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THE RESURGENCE OF A CAPITAL
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Historical Notes
BERLIN
THE RESURGENCE OF A CAPITAL O
Once in no-man’s land, the Brandenburg Gate has become the symbol of the united Germany. Twenty years ago, it was surrounded by barbed wire and sentries. Today, tourists have replaced the guards in a city seeking to reinvent itself every day, where the same searchlights that once picked out those brave individuals making the break for the other side now light up the lively Berlin nights. The German capital offers large doses of savoir-faire, joviality and originality to newcomers. A walk through its streets injects visitors with a reforming and sassy spirit unknown in other climes and far removed from the stereotypical image of Germany. The cultural breeding ground of the country is the result of that magical night of 9 November 1989, when not just the wall dividing the eastern and western sectors came down, but the Iron Curtain toppled with it and the Cold War came crashing to an end. Since then, Berliners have borne witness to a building 1
maelstrom that has almost meant the creation of a new-fledged city, the main one in Central Europe. Along with this wave of contemporary buildings and renovated
facades, visitors will discover a metropolis imbued with historic charm and eclecticism, confident in its future and vibrant in its present.
A practical guide The information given here does not attempt to cover the whole of the city but is simply limited to the most interesting sights from a tourist’s point of view. Berlin has getting on for 3.5 million inhabitants and covers some 889 km², a large area that means that visits have to be limited to certain areas, monuments and museums. Located in the east of the country, the city lies on the plains of the Havel and Spree rivers, which meet in the Spandau suburb. The centre of the city, criss-crossed by numerous canals, is divided into eight zones. In this guide, we will be looking at the most widely-known urban sights, despite the German capital having an almost unlimited cultural offer and the proximity of such cities as Potsdam, Dresden and Leipzig.
A BRIEF HISTORY Berlin is one of Europe’s youngest capitals. Its origins go back to the settlements of sailors and merchants along the banks of the River Spree, founded in the eight century and divided into two colonies. The first, known as Cölln, was built on a small island which today is the location for some of the city’s most interesting museums. Berlin, which would coincide with the Nikolaiviertel, the present-day quarter dominated by the Saint Nicholas church, was built on the opposite bank. The first texts in which Cölln appears date from 1237. Both settlements, devoted to fishing and trading in rye and wood, signed an alliance in 1304. In one of the many violent disputes between the houses of Luxembourg and Wittlesbach, Berliners asked the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation for help, who sent Federico von Hohenzollern as protector. The city was elected capital of the state of Brandenburg in 1415, which was the start of half a century of dependency of the Hohenzollern dynasty, a family of nobles from southern Germany. The citizens’ misfortunes began in 1448, when a protest against the construction of the first castle in the settlement was violently put down, and continued with epidemics of bubonic plague in 1576, 1598 and 1600, bringing Berlin’s demographic and economic growth to a standstill. The situation grew worse following the outbreak of the Thirty Years War (1618-1648), which transformed the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation into a vast battlefield. Berlin’s luck changed with the arrival of Frederick William von Hohenzollern, who ascended the Brandenburg throne in 1640. Under his reign, the population tripled to 20,000 inhabitants. Capital of Prussia The modern fortification works, the construction of the canal that joins the River Spree and the River Oder and the creation of new satellite colonies, such as Friedrichswerder and Dorotheenstadt – absorbed in 1709 – drove the development of Berlin, which benefited from the legacy of Jewish and French Huguenot families
expelled from their homes. Frederick III took over the reins of power in 1688 and thirteen years later he made Brandenburg a kingdom and was crowned Frederick I of Prussia. As patron and a lover of luxury, the king promoted great cultural works, such as the Academy of Fine Arts and Sciences. During the reign of his successor, Frederick William I [1713-1740], Berlin had a population of 90,000. The first age of splendour was brought about by Frederick II [1740-1786], more commonly known as Frederick the Great, who quarrelled with his political enemies for years, Empress Maria Teresa of Austria and Empress Catherine the Great of Russia. Prussia rose to become a European power and Berlin was established as a glittering centre of culture, thanks to the king’s interest in art, philosophy