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    Tourist Attractions in Berlin

    The most interesting and beautiful tourist attractions in Berlin. Photos and a brief description.

    Berlin
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    About Berlin

    Style, ease and lightness reign in Berlin. Too many grandiose and at the same time tragic events took place in the German capital – the declaration of the Third Reich, the Nazi pogroms, the almost complete destruction by bombing, the half-century division into Western and Eastern parts. Now the city seems to be resting and is happy to write its history anew.

    The districts of Berlin are not at all similar to each other. In the historical central part, the gloomy hulks of the Reichstag and the palaces of the Museum Island rise. There are interesting restaurants, stylish clubs and art spaces in the trendy eastern quarters. The best shops of the city are located on Kurfurstendamm Boulevard.

    Berlin, of course, is not as elegant and ceremonial as other European capitals, but it has its own soul, which opens up to the traveler gradually.

    Top Tourist Attractions in Berlin

    Brandenburg Gate

    An important architectural monument of Berlin with a special symbolic meaning. In 1871, a solemn procession of Russian regiments passed through the gates, which marked the declaration of the German Empire. In 1933, the famous Nazi torchlight procession took place here and the "Millennial Reich" was proclaimed. After the Second World War, the Brandenburg Gate became the border of the division of Germany into Western and Eastern.

    Brandenburg Gate
    Reichstag

    Reichstag

    The Reichstag was the meeting place of the German Legislative Assembly during the period of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich. The modern German parliament also holds meetings in the Reichstag. The building itself is built in a very pompous and somewhat overwhelming manner, which, according to the architects, was supposed to emphasize the greatness of the Empire. Everything in the Reichstag seems huge and incomprehensible – columns, gray facades, a grandiose glass dome.

    The Berlin Wall

    The wall, which, following the results of the Second World War, divided Berlin into zones of influence of two main opponents – the military units of the ATS and NATO. The wall has stood for almost 30 years and has become a symbol of the Cold War. It was a real border with checkpoints and guards. After the fall of the Wall and the unification of Germany in 1989, its fragments were gradually pulled apart for souvenirs. It was decided to preserve some fragments of the structure as a monument.

    The Berlin Wall
    Berlin Cathedral

    Berlin Cathedral

    The largest Protestant church in Germany is located within the Museum Island. The cathedral was built in the era of Kaiser Wilhelm II and was conceived as the German equivalent of the Cathedral of St. Peter in the Vatican. The building simply dazzles with its solemn and majestic architecture. It feels like it was built by giants. From the observation deck of the temple offers an excellent panoramic view of Berlin.

    Charlottenburg

    A late 17th century Baroque palace, a gift from King Frederick I to his wife Sophia Charlotte of Hanover. After the construction was completed, it immediately began to be used as a royal residence. In front of the palace there is a park in the classical traditions of French and English landscape art. At first the building was called Litzenburg, but after the death of the queen it was renamed in her honor.

    Charlottenburg
    Citadel of Spandau

    Citadel of Spandau

    A 17th-century fortress on the outskirts of Berlin, built during the reign of Joachim II. At the beginning of the XX century, weapons and ammunition were manufactured on the territory of Spandau. In 1935, a secret Nazi laboratory was located here, where chemical weapons were developed. The last secret warehouse was found in the 70s. Tourists were allowed to enter the territory in 1992, after the final "defrosting" of the facility.

    Bellevue Palace

    The structure is located in the Tiergarten Park. It is used as the residence of the President of Germany. During the German Empire, Bellevue belonged to the ruling family and was used as the summer palace of one of the princes. After the fall of the monarchy, it became the property of the state, in 1935 the Museum of Applied Arts was located on the territory. You can only get inside the building at a certain time once a week.

    Bellevue Palace
    Kepenik Palace

    Kepenik Palace

    A palace standing on the site of an ancient fortress (presumably built by the Slavs). In the XVI century, Copernicus was a more modest structure and was used as a hunting castle for the elector Joachim II. In the XVII century, the palace was expanded and a park was laid out on the adjacent territory. Nowadays, the building houses a Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts. Concerts are held on the square in front of the palace in summer.

    Red Town Hall

    The Red Town Hall is the seat of the city government and the Berlin Mayor. It is a Neo-Renaissance building with elements of the Neo-Gothic style of the late XIX century. As a result of the bombing of Berlin in 1945, the building was severely destroyed, and a long restoration was required. Interestingly, the ceremonial halls of the town hall can be rented for private events.

