Berlin Things to Do Tips by Gerrem

In the centre of Berlin at Potsdamer Platz, the Sony Center, a lively urban ensemble of seven buildings has been built. The site, which covers approximately 26,000 m², is in extremely interesting surroundings and has provided space for a combination of living working and entertainment since January 2000.

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Address: Potsdamer Platz
Directions: Per underground: Potsdamer Platz U 2

The Brandenburger gate was designed by Carl Gotthard. It was constructed between 1778 and 1791. The decorations, including bas scenes depicting Greek mythology took another 4 years to complete. The quadriga of victory crowning the gate was built in 1793 by Johann Gottfried Schadow. Originally it was a symbol of peace. During Berlin's occupation by France, in 1806 Napoleon ordered the quadriga to be taken to Paris. After the Battle of Waterloo, the quadriga was triumphantly taken back to Berlin, and it was turned into a symbol of victory.

Situated at the end of Unter den Linden, the 60m tall gate was part of a wall surrounding the city and was the main entrance to the city. It is the only gate that remains of this former city wall.

After the construction of the 1961 Berlin Wall which was built right next to the Brandenburger Tor, the Pariser Platz, on the East-Berlin side, became completely desolate. The gate symbolized Germany's division. With the fall of the wall in 1989, people flocked to the reopened Brandenburger Gate to celebrate

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Address: Pariser Platz, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: S-Bahn: Unter den Linden, Bus 100

Nikolaiviertel or St. Nicholas Quarter is a small district in the historic center, part of Mitte and close to the Alexanderplatz. Its narrow streets are a favorite place for strolling, especially for tourists. The area, which borders the Spree river contained some of the oldest buildings in Berlin before it was turned into wasteland at the end of the second world war.

It wasn't until 1979, in the run-up to the 750th anniver-sary of the city, before reconstruction of the area started. During the 8-year project, replicas of historic buildings were constructed in an attempt to recreate a historic quarter. The result is a nice tourist-attracting area with many restaurants, cafés and shops.

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Address: Nikolaikirchplatz, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: U-Bahn: Alexanderplatz

At the border of the Nikolaiviertel is the Rotes Rathaus or Red Town Hall, named so for the red brick walls.
The High-Renaissance style building was designed by Hermann Friedrich Waesemann and constructed between 1861 and 1869. Severely damaged by the war, the Rathaus was reconstructed between 1951 and 1958. The Berlin Rathaus as it is officially named is the home of the Berlin Mayor (at this time Klaus Wowereit)

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Address: Rathausstraße, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: U-Bahn: Alexanderplatz

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Alexanderplatz was one of the busiest squares in the city. Originally it was called the Ochsenmarkt or oxen market, but after a visit by Tzar Alexander I it was renamed to Alexanderplatz. The locals simply call this large square 'Alex'.
Most of the buildings on the square were destroyed by bombing during the second world war. As the center of East-Berlin, the square was used as a showcase of socialist architecture. This resulted in some plain bulky buildings and a huge television tower.

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Address: Alexanderplatz, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: U-Bahn: Alexanderplatz

The TV tower, known as the Fernsehturm or the Tele-spargel (toothpick) is one of the largest structures in Europe. The total length to the top of the spire is 365m or 1197 ft. It was built in 1969 by a team of architects with the help of Swedish experts. It contains a concrete shaft, a steel-cladded metal sphere and a TV antenna. The sphere contains a revolving restaurant (Telecafé) at 207m and a viewing platform at a height of 203m.
In 1969 two more monuments were added to the square, the Weltzeituhr (World Time Clock) by Erich John and the Fountain of International Friendship.