and music. There were around 150,000 people living in the capital of the empire at the end of the eighteenth century. Bismarck’s dream Berlin and Prussia were occupied by Napoleon Bonaparte’s troops between 1806 and 1813. This was followed by the frenetic industrialisation of the region based on the railways, followed by a Europe-wide recession that spilled out into serious disturbances in 1847. The appointment of Otto von Bismarck as Chancellor saw the start of a period of expansion that culminated in the annexation of the French regions of Alsace and Lorraine, German unification and the proclamation of the German Empire in 1871, with Berlin as the capital and William I as Kaiser. The city faced another period of growth that saw its population rise to 1 million in 1877 and 2 million in 1905, at the same time as mansion houses and great avenues were being built. The outbreak of the First World War hardly affected Berlin, although German defeat was a humiliation that would have short-term consequences. To begin with, the Hohenzollern dynasty disappeared and was replaced by the Weimar Republic. The fragility of the bourgeoisie, economic crisis, inflation and a state of confusion and general disorder prevented the democratic system from developing
correctly. Only for a brief period between, 1924 and 1929, could an economically recovered bourgeoisie enjoy a scientific, artistic and literary heyday. Berlin’s countless theatres, cabarets and nightspots bore witness to the golden twenties. The stock market crash of 1929, added to mass unemployment, paved the way for the rise of Adolf Hitler, who was appointed Chancellor in 1933. The 1936 Olympics became a showcase for the desire for supremacy of the Aryan race. Hopes for democracy succumbed to the totalitarian dictatorship, founded on the persecution of everything that was suspected of going against Hitler’s regime. The invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 heralded the start of the Second World War and one of the darkest periods in the history of Mankind. Destruction and division The taking of Berlin by the Red Army in April 1945 and Hitler’s suicide at the end of that month were the culmination of an orgy of blood and destruction. A large part of Europe and almost all of Germany lay in ruins. The Potsdam Conference ended with Berlin being divided into four zones, occupied by Soviet, American, French and British troops, which placed the devastated city in the first trench of the Cold War. In June 1948, in an attempt to annexe the entire city, the Soviet authorities posed a blockade on the western sectors, which was overcome thanks to mass aid from the United States. This year also saw the birth of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), with Bonn as the capital, and the German Democratic Republic (GDR), with East Berlin as its capital. The great migration of Germans to the opulent and democratic west triggered the building of the Wall in 1961. It stood until 1989, when the moribund Communist regime accepted the free circulation of citizens. Germany was officially reunified on 3 October 1990 and Berlin recovered its status as capital in 1991. Since then, it has undergone a transformation without equal that has culminated in the creation of one of the most socially advanced cities in the world. Berlin is in the same time zone as the rest
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Gastronomy
Bread, pork, potatoes and beer Bread, pork, potatoes and beer As capital of Germany and a cosmopolitan city, Berlin offers a great variety of restaurants, from Indian to Greek and including Japanese, Mexican, Thai and Spanish. International restaurants abound, as do local ones serving traditional dishes, which are usually tasty but rather heavy. The pork butchers’ and bakeries of Berlin display top-quality products, such as spicy sausages (currywurst and thüringer) and an extensive range of bread rolls, such as the milk roll (semmel), the salted lye roll
(laugenbrötchen) and the cereal roll (mehrkornbrötchen). Berliners have an endless way of preparing pork, with which they create the post popular dishes, such as the kasseler, which consists of seasoned and cured meat served with sauerkraut, mashed potato and mustard, generally very spicy. The classic pork knuckle (eisbein) is also accompanied by sauerkraut and boiled potatoes, along with a helping of pea puree. Wild boar, rabbit, duck and goose also play a leading part in the city’s cuisine, as do mushrooms and, in the case
of fish, pike-perch, cod and herring. Presentation of dishes is usually simple, while plentiful, due to the peasant influence, far removed from luxury and pretence. Garnishes include sauerkraut, pea puree, turnips, radish, pickled gherkins and potatoes, be they chipped, mashed, roast or boiled. Without any doubt, the most iconic drink is beer, served in many varieties and brands. Although the cold prevents vine growing in this part of Germany, in restaurants it is possible to find wines from the south of the country, especially whites.
