Berlin

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Quick Facts

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Population

3.415.742

Coordinates

• Latitude: 52.52348
• Longitude: 13.411494

On Travellerspoint

• 41 Berlin Apartments
• 23 Berlin Guesthouses
• 73 Berlin Hostels
• 67 Berlin Hotels

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Introduction

Reichstag Dome

© All Rights Reserved jennrob

Berlin, the capital city of the Federal Republic of Germany, was first mentioned in the 13th century. It has been the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich, but was divided after World War II. East Berlin became the capital of the German Democratic Republic while West Berlin remained a part West Germany surrounded by the Berlin Wall. This lasted from 1961 until 9 november 1989, when the Berlin wall came down, and the communist regime was ousted. A year later Germany was reunited and Berlin became once again the nation’s capital.

Apart from being the capital city, Berlin is one of the sixteen states of Germany. It is the largest city (population 3.4 million within city limits) in the country. Metropolitan Berlin, with a population of 4.9 million inhabitants, is the fifth largest in the European Union.

Architecture (both modern and historical), world-renowned museums (the city is home to 153 museums), nightlife and festivals have made Berlin a major attraction for about 5.1 million people every year. Since 2005, Berlin is on the UNESCO’s list of Cities of Design.

Neighbourhoods

Reichstag

© All Rights Reserved dworgan

• Charlottenburg - Wilmersdorf
• Friedrichshain - Kreuzberg
• Lichtenberg
• Marzahn-Hellersdorf
• Mitte
• Neukölln
• Pankow
• Reinickendorf
• Spandau
• Steglitz_Zehlendorf
• Tempelhof-Schöneberg
• Treptow-Köpenick

Sights and Activities

The Wall

The Berlin Wall was for nearly 40 years the symbol of Berlin and the cold war. Built in 1961 to stop the outflow of East-Germans and torn down 1989 it seperated families and friends and left a big scar in Berlin's history. There is not a lot left of the original wall, although you can find some small remains. The best chance to see something of the wall is to dive into one of the many souvenir shops, although critics will tell you that the entire wall must have been sold several times by now. The line where the wall once stood is marked by a double row of cobblestones. Some original pieces can be seen at the Potzdammerplatz, and near trainstation Friedrichshain.

Reichtag

Reichstag: Looking down on the main hall of the parliament

© All Rights Reserved Sander

The Reichtag is the German parliament. It was build in the last part of the 19th century, and opened in 1894. Before and during the second World War the building was badly damaged. First in 1933 by Marinus van der Lubbe, who set the building on fire, and after that by several air raids during the battle of Berlin in 1945. After that it took years before the building got renovated, and was opened again for the public. After the reunification of Germany the building again underwent a major renovation. This time a huge glass dome was added to the building and reopened in 1999. The Reichstag and the dome can be visited but waiting times can be long.

Fernsehturm & Alexanderplatz

The most visible of the sights is the 368 meters high Fernsehturm (television tower) on the Alexanderplatz. It was constructed between 1965 and 1969 and is visible from most places in Berlin-City, making it a good referencepoint when wandering around in Berlin. In the sphere there is a visitor's platform at 204 meters above the ground, and above the platform there is a rotating restaurant, that makes the 360 degrees in 30 minutes. Lifts will take you to the visitor's platform in 40 seconds.

The Alexanderplatz is maybe the most well known square in Berlin, and as a name made more famous in the Fassbinder film Berlin, Alexanderplatz. Around the Alexanderplatz, you can find the Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall), the little Marienkirche and close to it the Weltzeituhr (World time clock). Besides being one of the most famous squares it is also an important hub for people taking the U-bahn.

Brandenburger Tor

Not for from the Reichstag lies one the landmarks of Berlin. The Brandenburger Tor is a former gateway into Berlin situated at the beginning of the major shopping street Unter den Linden. On top of the gate is a statue of a chariot drawn by 4 horses called the Quidriga. For many years it was the symbol of the division of Germany as it stood right behing the Wall, and on the eastside a smaller wall also prevented East-Germans to reach the gate. During this time the Quidriga had been facing towards the East. After the reunification it was turned back into it's original position.

When you visit Germany you are likely to have some Brandenburger Gates in your pockets, as it is features on the 10, 20 and 50 eurocent coins that are pressed in Germany.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

The Jewish Memorial

© All Rights Reserved StephenJen

About 2700 black stones all with the same outline, but varying in height from 0,2 to 4,8 meters make up the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which is situated near to the Brandenburger Tor. It was not the first memorial to be erected as a memorial for the holocaust. An earlier project which was to be a huge sloping surface, with all the known names of holocaust victims, was vetoed by then Chancellor Helmut Kohl. Instead the memorial that we know now was erected and opened in 2005. Under the ground there is a museum located at the sight of the memorial.

