schliemann.
- Museum Berggruen near Charlootenburg Palace. It houses a collection of modern art including Matisse and Picaso.
- Museum of European Cultures The biggest of its sort in Europe. At the museum district of Dahlem.
- Ethnological Museum Again one of the world's most comprehensive ones. At the museum district of Dahlem. Well worth a visit for its splendid collection of Pre-Columbian archeology! It now includes the:
- Museum of Asian Art Includes East Asian as well as Indian sections.
- Martin-Gropius-House, Mostly temporary exhibitions.
- Bauhaus Museum.
- Brücke Museum, [http:www.bruecke-museum.de) A museum dedicated to the Berlin artistic school of expressionism called the Brücke (the Bridge) and located in Dahlem.
- Kolbe Museum. A small collection of German sculptures from the first half of the 20th Century and a nice sculpture garden.
- Zille Museum. A museum dedicated to the Berlin artist.
- Kollwitz Museum. A museum dedicated to the Berlin artist.
- Museum of Applied Arts divided between two sites - the Culture Forum (together with the Picture Gallery) and Koepenick Castle.
- Anti-War Museum.
- The Story of Berlin. A museum documenting Berlin's history. You can also visit an underground bunker with place for more than 3000 people.
- German-Russian Museum. This museum describes the history of German-Russian relations around WWII. All signs are in German and Russian only!
- Topography of Terror. This open-air museum documents the terror applied by the Nazi regime. It consists of excavated prison cells located directly under a remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall.
- DDR Museum. A museum dedicated to every day life at the DDR time.
- Museum of Forbidden Art. A special museum situated on a guard tower on the historical Berlin Wall (closed now, reopening questionable).
- Documentation Centre of the Berlin Wall.
- Stasi (Secret Police) Museum. This museum describes the procedures applied by the DDR secret police and the local resistment. You can even walk through the former office of the director! A very interersting museum but most signs are in German only.
- Allied Museum This museum in Dahlem documents the aerial train during the Cold War.
- House of the Wannsee Conference The house in which the Final Solution was decided on.
- Märkisches Museum Museum of Berlin's history
Private art galleries
As Berlin is a city of art, it is quite easy to find an art gallery on your way. They provide a nice opportunity to have a look at modern artists' work in a not so crowded environment for free. Some gallery streets with more than about a dozen galleries are Auguststrasse, Linienstrasse, Torstrasse, Brunnenstrasse (all Mitte, north of S-Bahn station Oranienburger Strasse) and Fasanenstrasse (Charlottenburg).
- Art Center Berlin Friedrichstraße, Friedrichstraße 134, tel. 030 27 87 90 20. Four floors of exibitions with a relatively good variety of genres and artists. A very nice oasis of calm from the busy Friedrichstrasse.
- Galerie Eigen & Art, Auguststrasse 26, tel. +49.30.280 6605. One of the most famous german art galleries, home to the Neue Leipziger Schule (Neo Rauch et al.)
Churches
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
As Berlin wasn't a very important town until the 17th century (and then it already became a protestant city), there are no really great churches in the city. However, there are some historically interesting and architecturally remarkable churches which are the following.
- Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche Highly symbolic church, dating back to 1891-95, with two completely new buildings aside the ruins of the World War II.
- Marienkirche Located near Alexanderplatz, this is not only the highest church tower in Berlin (90 m), but also one of the oldest churches left in the historical center of Berlin (which is totally teared down in this area). Entrance is free and inside are many treasures from the old days.
- Nikolaikirche The oldest church in Berlin, dating back to the beginning of 13th century (at least the stones next to the ground). Changing exhibitions inside, entrance free.
- St. Hedwigs Kathedrale Domed Church located at Bebelplatz/Unter den Linden, the oldest (mid 18th century) and one of the biggest catholic churches in Berlin, interior was redesigned in a modern style in the 1950s - but still many treasure chambers in the basement.
- Berliner Dom Easily the biggest and most impressive church, built at the turn of the century (19th/20th) as an expression of imperial power. Located next to the museum island. Entrance 5 Euro, you can climb on top of the dome (beautiful view over the Berlin center) then.