GETTING AROUND IN BERLIN Handy Tips
of central Europe, in other words GMT + 1 hour, the same as Spain and France. Despite the intensely cold winters, any time of the year is good for visiting the city. The best time for walking, visiting monuments or even enjoying the urban beaches of the Spree is in the summer. Spring and autumn are also recommended because of the great variety of sporting and cultural events, while the museums and bars become ideal refuges in the winter, when temperatures drop to below freezing. The climate is continental and there are huge contrasts between the rather warm summers and very cold winters, which usually hold ice and heavy snowfall up their sleeve. The average temperature in January is –0.5°C, while July sees this rise to 20°C. The lowest rainfall is recorded in February and April, compared with September, the month that sees the most rainfall. The huge extent of Berlin means visitors have to get about by public transport if they want to pack in several visits in one day. Without a doubt, it is far better to forget your car and explore the centre on foot, combining the metro (U-Bahn) with the overground train network (S-Bahn) 3
and buses. Another interesting option is to rent a bicycle, a highly popular form of transport in the city. The flatness and the healthy network of bicycle lanes make pedalling a pleasure. The suburban train service, managed by the S-Bahn GmbH private company, runs every day from 5.00 am to 3.00 am and connects with the U-Bahn in many stations, a service operated by the BVG public company, which is usually open from 6.00 am to 11.00 pm. The metro runs every one or two minutes at peak times and stays open through the night every weekend, except on one of the ten lines, the U4. The urban train network is not as dense as that of the metro, although the lines are longer than on the suburban network, totalling 17 lines that connect all corners of the city, while frequency varies between 10 and 20 minutes. Buses cover the whole of the city and night services work when the trains do not run. Trams only run in the old eastern sector. As well as the tourist boats, there are temporary and permanent ferry services to sea or river ports such as Hamburg, Kiel, Spandau and Potsdam. Valid for any for of transport, tickets can be bought at the dispenser machines at stations and stops and over the counter.
Bus tickets can be bought from the driver. Several types of pass are available. Public transport in the Berlin metropolitan area is divided into three zones – A, B and C – although tourists usually stick to the first two, being more central. Taxis are usually cream-coloured Mercedes-Benz. Unless you are in the centre, it is recommended that you take one at a taxi stop instead of hailing one in the street. They can also be requested by telephone. Berlin is a reasonably safe destination. As in other big cities, it is a good idea to avoid lonely areas at night and keep a watchful eye for pickpockets, who usually take advantage of carelessness in the busiest areas, such as public transport at peak times. The best thing to do is leave your valuables at home or keep them out of the reach of thieves. Almost all the businesses usually open from 9.00 am until 6.00 pm, with an hour for lunch, although there are shops that serve from 9.30 or 10.00 am until 8.00 pm. Most retailers close at 4.00 pm on Saturdays. Tips are not compulsory, although in restaurants and cafes it is usual to round the bill up if the service has been good.
MAIN EVENTS AND HOLIDAYS New Year’s Day 1 January, the first day of the year. Those who can withstand the hangover from the night before can take part in the Berliner Neujahrslauf, a four-kilometre race through the city, starting at the Brandenburg Gate. Lange Nacht der Museen At the end of January, more than 100 museums open at night. Berlinale The Berlin International Film Festival is held in the second and third weeks in February. Internationale TourismusBörse (ITB) The leading tourism fair in Europe is held in mid-March. Music-Biennale The second week in March in odd years sees this tumultuous festival of experimental, electronic and contemporary music.
Easter Celebrated on variable dates and worth it for the markets set up in the city centre. Mayday Held on 1 May. Women’s Tennis Open Staged in early May and usually featuring the best women players. Karneval der Kulturen Over three days at the end of May, the cultural diversity finds an expression in the streets of the Kreuzberg suburb in a colourful carnival. Christopher Street Day Gay Pride Day is marked at the end of June with a large parade. Bach Tage Berlin In the first week in July, the concert halls play the repertoire of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Berliner Festwochen Major festival that includes concerts, exhibitions and meetings, held throughout the whole of September. Berlin Marathon One of the most famous in the world and held on the third Sunday in September. Popkomm One of the most important pop festivals in Europe takes place at the end of September. Tag der Deutschen Einheit 3 October marks the reunification of Germany with a large parade. Jazz Fest Berlin Staged in early November at a number of venues. Jüdische Kulturtage Festival dedicated to Jewish culture held throughout the whole of November. 4
baround Tiergarten
A former royal hunting ground, it became one of Berlin’s green lungs in the eighteenth century. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, it was established as the political, cultural and financial centre, crowned by the renovated Reichstag and the recovered Potsdamer Platz. The latter exemplifies the transformation experienced by the German capital over the last two decades. In the 1920s, it was established as the epicentre of hustle and bustle and entertainment thanks to venues such as the Haus Vaterland and the Café Josty, but the bombing transformed its surroundings into a mountain of rubble and, later, into a wasteland, no-man’s land in the shadow of the Berlin Wall immortalised in the film by Win Wenders, Wings of Desire. With reunification, it became the city’s largest urban development project, with the outstanding Beisheim Center, Sony Center, Filmmuseum and the Arkaden shopping centre, one of the most popular in the city.