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Phone: 242 33 33
Address: Alexanderplatz, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: U-Bahn: Alexanderplatz

The Charlottenburg palace is the largest palace in Berlin. It was built in several stages. The original, central part was constructed between 1695 and 1699. It was intended as the summer home for Sophie Charlotte, Elector Frederick III's wife.
The palace was expanded after Frederick became the first Prussian King, Friedrich I.
The Swedish master Johann Eosander von Göthe supervised the expansion, which in-cluded the addition of the copula and the construction of the orangery wing.
The east wing was added between 1740 and 1746 by Frederick the Great (King Friedrich II).
Severely damaged by allied bombing in 1943, the palace was meticulously reconstructed after the war. The splendid interiors like the Eichengallerie, a 1713 gallery lined with oil paintings and the Porzellan-kabinett, with a fine display of Chinese and Japanese porcelain are remarkably well restored. Also noteworthy are the Schlosskapelle - the palace's small chapel, the Weisser Saal, the rococo style Goldene Galerie and the Galerie der Romantik, with a collection of works of German Romantics.

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Phone: 320 91-1
Address: Luisenplatz 1, Berlin-Charlottenburg
Directions: Bus X9, 109, 145, 210

The Berliner Dom or Berlin Cathedral was built in 1905. It is located on the historic 'Museum Island' in the river Spree.The first church built on the site of the current Cathedral was a 1465 church. The building, which later served as the court church for the Hohenzollern family was replaced by a cathedral, built between 1745 and 1747 in a Baroque design from Johann Boumann. It was reconstructed into a classicist building from 1816 to 1822 following a design by the Berlin architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel. On Emperor Willem II's order, this domed building was demolished in 1894 and replaced by the current Cathedral. Much larger than any of the previous buildings, it was a Protestant counterweight to the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The baroque building with Italian Renaissance influences was designed by Julius Raschdorff. Construction of the 114m long and 73m wide Cathedral took place between 1894 and 1905.During the Second World War, the building was hit by a fire bomb which severely damaged much of the Cathedral. A temporary roof was installed to protect what remained of the nterior and in 1975 reconstruction of the church started.The restoration of the interior begun in 1984 and in 1993 the church reopened. During reconstruction, the original design was modified into a more simplified form. The Dom can be visited daily. Some interesting items in the richly decorated interior of the church are the magnificent Sauer's Organ, the 1530 Elector's tomb, the neo-baroque pulpit and the stained glasses designed by Anton von Werner. The main altar, which was saved from the previous cathedral dates from 1850.

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Phone: 202 69 -0
Address: Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt
Website: http://www.berliner-dom.de

The Brandenburger gate was designed by Carl Gotthard. It was constructed between 1778 and 1791. The decorations, including bas scenes depicting Greek mythology took another 4 years to complete. The quadriga of victory crowning the gate was built in 1793 by Johann Gottfried Schadow. Originally it was a symbol of peace. During Berlin's occupation by France, in 1806 Napoleon ordered the quadriga to be taken to Paris. After the Battle of Waterloo, the quadriga was triumphantly taken back to Berlin, and it was turned into a symbol of victory. Situated at the end of Unter den Linden, the 60m tall gate was part of a wall surrounding the city and was the main entrance to the city. It is the only gate that remains of this former city wall. After the construction of the 1961 Berlin Wall which was built right next to the Brandenburger Tor, the Pariser Platz, on the East-Berlin side, became completely desolate. The gate symbolized Germany's division. With the fall of the wall in 1989, people flocked to the reopened Brandenburger Gate to celebrate.

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Address: Pariser Platz, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: S-Bahn: Unter den Linden, Bus 100

The harmonious Gendarmenmarkt is known as one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. It was created at the end of the 17th century as a market place, the Linden Markt. The current name is derived from the Regiment Gens d'Armes who had their stables here from 1736 to 1773. From 1777, the square was redeveloped after plans by Georg Christian Unger. It is now a quiet place surrounded by three landmark buildings, the Französischer Dom, Deutscher Dom and the Konzerthaus. In the center of the square is a statue of Friedrich Schiller, a famous German poet.

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Address: Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: U-Bahn: Stadtmitte