- Friedrichswerdersche Kirche Nice church located near Unter den Linden/Museum Island, finished 1830 by Schinkel - english neogothic style. Nice Exhibition inside (neoclassical statues and an exhibition about Schinkel's life and work upstairs), entrance free!
Landmarks with observation decks
Glass dome of the Reichstag
While Berlin has relatively few high-rise buildings, there are several monuments with observation decks. Probably the most famous of all is the TV Tower near Alexanderplatz, the tallest tower in Germany and second largest in Europe, which has a rotating café at the top spinning 360 degrees in just 30 minutes! 40 seconds is all it takes to reach the top by lift. But there are also other great observation desks, the main ones are listed below (for others have a look in the district pages).
- Reichstag. The German parliament near the Brandenburg gate building has a large glass construction on top with a great view of Berlin. Be prepared for long lines and an extensive security check. Free entrance.
- Berliner Funkturm. 150 meter high lattice tower, with open-air observation deck 124 meter above ground. Only observation tower on insulators! Located in the Western fair district, out of city center.
- Berliner Fernsehturm, Alexanderplatz. The TV tower is Germany's tallest construction: 368 meters high. Observation deck 204 metres above ground. Costs €8,50 as of May 2007.
- Siegessäule , Tiergarten. An old (1865-1873), 60 meters high monument with panoramic view in the very center of the city. Unfortunately no elevator so be prepared for 285 steps. The statue of Victoria on the top is the place where the angels congregate in the famous film "Der Himmel über Berlin" by Wim Wenders. It has also become something of a symbol for the annual Love Parade techno music festival.
- Kollhoff Tower, Potsdamer Platz. The fastest elevator in Europe takes you appr. 100 metres high.
- Europa Center, Zoologisher Garten. Shopping center with a panorama floor at the 20th floor (90 meters). In Budapesterstrasse, overlooking Kaiser-Wilhelm-Memorial Church. Entrance is €4 or €2 if you show a receipt from one of the restaurants in the Europa Center.
History
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Berlin does not attempt to hide the less savoury parts of its history: a visit to the Topography of Terror (Mitte), for example, provides interesting but sobering insights into the activities of the Gestapo in Berlin during the Nazi years (1933-1945). Many of the walking tours also discuss scenes both of Nazi activity and Cold War tension and terror.
- Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. A recently opened (spring 2005) gigantic abstract artwork covering an entire block near the Brandenburg Gate, including an underground museum with extensive details on the Holocaust and the Jews who died during it. The blocks start out at ground level on the outer edges of the memorial, and then grow taller towards the middle, where the ground also slopes downwards. 3.5 million visitors in the first year make it one of the most visited memorials in Berlin - and it's worth it, as it's one of the most impressive memorials in Berlin.
- Berlin Wall. A large stretch of intact Wall can be found to the east of the city centre along the River Spree in Mühlenstraße near the Oberbaumbrücke. Known as the , it is a section of the wall that is preserved as a gallery. This can be easily reached from Ostbanhof or Warschauer Strasse. It has many beautiful murals, politically motivated and otherwise. Another place to try is near the Martin Gropius Bau museum, currently under reconstruction. Two small pices are also in Potsamer Plaz and in its neighbourhood at the corner between Eberrtstraße and Bellevuestraße).
- Berlin Wall Memorial (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer). (U-Bahn Bernauerstrasse U8 or S-Bahn Nordbahnhof S1, 2, or 25, follow the signs in the stations - wall is Mauer in German). Often missed by tourists but an absolute must for anyone interested in this part of the city's history. It's a memorial to those who died crossing so you won't, fortunately, get the tackiness of the Checkpoint Charlie area; instead you will be left with a haunting feeling of what life with the wall may have been really like. The monument itself is a gigantic wasted opportunity, blank and featureless. The inscription on the outside, declaring it a monument to the victims of the "communist reign of violence", has sparked emotional debates and angered many local residents. The documentation center across the street on Bernauer Str. is excellent although most of the documentation is in German. The viewing platform gives you a tiny hint of the true scale of the Wall and how terrifying the "no man's land" between the two sections of walls must have been. When the documentation center is closed, both walls can be visited. There is some space between the concrete plates which allow you to look at the area between the walls. There are also several small holes.