Charlottenburg
This district, which lies to the west of the city centre, is laden with history due to being an independent city prior to being annexed to Berlin. The district is most famous for the palace that gives it its name, which is surrounded by sweeping parks and elegant mansions belonging to the well-off. It is well worth taking a stroll along Schlossstrasse to marvel at some of these houses.
Mitte
Berlin’s most central district lies between Alexander Platz, to the east, and the Brandenburg Gate, to the west. This area, on which building began in the seventeenth century, re-emerged after the fall of the Berlin Wall and is still undergoing an urban development process. However, it has now become one of the most dynamic and expensive districts of the German capital. Next to the exclusive shops along Unter den Linden, luxury hotels and the French and British embassies lies one of Europe’s most active underground scenes, borne out by the variety of artists’ studios, electronic music clubs and avant-garde clothes and décor shops, coexists alongside the exclusive shops on Inter den Linden, the luxury hotels and the French and British embassies. Many of the city’s historical buildings can be found here. The focus of the district is the wide Unter den Linden boulevard – meaning “beneath the limes” – that in years gone by was the route which led to the royal hunting ground, which would later become the Tiergarten. Crossing this road is the Schlossbrücke, one of the few ancient bridges across the Spree that miraculously did not suffer the consequences of the Second World War. Very close by stands the Baroque-style Deutsches Historisches Museum, and a stone’s throw away lies Bebelplatz, formerly known as the Opera Platz. On this very spot, on 10 May 1993, over 25,000 books were burnt, many of them from the nearby Alte Bibliothek. A discreet monument recalls this barbaric event: translucent glass stuck to the pavement reveals a room full of empty bookshelves. The author, Micha Ullman, added some premonitory words by the German Jewish poet Heine: “Whenever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings”.
Kreuzberg
Known as the Turkish district, as it is home to the majority of this immigrant community, the largest in Germany. Its streets are bustling with the markets on the banks of the Spree, where Turkish stall keepers, between shouts and cries, invite customers to buy their products: fresh cheese, breads, sweets, printed fabrics. Kreuzberg began to develop at the end of the nineteenth century, when it was primarily a working class district. During the time of the Berlin Wall, between 1961 and 1989, this area went unloved, and it still has a temporary feel to it, where luxury apartments rub shoulders with abandoned homes. However, unification of the country brought about a sense of renewal and over time it has become a favourite haunts for the young thanks to its energy. It lies to the south of the centre and gets its name from the 66-metre hill of the same name which now stands in the Viktoriapark, a haven of peace with a surprising collection of artificial waterfalls. This young, vibrant and sassy district offers the Berlin that goes against the current, the Berlin of the senses, the one where you can swim in the heart of the city and eat in a darkened restaurant, as though the German capital wanted to laugh at the relativity of things. Just like London’s East End, Barcelona’s Raval or Madrid’s Lavapiés districts, Kreuzberg is home to bohemian artists, young liberal professionals, Turkish shopkeepers and lovers of punk. The district’s roots lie deep in the tough 1960s, when it was the western zone surrounded by the longest stretch of the Wall, which led to a drop in the cost of rents and the subsequent arrival of an extremely disadvantaged population. Now resituated in a central area after the fall of the Wall, it attracts both tourists and residents thanks to emblems such as the Jewish Museum and three of the liveliest streets in the city, Oranienstrasse, Wienerstrasse and Bergmannstrasse, with their art galleries, second-hand clothes shops and some of the coolest alternative bars. The trendiest spot is the one that borders on the Treptow district with concert venues such as Arena, the Badeschiff, a floating swimming pool in the Spree, and the Kunstfabrik artists’ studios, with its bunker that has been reopened as an exhibition space. Kreuzberg is dotted with friendly cafés with frayed winged armchairs and tables and chairs salvaged from the street, such as the Mobel Ölfe, Neue Bohnen and Montecruz. 5
Museum Island
Although strictly speaking a part of the Mitte district, this long small island, shaped by the tributaries of the Spree and where the first inhabitants of Berlin lived back in the thirteenth century, deserves its own section. Home to the Lustgarden, a beautiful garden, the cathedral and some of the best museums in Europe, including the Altes Museum, Pergamonmuseum and the Bodemuseum.
