Berlin things to see and do   (Berlin what to see)

Things to see and do in Berlin

THE REICHSTAG

The Reichstag Parliament building in Berlin is one of the city's most iconic structures. It was completed in 1894 and housed parliament until 1933 when it was destroyed by a fire caused by the Nazis. It was further damaged during the Second World War. In 1994-1999 the architect Norman Foster was appointed to reconstruct and extend what was left of the original building. Since then on it has been the seat of the German Bundestag (Federal Government).A visit to the Reichstag is a must for any tourist visiting the city, offering a fantastic view from the top of the large dome in the centre of the roof. You may have to have to wait in a long queue to enter the building during the summer months, but the view is well worth the effort! The dome is open daily from 8am to 10pm and admission is free.  

BRANDERBURGER GATE 

The Brandenburger Gate was built between 1788 and 1791, as a city gate: a triumphant arch, modelled on the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens. It was here that the celebration of the first real unification of Germany in 1871 (the Second Reich) took place. It also served as a site for Nazi celebrations in 1933, when Hitler marched along with his troops to take hold of the German republic. 

The gate was closed to the public for almost 30 years, before opening finally on October 3^rd, 1989, marking the fall of the Berlin wall and the coming together of the east and west sides of Berlin. The Brandenburger Tor is probably the most symbolic landmark in Berlin, and a definite must see attraction.   THE BERLIN WALL At the end of World War II, Germany was divided up into 4 parts, occupied by the American, British, French and Soviet forces.  At the beginning of the Cold War in 1948, the Soviet authorities tried to annex the whole city and started a blockade of routes through the city to the US, British and French sectors.  The move effectively cut off the electricity supplied to these zones, which ran through the Soviet sector as well as food and other essential supplies for the rest of the city.  Thanks to the Berlin Airlift, in which the American and British forces agreed to jointly bring in supplies by air, the Soviets were forced into a situation where they either had to take aggressive military action to stop them, or lift the blockade.  By May 1949 the blockade was lifted.

 That same year, the Soviet occupied area of Germany became the German Democratic Republic (GDR) with East Berlin as its capital. The other zones became the Federal Republic of Germany with the capital Bonn.

 Until 1961, East Germans could move freely between the Western and Eastern parts of Berlin. But many of the people living in East Berlin wanted to move to the wealthier and more progressive West. As many as 20,000 East Germans per month immigrated to West Berlin until the decision was made to close the boarder, stopping the flow of emigrants.

 On August 13, 1961 West Berlin was surrounded by barbed wire and the building of a large concrete wall began. The wall was 3.6 meters high and was guarded by almost 300 watch towers and military bunkers which were built along the border.

 The guards were ordered to shoot at anyone trying to cross the boarder. Until the boarder was reopened again in 1989, 192 people lost their lives trying to flee to the West, but there were also 5,000 successful escapes.

 Parts of the wall remain today which visitors can view for free, alongside an open-air exhibition about the history of the wall and its role during Germany's turbulent past.

CHECKPOINT CHARLIE MUSEUM Checkpoint Charlie was the crossing point between East and West Berlin for foreigners and members of the allied forces. Today the small booth in the middle of the street still stands and marks the site of a museum dedicated to the Berlin Wall, and more specifically, the creative, daring, successful and unsuccessful escape attempts of Berliners during 1961 and 1989 when the Berlin wall was finally torn down.

 The museum had humble beginnings. It began as a small exhibition space the size of two rooms of the apartment building that stands directly opposite the booth, but today the museum covers almost the entire building itself! Visitors can spend hours looking at artefacts from the war, many of which were donated by survivors and families of those who attempted their escape. There are letters, newspaper reports of escape attempts, death notices, accounts of those who managed their escape and even some of the materials used by escapees to cross to the wall. These include hand fashioned hang gliders, cars and even makeshift SCUBA equipment! The museum is a must see for those interested in this tragic chapter of Germany's history. Get there on Subway: U6 Kochstrasse.

    BERLIN CATHEDRAL The Berlin Cathedral or Berliner Dom can be found on Museum Island (Museumsinsel) on the Spree river. The first church to be built on the site was in 1465, and later replaced by a cathedral in the 1700s during the Baroque period. As with many European cathedrals, it was built and rebuilt many times over the years during different artistic movements. However, its final form, most of which is well preserved today, was considered one of the Great Cathedrals of Europe, and a must-see for those who appreciate early European architecture.

 In 1894 during the Italian Renaissance period, a new design by Julius Raschdorff was ordered for construction by Emperor William II. Construction began in between 1895 and finished in 1905. This beautiful Cathedral, like many from that area, was severely damaged during the bombing of Berlin in the Second World War. A temporary roof was erected to protect the interior until reconstruction began in 1975. The interior of the cathedral itself was under reconstruction between 1984- 1993, when the church reopened. The main altar survived the destruction and dates back to 1850.

MUSEUMSINEL (ISLAND OF MUSEUMS) Museumsinsel is a small island in the Spree River. Home to one of the most important complex of European museums, this site is inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Currently undergoing major restoration to preserve the island's foundations, the museums are set be linked together by a decorative promenade by 2010.

The main museum, Pergamon houses one of the world's most important collections of ancient art and architecture. There is also the Altes museum, bursting full of ancient sculpture and art from ancient Greece and Rome. The Alte Nationalgalerie has an amazing collection of European art from the 19^th Century. As well as museums, the site is also home to the grand Berliner Dom Cathedral and the Royal Palace with its lovely formal gardens.

You can learn more about the german culture sharing with people, a good way to do that is getting a Berlin rental. We hope you enjoy your trip  and discover lots of things to see in Berlin!