- The Memorial is on Bernauer Strasse which itself is a street with a great deal of Wall history: the first recorded Wall-related death of the notorious Peter Fechter was here, as was one of the famous tunnels and the famous photograph of the GDR border guard leaping over the barbed wire. Various monuments can be found along the entire length of the street, documenting nearby escape attempts and tunnels; captions are in German, English, French, and Russian. The Memorial itself is a complete section of 4th generation wall - both inside and outside sections, and you can peer through from the east side to see the remains of the electric fence and anti-tank devices in the death strip. It really helps you understand what an incredible feat it was to get from one side to the other -- and why so many died doing it.
Checkpoint Charlie 1982 [Photo: Rolf Palmberg]
Checkpoint Charlie 2007
- Checkpoint Charlie. Checkpoint Charlie, a crossing point between East and West Germany during the Cold War, is no more. Formerly, it was the only border crossing between East and West Germany that permitted foreigners passage. Residents of East and West Berlin were not allowed to use it. This contributed to Checkpoint Charlie's mythological status as a meeting place for spies and other shady individuals. Now the remains of the Berlin Wall have been moved to permit building, including construction of the American Business Center and other institutions not given to flights of John Le Carré-inspired fancy.
- At the intersection of Zimmerstrasse and Friedrichstrasse is the famous "You Are Leaving the American Sector" sign. The actual guardhouse from Checkpoint Charlie is now housed at the Allied Museum on Clayallee. For a more interesting exhibit go to the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie. This is a private museum with kitschy memorabilia from the Wall as well as the devices GDR residents used to escape the East (including a tiny submarine!).
- Checkpoint Charlie gained its name from the phonetic alphabet; checkpoints "Alpha" and "Bravo" were at the autobahn checkpoints Helmstedt and Dreilinden respectively. Checkpoint Charlie's atmosphere was not improved at all on 27 October 1961 when the two Cold War superpowers chose to face each other down for a day. Soviet and American tanks stood approximately 200 meters apart, making an already tense situation worse.
- Tempelhof airport was used in the Berlin Airlift (Berliner Luftbrücke) in 1948 and 1949, and featured in movies like Billy Wilders "One Two Three" with James Cagney, Horst Buchholz and Lilo Pulver. The terminal building is still fascinating: the halls and neighbouring buildings, intended to become the gateway to Europe, are still known as the largest built entities worldwide, and have been described by British architect Sir Norman Foster as "the mother of all airports".
Zoo
Berlin has two zoos and an aquarium. The Berlin Zoo in the City West is the historic zoo that has been a listed company since its foundation. It's an oasis in the city and very popular with families and schools.
- Berlin Zoo. The largest range of species in the world. The zoo lies directly in the heart of the City West (opposite Bahnhof Zoo at Hardenbergplatz) and is especially famous for its panda bears and Knut, the polar bear cub born in captivity in late 2006. The Elephant Gate (Budapester Straße) is the second entrance next to the Aquarium and a traditional photo stop for most visitors because of the architecture.
- Aquarium. Part of the Berlin Zoo, located at Budapester Straße in an historic building. Still the largest aquarium in Germany and a host to an amazing variety of fishes, crocodiles etc. One of the best places on a rainy day with children.
- Tierpark Berlin. Located in Friedrichsfelde, the Tierpark is more spacious than the historic Berlin Zoo and has been open for some 50 years.
Top photos chosen by u all:
Berlin | Glass and steel
Made by tochis
Potsdamer Platz is an ensemble dominated by glass and steel. A metaphore of the new Germany: modern, functional, vanguardist, focus of attention. The central feature in the triangular development is the oval Forum which is designed as a public area and is therefore not separated from the surrounding streets. The roof construction is a spectacular engineering feat: the outstretched tent roof consists of a length of material fastened to a steel ring which is attached to the neighbouring buildings.