Scheunenviertel
Its name means “the barn district”, as these buildings stood here the eighteenth century, but were transferred on the orders of the authorities afraid of fire razing the city centre to the ground. This era saw Jews fleeing Russia and Eastern Europe settle here and it became Berlin’s prosperous Jewish district. Like other areas of the German capital, it was abandoned following the Second World War. Thanks to building restoration efforts, it has become a fashionable district and leading nightlife spot in recent years.
Nikolaiviertel
One of Berlin’s oldest districts, completely rebuilt by the Communist regime as a recreation of a Mediaeval town, it takes its name from the parish church dedicated to Saint Nicholas, whose spires rise up between the low houses that dominate this part of the city. This area lies on the banks of the Spree and is made up of narrow streets full of bars, souvenir shops and tiny museums. One of the most popular and traditional restaurants is the Zum Nussbaum, which was once located on Fischer Inseln. The original building was destroyed, but was rebuilt at the Am Nussbaum and Propststrasse crossroads.
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Jewish Museum
The idea of creating a permanent exhibition of this type was raised by the Berlin Jewish community in 1971 as a way of renovating and recovering the museum which opened at the beginning of the 1930s, just a few years before Hitler rose to power, and was closed by the Gestapo in 1938. In the 1980s, there was a resurgence in the desire to reopen it that finally came to fruition in 1999 with the inauguration of the present building, an extension of the Museum of Berlin. The stunning zinc building designed by Daniel Libeskind is based on a fragmented Star of David. Even before the permanent exhibitions were installed – which commemorate the life and history of German Jews – thousands of visitors came to enjoy the evocative spaces. The long, narrow galleries, with sloping floors and zigzagging corridors, evoke the feelings of loss and confusion experienced by millions of Jews, while the gaps on the inside represent the void left by the annihilation of the majority of this community. The exhibition is divided into 14 sections containing objects such as Moses Mendelssohn’s glasses – a philosopher who championed religious tolerance – and the electric iron by AEG, once one of Germa-
The Brandenburg Gate
The symbol of Berlin par excellence dominates Pariser Platz, standing at the end of the great Unter den Linden avenue. Visitors will find an imposing, neo-classical style monument dating from the end of the eighteenth century. Its creator, Karl Gotthard Langhans, was inspired by the propylaea of the Parthenon in Athens. Originally, it was the city gate that led to the east, and was seriously damaged after the Second World War. Following the construction of the Berlin Wall, it stood in no-man’s land for years and with reunification it became a setting for celebrations and a meeting point for Berliners. A pair of pavilions formerly used by border guards and agents stand either side of the Doric colonnade, with its bas reliefs depicting scenes from Greek mythology. At the pinnacle of the frieze stands the famous chariot by Johann Gottfried Schadow, which was initially a symbol of peace. During the French occupation, Napoleon ordered its transfer to Paris and when it returned to Berlin in 1814, it became the symbol of victory, with the support containing the Prussian eagle and iron cross adorned by a laurel wreath being added. To the displeasure of visitors, this monument, which has witnessed the most important events in the German capital, was covered up for two years, from 2002 to 2002, while it was given a face wash. Since then, the most representative monument of the unified Germany has been enjoying a second youth.
The Berlin Wall
A large part of this symbol of the division between two worlds that seemed irreconcilable has succumbed to the enthusiasm of collectors and property developers. Almost two decades after the fall of the Wall, scarcely a hundred metres of it divided into different sections are still standing. One of these is preserved in the northern part of the city, in the Mitte district, in memory of the dozens of people who lost their lives trying to get over it, most of them shot by guards. This section lies on Bernauer Strasse, between Acker and Berg streets, next to the Wall Documentation Centre (Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer). Almost at the other end of the city, on Mühlenstrasse to be precise, between the Hauptbahnhof and Oberbaumbrücke, is another surviving section of Wall measuring 1,300 metres 7
in length, which in 1990 became the East Side Gallery. Over 100 artists from some 20 countries covered the grey concrete with a whole host of paintings and murals. A little further to the southeast, in an abandoned park, stands the last guard tower from the border control system. However, perhaps the best place to get an idea of what Berlin was like in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s is the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie museum, situated close to the famous control point, the only crossing point for foreigners between East and West Berlin. A series of exhibitions document the history of the Wall and display the famous paintings of its western side. Of note is the space reserved for the escape attempts by the citizens of the GDR. Very little survives of the original Checkpoint Charlie, which was surrounded by barbed wire, sandbags and railings, other than a replica and the tense echo of the Cold War. A short distance away is the Topograhie des Terrors, an informative, open-air exhibition that coincides with another section of the Wall and the former general headquarters of the SS and the Gestapo.