    Red Town Hall
    KaDeVe

    KaDeVe

    A six-story store of the beginning of the XX century. As his permanent slogan, he uses the call "Come, look, be surprised!". Despite its rather decent age, the department store offers the best service and a wide variety of products in almost all price categories. In terms of importance and prestige for the Germans, it can be compared with London's Harrods. In Ka-De-Ve it is impossible to stumble upon a fake or buy a low-quality thing.

    Alexanderplatz

    The square where at the beginning of the XIX century Kaiser Wilhelm III hosted Emperor Alexander I. The place was named in honor of the Russian monarch. On the square there is a city hall, a modern TV tower, a fountain of Friendship of peoples. Until the XVII century there was a cattle market and a place for the execution of criminals. The houses surrounding the square were inhabited mainly by butchers, stockmen, traders, shepherds. In the XVIII century, the list of permanent residents was replenished with artisans and petty bourgeois.

    Alexanderplatz
    Potsdamer Platz

    Potsdamer Platz

    The parade ground in the Tiergarten district on the site of the destroyed Potsdam Gate. Before the bombing of the Second World War, a well–maintained quarter was adjacent to the square - a popular place for leisure and recreation of Berliners. Everything was destroyed and turned into ruins, nothing has been preserved from historical buildings. Today, modern high-rise buildings rise around the square, where offices of large corporations are located.

    Gendarmenmarkt

    One of the most beautiful squares in Berlin. The main architectural ensemble consists of three buildings: the German and French cathedrals and a concert hall located in the middle. All three buildings are designed in tones of strict classical style. In December, a Christmas tree is installed at the Gendarmenmarkt and the fair begins to work. Festive lighting is lit on the facades of cathedrals and Concert Halls.

    Gendarmenmarkt
    Berlin State Opera

    Berlin State Opera

    The very first opera house was built in the middle of the XVIII century. During the Second World War , it was destroyed twice – during the bombing of 1941 and 1945 . Restoration work was carried out until 1955. The renovated opera stage opened with a production of The Nuremberg Meistersingers, an immortal work of the German musical genius Richard Wagner.

    Madame Tussauds Museum

    Berlin branch of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. It is located on Unten der Linden Boulevard. Here you can look at copies of Otto von Bismarck, A. Einstein, Ludwig Beethoven, K. Marx. Among the more modern exhibits are Angela Merkel, Johnny Depp, Rihanna, Madonna and many other famous characters. Special attention is drawn to the figure of Hitler behind the glass wall. The sinister Fuhrer is depicted at the moment of making a decision to commit suicide.

    Madame Tussauds Museum
    Museum Island

    Museum Island

    The large museum quarter of Berlin, included in the UNESCO Heritage List. There are five museums located here: the Old National Gallery, the Bode Museum, the Old and New Museums, the Pergamon Museum. Extensive expositions tell about the history from primitive times to the present day, hundreds of paintings by masters of different countries, schools and periods are exhibited in numerous art galleries.

    Topography of terror

    Memorial complex dedicated to the victims of the Nazi regime. It is located on the territory where the headquarters of the SS and SD were located. The complex is a whole group of expositions, memorials, open-air exhibitions, preserved administrative buildings of the Third Reich, basements and barracks. "Topography of Terror" started working in 1987. The total area of the exhibition is more than 800 m2.

    Topography of terror
    Memorial to the memory of the murdered Jews of Europe

    Memorial to the memory of the murdered Jews of Europe

    A monument in honor of Jews killed by the Nazis. The memorial complex has quite an interesting and unusual architectural solution that accurately conveys the atmosphere of horror that prevailed in Germany after Hitler came to power. The memorial consists of several rows of nameless gray tombstones of different sizes. They seem to form a maze and symbolize death and hopelessness.

    Noye Wahe

    Germany's main memorial dedicated to all the victims of war and tyranny. It is a sculpture of a mother with a murdered son in her arms. Noye Vahe appeared at the beginning of the XIX century and, according to the king's idea, was to serve as a monument to those killed in the Napoleonic Wars. In those years and until the end of the XX century, it was a guardhouse with an honorary guard. The sculpture was installed in 1993 on the initiative of Chancellor G. Kohl.