Berliner Dom

The Berliner Dom is not as old as it looks. It only dates back to 1905. Nevertheless it's an impressive building, which had earned the nickname "the Protestant St. Peter", as it was considered the protestant asnwer to St. Peters Basilique in Rome. During the war it was severly damaged, and renovations did not start until 1975 and lasted until 1993.

Gedächtniskirche

Berlin - Gedächtniskirche

© All Rights Reserved sabrinakam

Officially called the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche was build by Emperor Wilhelm II in the 1890's, in honour of his grandfather Kaiser Wilhelm I. In 1943 the Church was damaged, and a big part of the tower came down. At present only the damaged spire remains. Next to the church a new church was built.

Museums

• The Pergamon Museum has an antiquity collection consisting of pieces coming from Greece and the Middle East. It has three main pieces on display: The Pergamon Altar, The Gateway of Miletus, and the Gate of Ishtus. It also houses the museum of Islamic Arts.
• The Neues Museum is being renovated at the moment, when this will be finish (late 2009), the Collection of Egyptian Antiquities will return to the museum
• The Altes Museum holds the Collection of Classical Antiquities, and until renovations of the Neues Museum is completed also the collection of Egyptian Antiquities
• The Bode Museum houses the sculptures from their own collection, and from the former museum of Byzantine Art, the Numismatic Collection (coins) and works of the Gemäldegalerie (paintings).
• The Jewish Museum shows 2000 years of relationships between Germany and the Jews, with of course a lot of emphasis on the darkest pages of German history, the holocaust.

Venues

• The Kulturbrauerei (Schönhauser Allee 36, Prenzlauer Berg) is not only a venue for all kinds of music, but it also is home to a lot of bars, restaurants and a cinema. It´s build inside an old courtyard of a brewery.

Cinema

• Kino in der Kulturbrauerei art-house films and selected Hollywood-movies at Schönhauser Allee 36.

Lesbian & Gay Berlin

Berlin is one of Europe's queerest cities. Whether you're visiting for business or cruising, Berlin is full of colourful venues for queer culture or just some delicious Kaffee & Kuchen for you to enjoy!

Museums

• Schwules Museum is a must for any queer visitors to Berlin. Rotating and permanent exhibits, an archive and library, as well as frequent events and lectures make the museum an interesting destination any day. Its location at Mehringdamm 61, near the Mehringdamm U-Bahn station is convenient also for visiting a number of fabulous vintage shops and queer-friendly cafés.
• Das Verborgene Museum features female artists, with rotating exhibits and a permanent collection. The museum aims to provide a forum where the work and life stories of women artists can be shared and appreciated. Schlüterstr. 70, near the U-2 stop Ernst-Reuter-Platz.

Archives

• Das Feministische Institute, part of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung houses an archive as well as various conferences and events throughout the year. Rosenthalerstr. 40/41, Hackescher Markt.
• Spinnboden Lesbian Archive offers print references, personal advice, exhibits, and more! Make sure to check the archive's hours before you head out, because they're only open a few hours a week. Anklamerstr. 38, near the U-* stop Bernauerstraße.

Films

• MonGay Films are screened weekly at Karl-Marx-Allee 33.
• Xenon Kino screens a variety of queer and queer-related films at Kolonenstr. 5-6.

Venues

• Salon Schmuck is a primarily lesbian café & venue, with yummy food and a cozy atmosphere. Check out their funky seating & interesting clientele, and bring along your laptop, because this is one German café with "W-LAN" (wi-fi, wireless internet access). Skalitzerstr. 80, practically under the Schlisisches Tor U-Bahn stop.
• WirrWarr (or wiRwaR), hidden behind a "Privé" sign on the inconspicuous entrance in a back courtyard, is well worth seeking out. This gallery and event space is a café by day and club by night, with events ranging from life-drawing classes to film festivals in the evening. Join the hip, mainly lesbian crowd, for a reasonably-priced drink in this funky venue.

Cafés
Two cheap student-run, low-service cafés with a queer-friendly, artsy atmosphere are:

• Dürers Mudda/Bei Monis at Kosestr. 20, first floor, near the Podbielskiallee U-Bahn stop.
• Geromat at Habelschwerdter Allee 45, between the Thielplatz and Dahlemdorf U-Bahn stations. Geromat also boasts a special family event on Wednesdays after 2pm.

