Berlin Things to Do Tips by darkjedi

The Berlin Zoo, part of the Tiergarten dates from 1844 and is the most visited zoo in Europe with approximately 2.6 million visitors from all over the world. Visitors can either enter the zoo through the exotically designed Elephant Gate beside the aquarium on Budapester Straße or through the Lion Gate on Hardenbergplatz/

The Berlin Zoo and Aquarium are the largest of their kind in the world. They both have the largest collections of animals found anywhere in the world. The zoo has over 74 acres and around 13,000 different animal species or more. It concentrates on preserving and breeding endangered species. The most amazing part of the zoo is the Elephant Gate, which is an oriental gate with sculptures of elephants on it. The aquarium has almost 300 tanks with all different varieties of fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects.

Tip: The zoo covers a very large area and there will be lots of walking involved, but a map when you enter especially if you want to see specific animals as its like walking around in a maze.

Entrance 18 Euro for the zoo & aquarium together, 12 Euro each separately.

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Directions: Next to Zoo main railway station.

Part of the main Berlin Zoo complex but you are able to visit the aquarium alone if you wish.

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Address: Berlin Zoo, next to Zoo Station
Directions: West Tiergarten

The magnificent oriental gate with its elephant sculptures was constructed in 1899 on the initiative of the then director, Ludwig Heck, and restored in the 1980s.

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Address: Zoo

Here, in the heart of the city outside the Europa center, artists, Berliners and visitors swarm around J Schmettan’s globe fountain, known by locals as “Wasserklops” (water meatball).

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Address: Breitscheidplatz

Standing proudly on the corner of the seediest looking block in Berlin is the Beate Uhse Erotic Museum. Built above an adult toy shop! You enter from within and buy tickets at the checkout for the shop. Through some small gates and up in a lift to the top floor brings you out into a large room filled with the most amazing things. Starting on the third floor and working down (draw your own parallels), the exhibition opens with a collection of 18th Century Oriental drawings of sex scenes accompanied by sexual accessories and virility charms. I'd love to show whats available here to see but I think VT would probably delete my account. Needless to say very little is tacky and most of the things here are interesting historical items just of an erotic nature. There are three floors here with things to see and taking a good look around will pass an hour looking at items you just won't see in any other museum.Oh and browse the shop on the way out, there's some really interesting stuff here too lol.

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Address: Kantstrasse
Directions: 100m from the Keiser Wuilhelm Church
Website: http://www.erotikmuseum.de/

After the war, the building was essentially a ruin. In addition, there was no real use for it, since the capital of West Germany had been established in Bonn in 1949. However, at that time, the role of Berlin had not yet been decided upon. Only after a fierce debate, considered by many one of the most memorable sessions of parliament, the Bundestag concluded on 20 June 1991, with a quite slim majority that both government and parliament should return to Berlin from Bonn.

During the reconstruction by the British architect Sir Norman Foster, the building was first almost completely gutted, taking out everything except the outer walls. The reconstruction is widely regarded as a success. The Reichstag is now one of the most visited attractions in Berlin, not least because of the huge glass dome that was erected on the roof as a gesture to the original 1894 cupola, giving an impressive view over the city, especially at night.

I should mention that there are always queues to get inside and up to the dome at all times of day and evening. You will have to undergo a security check on entry similar to those in airports. You will be searched and your bags examined and x-rayed.

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Phone: 22 73 21 52
Address: Platz der Republik, Berlin-Tiergarten
Directions: Bus 100

With the reunification of Germany and the decision to move the capital from Bonn back to Berlin, it was also decided that the original Reichstag building be rebuilt along with a new dome that emphasized a unified Germany. British award winning architect Sir Norman Foster won a commission to design and rebuild the dome in 1993 and the building was completely gutted except for its shell with 40,000 tons of material being taken away. He originally wanted the dome to be a cylinder, after his original design of a parasol-esque building was rejected due to the unrealistic cost. The design of the dome was at first controversial, but has become accepted as one of Berlin's most important landmarks.

The dome is a large glass dome with a 360 degree view of the surrounding Berlin cityscape. The debating chamber of the Bundestag, the German parliament, can be seen down below. Two spiral ramps allow access to the top of the dome. One for ascending tourists and one for their descent. There is a restaurant at the cupola.

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Phone: 22 73 21 52
Address: Platz der Republik, Berlin-Tiergarten
Directions: Bus 100

The Brandenburg Gate was commisioned by Friedrich Wilhelm II to represent peace. The Gate was designed by Karl Gotthard Langhans, the Court Superintendent of Buildings, and the main architectural design of this landmark hasn't changed since it was first constructed in 1791. Ironically the gate was incorporated into the Berlin wall during the years of Communist government. The Brandenburg gate is probably the most well-known landmark in Berlin, it now stands as a symbol of the reunification of the two sides of this great city.

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Address: Pariser Platz, Berlin-Mitte
Directions: S-Bahn: Unter den Linden, Bus 100
Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_Gate

Pariser Platz is the area between the Brandenburg Gate and Unter den Linden. After Prussian troops marched into Berlin in 1814 it was named Paris Square to mark this triumph.

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The Berlin Wall East Side Gallery is a 1.3km-long section of the wall near the center of Berlin. Approximately 106 paintings by artists from all over the world cover this memorial for freedom and make it the largest open air gallery in the world.

Between Oberbaumbrücke (Oberbaum Bridge) and the Ostbahnhof station, along the former borderline that ended at the Spree and Mühlenstrasse, stretches a unique picture palette that marks a sign of overcoming inhumanity. After the Wall came down in 1989, hundreds of artists from all over the world gathered and transformed the eastside of the Wall that had been untouchable up to now, with their paintings.

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Address: Mühlenstrasse, Berlin-Friedrichshain
Directions: U-Bahn: Warschauer Straße
Website: http://www.eastsidegallery.com