Berlin: Overview

Cutting-edge Berlin is a feast of history, theatre and music.

Berlin had modest beginnings as a trading centre in the 13th century, growing into a European powerhouse that hogged the 20th century stage. Since reunification in 1990, it has evolved into a dynamic, sexy and creative city where a surprising lightheartedness lurks beneath an austere exterior.  Berlin is the heart of modern Germany, with a stoic beat that echoes through grand public buildings, glorious museums and theatres, urbane restaurants, bustling pubs and raucous nightclubs. It's a city that thrives on change and that has made a virtue out of reinventing itself.

The city sits in the middle of the region known from medieval times as the Mark of Brandenburg, now the Bundesland (federal state) of Brandenburg. The city spills north and south of the Spree River, which winds through some of the magnificent parkland that comprises a third of the municipal area. In 2001, Berlin's previous 23 administrative districts were reduced to 12 in an effort to curb bureaucracy. There is little impact on visitors, however, as the old district names continue to be used.

Berlin is divided into 12 administrative districts. The historic heart is the Mitte district, which is where most of the must-see sights are located. Among them is the majestic Fernsehturm (TV Tower), a useful orientation point visible from most of central Berlin. It's right on Alexanderplatz, once the heart of socialist East Germany. West of here, Unter der Linden, the fashionable avenue of aristocratic old Berlin, extends all the way to the Brandenburg Gate. It passes by the Museumsinsel, an island in the Spree River, where you'll find most of Berlin's finest museums. The city's birthplace is just south of here, near the Nikolaiviertel, a rebuilt historical quarter. West of the Brandenburg Gate, the boulevard continues as Strasse des 17 Juni through the Tiergarten, a huge landscaped park. You may remember the Victory Column at its centre from the Wim Wender's film Wings of Desire .

North of the Brandenburg Gate is the newly built federal government quarter anchored by the Reichstag, while south of the gate is Potsdamer Platz, Berlin's newest quarter and entertainment hub. There's good shopping here and also along the Kurfürstendamm (Ku'damm, for short) in the district of Charlottenburg, west of the Tiergarten.
The most sizzling nightlife zones are in neighbourhoods just outside the centre, most importantly bohemian Prenzlauer Berg, grungy Kreuzberg and student-oriented Friedichshain.
The city is a veritable motherlode for lovers of art, architecture and artefacts. Its great clusters of museums will keep the most dedicated culture addict happy. The layers of the city's history, from imperial fancy to war and violent division, exist in fascinating proximity to its dynamic present.

Berlin Tourist Attractions

Brandenburger Tor
The ultimate symbol of Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate has stood as gateway to the city since 1791. Historically, passing through the gate would lead you to the homes of royalty. In more recent years, it has been surrounded by the Berlin Wall, the only break between East and West. Today it has been returned to its former glory of being the symbol of freedom and unity. This triumphal arch is engrained in the history of the city.

Berlin Wall
What was once the separation of East from West a division of families, friends and a reminder of a terrible past, the Berlin Wall has risen above all this to become the largest open air galley in the world. After the wall was knocked down in 1989, graffiti artists began leaving their mark on the once sombre Eastern side of the wall. Stretching 1,316 meters in length, comprised of 118 artists from 21 countries, tourists are given the chance to celebrate Germanys future instead of only coming to catch a glimpse of the past.

Reichstag
The historic seat of parliament, the Reichstag laid in ruins from 1933 when it was destroyed by arson until after reunification in 1990 when the German government voted to save the majestic building. Today it is one of the must-see attractions in Berlin where tourists enjoy a long winding walk to the top of the circular dome for striking views of the city below.

Checkpoint Charlie
A former checkpoint along the Berlin Wall that separated the city of Berlin during the Cold War, Checkpoint Charlie is now a symbol from a long ago age. A short distance from the remaining brick structure there is also the Checkpoint Charlie museum.

Ka De We
This is the largest department store in all of continental Europe. The combination of size, number of articles and convenient location in the heart of the city has made this a fun place for tourists to explore. The delicatessen has a huge assortment of traditional foods for you to sample on the bottom floor.
 
Berliner Dom
The Berlin Cathedral is a magnificent basilica built in 1905 standing on the site of many previous structures. On this spot there has been a church since 1465, having been redesigned, remodelled and destroyed several times throughout its long history. Today visitors come to marvel at the intricately decorated dome full of mosaics, historic photos and models. Also, in the crypts of the old church there lay more than 80 sarcophagi of Prussian royals.

Museum Island
Not surprisingly, Museum Island is a series of world renowned museums that are all located on the Northern end of a small island in the middle of Berlin. The museums are celebrated both for their architectural merit as well as the collections they house. A virtual tour through the civilizations of the ages and the art work they all created. This is not to be missed.

Tiergarten Park
The largest park in Berlin, this is also the world’s largest inner-city park; A refuge for Berliners and tourists alike. This is also the site of the annual Love Parade.

Charlottenburg Palace
The largest remaining palace in Berlin, Chorlottenburg was given its name to commemorate the memory of the wife of Fredrick III, Sophie Charlotte. Built in 1699, today the palace acts as a museum as well as a visually stunning tourist attraction. There are also the adjacent royal baroque gardens, which act as a local, neighbourhood park for the locals.

Unter den Linden
The most famous street in Berlin, this is the heart of the historic section of the city dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. It is named for its linden or lime trees, which line the grassed pedestrian mall between the two carriageways. The trees were planted to grant Friedrich III a more visually appealing trip between his castle, through the Brandenburg Gate to his hunting grounds in Tiergarten.

Article taken from www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/germany/berlin