    Noye Wahe
    Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

    Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

    The temple of the late XIX century, built in honor of the first Kaiser of the united German Empire Wilhelm I. The building was badly damaged by the bombing, only part of the western tower remained of it. In the 60s, a modern building was erected near the tower. It was assumed that the new building would form a harmonious ensemble with the remains of the church. Inside it is a 4.6-meter figure of Christ.

    St. Nicholas Church

    The oldest church in Berlin. It is believed that it appeared in the XIII century. Services were held here until 1938. As a result of the destruction during the war, only the outer walls of the church remained. After the restoration in 1981, the building was used as a concert hall and as a venue for exhibitions. The structure is a building in a typical "Protestant" style with laconic forms and sharp spires of towers.

    St. Nicholas Church
    St. Mary's Church

    St. Mary's Church

    An old operating Lutheran church near the Berlin TV tower. The history of the church began in the XIII century, since then it has repeatedly burned and rebuilt. Like many historical buildings, St. Mary's Church was restored after the war in the 60-70s of the XX century. Inside the temple there is an organ played by J.S. Bach himself. On Sundays, during the service, you can enjoy the performance of the church choir.

    New Synagogue

    The Jewish temple of the middle of the XIX century. Surprisingly, the Wehrmacht authorities did not destroy it, but simply closed it in 1940, the room was adapted for storage. The synagogue also stood during the bombing, although it was significantly damaged. After the war, it was decided not to restore the church, since almost all potential Jewish parishioners were killed under Hitler. The building was demolished in 1958, only the facade remains of it. After the unification of Germany, the synagogue was restored.

    New Synagogue
    Checkpoint Charlie

    Checkpoint Charlie

    An iconic and iconic place on Friedrichstrasse Street, a symbol of the confrontation between two irreconcilable enemies of the Cold War — the USSR and the USA. After the division of Germany, the border passed here and a military checkpoint was organized. It was at Checkpoint Charlie that the tank confrontation took place during the Berlin crisis of 1958-1962, during which the world came close to nuclear war.

    Berlin TV Tower

    The TV tower is more than 360 meters in height. It is building on the fourth place among the tallest TV towers in Europe. She started working in 1969. In sunny weather, the shape of the cross is reflected on the ball crowning the structure (apparently from a nearby church). This fact is connected with the speculation that the architect was interrogated by the relevant authorities allegedly for the deliberate design of the cross.

    Berlin Zoo

    Berlin Zoo

    Zoological garden in the Tiergarten district with a total area of 25 hectares. There are 1,500 species of animals (a total of 15 thousand individuals). The zoo was opened in the middle of the XIX century for the Prussian King Wilhelm IV. Gradually, access was allowed to mere mortals. At the beginning of the XX century, the Berlin Zoo was considered one of the most advanced and modernly equipped zoological gardens. During the war, a bomb hit the territory, and out of almost 4 thousand animals, only about a hundred survived.

    Treptov Park

    A park on the banks of the river Spree, where there is a large memorial complex in honor of the Soviet soldiers-liberators. The central monument of the park is an 8–meter figure of a soldier with a sword and a little girl in his arms. The statue is approached by an Alley of sarcophagi, where the remains of several thousand soldiers are buried in five mass graves. Parts of the facade of the Reichstag were used to make the alley slabs.

    Treptov Park
    Botanical Garden

    Botanical Garden

    The garden was laid out in the XIX century and initially served as a recreation area. Over time, it became a research center. At the moment, several thousand plants grow here, among which there are many exotic and not typical for these latitudes specimens. There are several greenhouses in the Botanical Garden, where a rich variety of exotic flowers, cacti, ferns and other species are presented.

    Boulevard Unter den Linden

    One of the most famous streets of Berlin, the local "Broadway" and the center of the fashionable life of the capital. Famous city attractions are located along the boulevard. Unter den Linden begins at the palace square and leads to the Brandenburg Gate. Back in the XVIII century, the boulevard became the hallmark of Prussia. The local nobility loved to arrange evening promenades along the picturesque lime alleys.

    Boulevard Unter den Linden
    Big Tiergarten Park

    Big Tiergarten Park

    A green oasis in the city center, where you can admire nature and enjoy the tranquility. There are dozens of paths, well-groomed alleys, cozy pavilions and benches in the Tiergarten. In the center of the park stands a grandiose Triumphal Column, which symbolizes the power of the German nation. In the summer, people sunbathe on numerous lawns or just relax in the generous shade of trees.