Badeschiff
Made by Nuuttipukki
The Badeschiff in Berlin Treptow at night. It's a swimming pool placed on a boat on the river Spree. In summer it is open air without the stylish roof. In the background you can see the TV tower at Alexanderplatz. Top position on Explore: #75 on February 1, 2007
Blue hour
Made by gfxmaster
16356 Eiche Brandenburg Germany Fly to this location (Requires Google Earth)
Relax
Made by gfxmaster
Erpetal Berlin-Köpenick Larger Version (recommended)
Brandenburger Tor@night
Made by gari.baldi
captured from the east side (pariser platz)
Berlin in 3D for Google Earth
The City of Berlin has released over 44000 3D models of buildings of the city. Almost 10% of the city so far. This is a fly through
Crossing the Berlin border on the S-Bahn (late '80s)
one of the standard East/West Berlin crossings: the S-Bahn Friedrichstrasse station. The station was in East Berlin and was itself divided in half -
Festival of Lights Berlin
Berlin Kurzimpression des Festival of Lights in Berlin Korte impressie van het Festival of Lights in Berlijn Impression court du festival des lumières à Berlin...festival lights berlin
Berlin 9-11
9-11, Riechstag fire, Bush & the Nazis. BERLIN 9-11 is a three minute film about the taboo against making analogies to the Nazis
Berlin
of Germany's capital city Berlin with the sound of Good Charlotte Eindruecke aus Berlin, der Hauptstadt Deutschlands mit Musik von Good Charlotte....Berlin Hauptstadt Good Charlotte
Viajito a Berlin
Viajito a Berlin Erasmus 2007 - 2008 Braunschweig...Braunschweig Berlin Erasmus
Berlin tour 2007 - The Wall
Berlin tour 2007 - The Wall. Ultimi frammenti di un ricordo che non deve morire mai dalle nostre menti. Berlin tour 2007 - The Wall. Last fragments
Home - Berlin, New Hampshire
Our hometown - Berlin, NH...Berlin New Hampshire Mill demolition smoke stacks train station paper mill industry vision photography slideshow
Berlin Tram 1990
hear a West Berlin U-Bahn train travelling under an East Berlin street (Freidrichstrasser?) (@ 1' 25")...Berlin tram strassenbahn
Berlin Cathedral
Fernsehturm and other attractions as seen from the roof of the Cathedral...Fernsehturm roof city tower Berlin Germany Alexanderplatz Deutschland
Berlin, on the S-Bahn-Linie S2 to Frohnau, late 1988
-) We are on the S-Bahn Line 2 in 1988 in West Berlin and we've just left the S-Bahn station Gesundbrunnen, past
Grafitti in Berlin
A short clip from the Berlin Media Education Course with teachers from ten countries across Europe. This task was about first impressions of Berlin narrated in a digital storytelling
Berlin Wall Walk
1989, just before the East German government opened the Berlin Wall, which had divided West and East Berlin since August 1961. Nearly 20 years later, this
Fritz Musictours Berlin - ZDF TV Beitrag
://www.musictours-berlin.de German TV-feature (ZDF Volle Kanne) about Fritz Musictours Berlin - a trip through berlins exciting pop
1973 Berlin sightseeing II
Berlin. Taken when I was in the USAF stationed at Tempelhof Central Airport. This is updated with more photo, titles and soundtrack....1973 Berlin
Two short extras to two previous Berlin S-Bahn videos
cross *under* East Berlin. This line continued under the eastern sector for a while and then crossed the border back to West Berlin where it reemerged from
Berlin: Symphony of a Great City [Act 1, Part 2]
Silent film of Berlin shot in 1927 directed by Walter Ruttmann...Berlin Symphony of Great City Weimar Republic Germany cabaret 1927 Walter Ruttmann
Opening of Berlin Hauptbahnhof
//www.berlinberlin.no/bb/front_content.php?idart=65...Ber lin Germany World Cup Hauptbahnhof fireworks light laser show
Nearest places of interest:
| United Services Union Køpi Kunstzentrum Radialsystem Maria am OstBahnhof | Strausberger Platz Franz-Mehring Platz Michaelbrücke Radialsystem V |
Popular places:
|
Frankfurt Kreuzberg Germany Leipzig |
Munich Hanover Friedrichshain Dresden |