Reichstag
British architect Norman Foster designed
the renovation of this building, headquarters of the Popular Assembly (Bundestag), as standard of the new Germany. The elliptical dome, which includes a panoramic gallery, represents the transparency of the democratic government. It dates from the end of the nineteenth century – from where it gets its neo-classical style – and from the beginning was home to the Parliament. It was from here that the birth of Weimar Republic was declared in 1918 and in 1933 its main hall was destroyed by a fire. Accusations levelled against the Communists led to a witch hunt promoted by the Nazis, which opened up the way for Hitler to rise to power. In another historical event, during the taking of Berlin by the Red Army, photographer Yevgeny Chaldei captured the moment when a Soviet soldier raised the hammer and sickle over the Reichstag, an image that was later proven to have been retouched for propaganda purposes. And in 1995, the image of this historical building wrapped in silver fabric went round the world thanks to the efforts of the artist Christo. Talks and 90-minute guided tours are held when the Parliament is not sitting. Taking a walk around the dome is spectacular, as it offers some incredible views of the city in transformation.
ny’s largest companies, which exemplify the dominant position held by Jews in late nineteenth-century, early twentieth-century trade and industry in Berlin. Outside in the Garden of Exile and Emigration stand 49 pillars, which represent the Diaspora and foundation of the State of Israel in 1948, plus another for Berlin.
Charlottenburg Castle
Construction began on this Baroque royal palace in 1695 as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte, the wife of King Frederick I, but extension work continued well into the eighteenth century. The central section is the oldest and is crowned by a raised, turquoise dome. Inside, lit by their own lights are the Porzellankabinett, a hall of mirrors decorated with Japanese and Chinese porcelain; the chapel and the Ahnengalerie, flanked by huge oil paintings and oak panelling. The museums and galleries in the palace and its surroundings include the Berggruen collection, which contains around a hundred works by Picasso, as well as a representative collection of his contemporaries. The extensive park surrounding the building is a favourite among Berliners and lies in one of the city’s most affluent districts.
Marienkirche
This Gothic church, founded in the thirteenth century and dedicated to Saint Mary, is considered to be one of the oldest buildings in the German capital. Once surrounded by houses, it now stands alone at the foot of the Fernsehturm, the television tower and the highest building in the city at 365 metres. Inside, the church contains important artistic treasures, such as the font that dates from 1437 and the pulpit by Andreas Schlüter, a masterpiece sculpted in alabaster and decorated with bas reliefs.
Tiergarten
The largest park in one of Europe’s greenest cities lies in the heart of Berlin and covers some 200 hectares. Formerly a hunting ground, in 1830 it was transformed into a garden designed by Peter Joseph Lenné. The Second World War destroyed its harmonious greenery, but with time it recovered its charm and today it is once again a calming space criss-crossed by tree-lined paths, canals and flower beds. It also has a couple of fields open on both sides of the Hofjägerallee where locals sunbathe in the nude.
