Berlin Tales

1. Berlin for first timers

Berlin, the capital of Germany has a bit of everything for all kinds of visitors. You will surely find some history, art and culture, and of course delicious food at almost every corner of Berlin. I was always intrigued by Berlin and finally had the chance to be there this year and it did not disappoint me!!

Located in north-eastern Germany along the river Spree, Berlin exudes a unique character possibly since it was the center of significant changes in German history over time, especially in the 20th century.

2. Berlin Attractions

Berlin has a lot of tourist attractions, and it is difficult to cover everything in one visit. I am listing here some of my favourites and of course the must dos that will help you to plan your itinerary.

2.a Brandenburg Tor

Any visit to Berlin is incomplete without visiting this famous landmark in the heart of the city. It was built by Prussian King Frederick William II between 1788 and 1791 and served as the main entry point to the city of Berlin. The statue at the top of the gate known as Quadriga depicts Victoria, the goddess of victory driving a chariot pulled by four horses.

It was severely damaged during bombings of World War II and was later reconstructed. Brandenburg Gate also has a symbolic importance obtained during the division of Berlin in 1961. It was in a restricted area during this time and could not be visited by either people from East or West Berlin. After the fall of Berlin wall in 1989, it became a symbol of reunified and free Berlin. The gate faces the beautiful city square Pariser Platz which hosts multiple embassies and other elegant buildings all around.

2.b Flak Towers

These fortress-like towers were built during World War II by Nazi Germany in 1940 with the purpose of protecting the capital against air attack. The Flak towers were constructed above ground level and equipped with anti-aircraft guns to defend the city from Allied air raids. Such structures were built in Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna. They also served as bunkers providing shelter to local civilians during the war.

Out of the three Flak towers in Berlin, only one remains today in partially destroyed form in the Humboldthain park in Gesundbrunnen area of north Berlin. The other two have been demolished after the war -which apparently was a quite difficult process given the thick concrete structure of the towers. Today, you can visit the interior of the Humboldthain Flak Tower on an interesting historical tour provided by Berliner Unterwelten E.V. They show you three of the seven floors of this tower and share lot of interesting insights related to the towers and in general the war situation of that time. I highly recommend this tour for all history lovers.

Unfortunately, we are not allowed to take any pictures inside the towers, so all that I have are pictures taken outside the tower.

2.c Berlin Reichstag

The current structure of the German parliament was constructed post reunification in 1990 and completed in 1999 with a glass dome at the top of the building making it a very interesting work of architecture. The dome gives a 360-degree view of the entire city, and the main parliament hall can also be seen below through the glass. This building is in the same location as the initial parliament of Nazi Germany which was severely damaged in 1933 by the infamous Reichstag fire.

By the way, remember to book a slot in advance if you want to enter the Reichstag. Infact you can also chosse to have lunch at their rooftop restaurant with a prior reservation.

2.d Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall, as we all know, acted as a barrier between East and West Berlin during the period of Cold War. The purpose was to prevent people of East Berlin (then controlled by Soviet) from escaping to West Berlin (under Western Allies). The Wall was constructed in 1961 by German Democratic Republic (GDR) and finally after a series of revolutions it was finally demolished in 1989-1990. The longest section of the Wall that remains today is the East side Gallery in Mühlenstraße which is an open-air gallery close to the river Spree. Here, you can see the murals painted by artists from different countries as a symbol of peace and positivity. The most famous amongst these artworks are the ‘Fraternal Kiss’ (representing the kiss between Brezhnev and Honecker in 1979) painted in 1990 by Dmitri Vrubel and the picture of a Trabant (popular car of GDR times) breaking through the Berlin Wall painted by Birgit Kinder.

2.e CheckPoint Charlie

It was a well-known crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. The checkpoint booth was removed on 22 June 1990, about half a year after the wall opened in November 1989. There is an open air exhibition near Checkpoint Charlie where you can find lots of interesting information and facts about the Cold War.

2.f Other key attractions

The list of attractions in Berlin is never ending- some other places that you must visit are the Holocaust Memorial, Berliner Dom, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis Kirche and Museum Island. You can skip the Berlin TV tower if you already go to the top of Berliner Dom from where you can view the entire city.

3. Do not miss!!

• Buy some cool souvenirs to cherish your Berlin memories and ofcourse gift to you dear and loved ones! Souvenir shops are present all around the tourist attractions.

• Did you know that the traffic signals in eastern part of Berlin are still different from the west?!! Keep an eye on the signals and you will be able to tell the difference very clearly!!

• A tour of Berlin is incomplete without trying authentic German cuisine. Don’t forget to try the famous Currywurst, Berlin meatballs and the Berliner Weisse.

4. Auf Wiedersehen

And that"s a wrap on my first visit to Berlin- a really fulfilling one indeed! . Hope you enjoyed the post and are making your plans already. Keep travelling and exploring the world!!- Auf Wiedersehen!!