• Bookstore & Gelateria combo Ana Koluth & Zeezicht at Schönhauserallee 124, near the U-2 station of that street's name, is a perfect destination for lesbians (and others) on a lazy afternoon.
• Begine Café is perhaps more accurately labelled as a cultural centre. This women's café at Potsdamerstr. 139 near the Bülowstr. stop of the U-2 is only open in the evenings, and hosts frequent events.
• Café Berio is an elegant café by day, lounge by night, and hopping brunch locale on the weekends. With a colourful crowd of mostly gay men, and rotating exhibits on the walls, Café Berio is a staple of the Nollendorfplatz neighbourhood – where you can also find a selection of interesting clothing stores, restaurants and various cultural venues. Maaßenstr. 7, near the Nollendorfplatz station of the U-1, 2, 3, & 4.
• Café Himmelreich at Simon-Dachstr. 36 near the Warschauerstr. S-Bahn station is a lovely little neighborhood café.
• Café Morgenrot is a Berlin landmark, famous for their alternative crowd, delicious vegetarian brunch buffets on the weekend after 11am, and pay-what-you-want policy. In the evenings this café is a hot place for cocktails (virgin and not). Café Morgenrot is worth the trip to Kastanienallee 85 near the U-2 Eberswalderstr. stop.
• Hotel Sarotti-Höffe's café is more visibly queer-friendly by its rainbow flag in the window than by the clientèle. But this café at Mehringdamm 59 boasts decadent cakes, strong wi-fi (ask for the code when you order), and an incredible Orientalist fresco of the Sarotti slave.
• Marietta at Storgarderstr. 13 near the Schönhauserallee U-bahn station of the U-2 is a charming neighborhood café and lounge locale.
• Melitta Sundström, right next to the Schwules Museum at Mehringdamm 61, is a café/bookstore with heart.
• Windows Café's namesake architectural feature lends itself to a perfect past-time for this neighborhood: watching passersby. Take the U-4 to Viktor-Luise-Platz, and the café is at Martin-Lutherstr. 22.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Berlin has a moderate continental climate with generally warm summers from June to September, around 24 degrees during the day, and sometimes rising to over 35 degrees. Nights are pleasant, around 15 degrees. In winter, from December to February, daily maximum temperatures are a few degrees above zero and nights a few degrees below. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, but summers tend to be a bit wetter with occasionally very heavy showers and thunderstorms. There is about 50 mm of rain (some snow in winter) on about 10 to 15 days each month.

Getting There

By Plane

Berlin Schönefeld and Berlin Tegel Airport are the two main airport that serve Berlin.
There are numerous airlines flying to destinations in Europe and beyond, as well as serving many domestic destinations. Airlines include Lufthansa, German Wings, Air Berlin and Condor as well as major international airlines like Air France-KLM and budget airlines like Ryanair and http://www.easyjet.com/Easyjet.

By Train

State-owned Deutsche Bahn (DB) has numerous train connections throughout the country and to other European countries. Berlin is a major city on the west-east line from London to Moscow.

By Car

By Bus

Eurolines connects to several German cities, including Berlin. The stop is a the central omnibus station (ZOB) near the Television Tower. Reservations can be made in Berlin at the Mannheimerstrasse 33/34 - tel: 030.86.09.60 / 0180.15.46.436 or by internet

Getting Around

By Car

As in most of the big cities of the world the parking areas are rare and not cheap. But it's possible to drive through Berlin by car.

By Public Transport

metro berlin

© All Rights Reserved gom

The underground, or as it's know in Berlin the U-Bahn is a good way to get around, especially as it is combined with the S-bahn. The only shame is that the airport of Tegel is not connected to the U-bahn, but you need to take a bus from the airport. Luckily there are enough and there are enough place where you can get off the bus, and change to the U-Bahn. (If you need to be in the eastern part of town, the stop at Osloerstrasse is a good point to make the change from the bus (no. 128) to the underground.)

If you don't have many time but want to see a lot of sights the best way is to take the Bus 100 and/or the Bus 200.
Bus 100 starts/ends at the Alexanderplatz and ends/starts at Zoologischer Garten (Zoo). The route passes a lot of sights (Berliner Dom, Lustgarten, Brandenburger Tor, Regierungsviertel with Reichstag, Siegessäule etc.). If any sights seems to be interesting to you, you can push one of the red 'STOP'-buttons and exit the bus to take a closer look at the sight. 10 minutes later the next Bus 100 will come to pick you up.

By Foot

It is possible to get around by foot, but know that sights can be far apart, of course depending what sights you want to visit.

If you like to feel the spirit of Berlin you have to walk a bit. favourites routes include:
1. S-Bahn station 'Hackischer Markt' to U-Bahn station 'Weinmeisterstraße' (takes about 20 minutes (no stops included)).
2. exit S-Bahn station 'Hackischer Markt' and walk along the Oranienburgerstraße.
3. start at 'Alexanderplatz' and walk the whole way to 'Brandenburger Tor' (--> 'Unter den Linden') (takes min. 1 hour).

By Bike

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