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 7026 Berlin Tips.11513 Berlin Photos.23 Berlin Videos. Berlin Pages by sim1
Tips 1 - 10 of 12 Berlin Things to Do
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I only had a few hours to spend in Berlin, and hadn't done any preperations at all! So I had no clue where to go or what to see. The only think I had was a very small map of the city center, showing some of the sights to see. So on this cold, winter day, I strolled through the city, wondering what would be around the next corner... hahaha, because I had no clue :-)
So please come and join me, on my walk through Berlin, and let me show you some images of this city....
Checkpoint Charlie
It was strange standing here... there is not so much to see here anymore. Just this sign, and the small checkpoint. But images went through my head, newsflashes, such an important historic place this has been. I stood here, wondering how it must have been like here, before the Wall came down... thinking. Strange to realize that is not that long ago that the Wall came down. But looking down the street and walking in Berlin, nothing really indicates what a strange situation it was here, a divided city, not so very long ago.
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Close to the sign at checkpoint Charlie, you can read this bit of info and see this picture :
During the time Germany and Berlin were divided by THE WALL, the sign which symbolizes world history was standing here : The victorious powers of World War II and the two Germanies confronted each other here, and the Western powers defended the fundamental rights of the special Berlin-Status until the confrontation between USA/USSR tanks.
This sign is a copy. The original sign still exists and can be seen in the Haus am Checkpoint Charle - 40 meters from here.
The US-Military Forces in Berlin - on the order of the US-chief of Staff, Colonel Baker - gave this valuable sign a present to the Haus om Checkpoint Charlie on February 22, 1991, in aprpreciation of its work.
When THE WALL came down, avalanches of freed people began to move. The separation of the two worlds, East and West, ended without a boodbath. Special thanks is therefore owded to the numerous victims of the resistance on the other side of THE WALL and to the protctive powers for their commitment to West-Berlin.
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The other side of the sign.... leaving the American sector. Not so far from here is my hotel, so it must have been on the East side of Berlin. Strange idea... so much luxery, not only my hotel, but also the shops in the neighbourhood. It doesn't seem to fit with the images I have in my head of East-Berlin.
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The small Checkpoint, there is not much to see. A small house in the middle of the street, traffic running by on both sides. Nothing is stopping them anymore. Berlin is a huge modern city now. And in the Friedrichstrasse and around "Unter den Linden" all I could see was bussiness people, luxery, expensive shops and hotels. Checkpoint Charlie is something of the past.
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From Checkpoint Charlie I walked towards "Unter den Linden", sometimes taking some sideroads. I just liked this bike which was in front of a garden store. It was filled with flowers, and plants. It made me think of spring, with the sun shining nicely outside... hahaha, of course I still have to wait quite a few months before it is spring. It is only January!
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Hahaha, I can't remember where this is, and I have no clue what it is. But it fits perfectly well in this city. It has a modern feel to it : Berlin. It is a huge city, and that is exactly how it feels to me. Old mixed with new, huge monuments, and hi-tech modern buildings. It is not my kind of city, but than again, I am not a city person. I like to be outside, and enjoy nature. There are only a few cities in the world that I really like. And besides that, my thoughts weren't really with sightseeing this day, what of course didn't help either.
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The Gendarmenmarkt is a beautiful square, and a must when you visit Berlin. Here the Deutscher Dom (German Cathedral), the Französischer Dom (French Cathedral) and the Konzerthaus create a beautiful architectural ensemble.
The square was laid out from 1688 to the plans of J.A. Nering; it was originally known as Linden Markt, then Friedrichstädtischer Markt or Neuer Markt. Because the square was used by a curassier regiment "gens d´arms," from 1736–82, complete with sentry boxes and stables, the name Gendarmenmarkt arose.
It was a cold day when I was in Berlin, and there was some ice on the pavement, so I had to watch my step. But it was beautiful standing here. I stood on the middle of the square for quite a while, turning around, looking at the beautiful building surrounding the square.
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The French Cathedral was built from 1701–05 to the designs of Cayart, as a church for Berlin's Huguenot community, thus the reason for its name. The narrow side of the rectangular main building has semicircular extension wings. From 1780–85, the imposing tower was added to plans by Gontard and Unger as part of the redesigning of Gendarmenmarkt. The cathedral, which was badly damaged in the Second World War, was rebuilt from 1977.
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From 1701–08, the German Cathedral – also known as the New Church – was built by Giovanni Simonetti to plans to M. Grünberg. From 1780–85, Carl von Gontard extended the building with the addition of the domed tower, during the redesigning of the Gendarmenmarkt. The cathedral was destroyed in the Second World War and reopened on October 2, 1996 following complete restoration.
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This is a drawing of the Gendarmentmarkt from 1840. You can see this drawing on a billboard at the Gendarmenmarkt, and also read about the history of this square.
From left to right : Deutscher Dom, Schauspielhaus, Fransozischer Dom.
The Konzerthaus is the new building designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel to replace the Nationaltheater built from 1800–02 by Karl Gotthard Langhans, which was burnt to the ground in 1817. The conception of the Konzerthaus integrates the remains of Langhan's rectangular building and adds a higher, wider, gabled solidium in the center, complete with an ionic columned hall projecting at the front. Following its destruction in the Second World War, the building was initially only made safe, and the systematic restoration of the original design only began in 1979. Since its reopening in 1984 it has served not as a theatre, but as a concert hall.
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Join a Discussion Travellng from Berlin to Prague and to Vienna and back to Berlin
(4 replies, Saturday, Aug 16, 2008, 12:04 PM UTC) SHOPPING IN BERLING ;)
(2 replies, Monday, Aug 18, 2008, 12:06 PM UTC) Good bars for 20-30s something aged people who like to dance
(3 replies, Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008, 8:10 PM UTC) Be the first to reply to these questions Net Cafe's with CD Burners
(no replies yet, Saturday, Jun 7, 2008, 11:41 AM UTC) In Berlin 13th - 17th jan, looking to meet up with other travellers......
(no replies yet, Wednesday, Jan 2, 2008, 7:08 PM UTC) Timeout Guidebooks
(no replies yet, Thursday, Jun 14, 2007, 3:37 AM UTC) » All Berlin Posts
» Ask about Berlin |
 Comments for sim1 about Berlin | | | | |
Vulindlela Mon Mar 12, 2007 20:15 UTC
Very cool page! I was only there a short time also, but saw plenty. | TheWanderingCamel Thu Feb 8, 2007 15:44 UTC
Berlin was the first place I stayed when I went to Europe in 1969. A very different city then, The Wall and Checkpoint Charlie a grim reality....and not a bear in sight! You made good use of your few hours, Simone. leyle | SpagBoll Sat Jan 6, 2007 12:57 UTC
Useful Berlin tips. Thank you. Shame about the Brandenburg gate - I'd be gutted to miss seeing it. | Luchonda Sat Sep 2, 2006 10:23 UTC
I was more lucky to see the Branderburger Tor.Berlin ist eine Reise wert. Groetjes |
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