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SHOWS SHOWS Berlin’s cultural offer is as you would expect from a great capital and ranges from theatre through dance and the latest films to stadium concerts. The Berlin scene keeps the spirit of Brecht alive, while cinema also enjoys good health, both in terms of the number of commercial screens and the space devoted to independent screenings. The city also hosts all kinds of cultural events and has attracted the most avantgarde artists for years. Theatre Deutsches Theater Schumannstrasse 13 28 44 12 25 www.deutschestheater.de Founded in 1883 and located in the centre of Berlin, it schedules top-flight pieces that are outstanding for their staging. It may be difficult to get tickets for performances. Berliner Ensemble Bertold-Brecht-Platz 1 28 40 81 55 www.berliner-ensemble.de Among its directors, this sumptuous theatre has boasted dramatists of the stature of Brecht and Heiner Müller, whose works are still performed. Hebbel am Ufer, Haus 1 Stresemannstrasse 29 25 90 04 27 www.hebbel-am-ufer.de This ambitious stage arts centre programmes primarily modern dance and avant-garde theatre performances. Volksbühne Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz 247 67 72 www.volksbuehne.de
OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST Television tower (Fernsehturm)
Known popularly by Berliners as the toothpick (Telespargel), it offers the best views over Berlin. This colossal construction, one of the highest in Europe, can be seen from anywhere in the city. Its creators designed it to resemble a Christian cross by the sun shining on its sides. The present touch is provided by the neon lights twinkling at the foot of the tower. Visitors can take the lift 203 metres up to the belvedere, inside the giant steel sphere. Another of the attractions is the revolving café, which turns a complete circle every hour and a half. Pergamon Museum (Pergamonmuseum) Outstanding in the museum island, a square kilometre devoted to art, is this collection of ancient artefacts, one of the most famous in Europe and the most 9
widely-visited in the city. It gives its name to the Pergamon altar standing in the main vestibule and which immerses visitors in a struggle between Greek gods and giants. The rooms of the museum display some of the most valuable archaeological treasures of the last six thousand years, collected over numerous German expeditions during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Gate of Ishtar of Babylon, decorated with original glazed bricks, and the wood-lined room belonging to a trader from the Syrian city of Aleppo are just some of the most stunning gems. Cathedral Protestant in faith, it is the largest religious building in Berlin. The original cathedral was built between 1747 and 1750, although the present one, in neo-Baroque style, dates from the beginning of the last century and was restored after the
Its stage features primarily classical works set in modern decors and plays by young dramatists. Its salons host very many cultural events, ranging from lectures to concerts. Maxim Gorka Theater Am Festungsgraben 2 20 22 11 29 www.gorki.de Another of the major stages of the German capital, which is completed with others such as the Renaissance-Theater, the Schlosspark Theater, the Bat-Studiotheater and the Kleines Theater, the last two coming under the category of alternative theatres. Cinema Berlin has traditionally been the capital of German cinema, partly thanks to the Berlinale, an international festival that attracts big stars from the world of film. Most cinema complexes are found in the areas around Breitscheidplatz, near the Ku’damm, Tauentzienstrasse and Alexanderplatz. The International, situated on Kart-Marx-Allee, is the only cinema that remains from the Communist era, which makes it rather curious to anyone interested in the former GDR. There are also numerous screens showing independent films, one of which is the Zeughauskino. Music The German capital has one of the leading philharmonic orchestras in the world and one of the most beautiful concert halls. Apart from the concerts held during the season, the city hosts a great many festivals, and small-scale concerts are staged in churches, auditoriums and palaces throughout the year. However, a recent fire at the home of the Berlin Philharmonic means that some plans will have to be
rescheduled. Of the three opera houses in the city, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden is the most stunning and its repertoire includes German and Italian classics, together with a number of contemporary works. All big rock and jazz groups have Berlin in mind when designing their international tours. Large-format performances are usually held at the Max-SchmelingHall, the Velodrom or the Olympiastadion. Some of the most high profile live music venues include Café Swing (on Nollendorfplatz), So 36 (in Kreuzberg) and jazz clubs such as A Trane and b-flat. Techno-lovers can enjoy gigs at Tresor, a venue on Leipziger Platz, and also at the Columbia and Matrix clubs. Dance The repertoires of the three opera houses include interesting ballet programmes, combining classical with contemporary. Komische Oper favours more modern choreography, whereas the programme of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden focuses on classical works. Sports The Berlin international marathon brings together thousands of runners and is regarded as the third most important in the world (www.real-berlin-marathon. com). The route, one of the quickest in the world, attracts top-flight athletes and sponsors. The flat layout, the numerous parks and the countless special routes for bicycles make the city an ideal setting for cycling. Hertha BSC (www.herthabsc.de) plays its home matches in the Bundesliga at the Olympic stadium (Olympiastadion), built for the 1936 Olympics. The cup final is also usually played here. The city also has excellent facilities for golf, swimming and tennis.
destruction it suffered during the Second World War. The main church of the Hohenzollern dynasty, it houses the family crypt, which has around a hundred profusely decorated sarcophagi, a huge organ and stained glass windows in the apse depicting scenes from the life of Christ. Commemorative Church of Kaiser Wilhelm Built in the late nineteenth century and partially destroyed in 1943 by allied bombing, it is another central point in Berlin. It is the only building in the old western sector that has not been reconstructed as a reminder of the horrors of war. Its half-destroyed bell tower is a scar that is now beginning to heal. Next to the ruins, an octagonal church in blue glass was built between 1959 and 1961, as well as an independent bell tower, in an area populated by street sellers and buskers.
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