2. 2
3
CONTENTS BE IN THE KNOW
Introduction (4-5)
BE IN THE CITY
A Short History of Berlin (6-9)
BE PREPARED
Survival Guide (10-13)
BE ON TIME
Public Transport (14-17)
BE HUNGRY
Bars and Restaurants (74-101)
BE AMAZED
Sights (18-29)
BE ON THE MOVE
Streets and Tours (30-39)
BE CULTURAL
Museums and Art Galleries (40-73)
BE THIRSTY
Bars and Pubs (102-115)
BE OUTDOORSY
Parks and Castles (116-129)
BE ENTERTAINED
Entertainment in Berlin (130-145)
BE RESTED
Accommodation (146-151)
3. 4
5
BEINTHEKNOW
Berlin is a city with buzz. A day here will
see you experiencing ultra-contempo-
rary creative cafés, vibrant flea markets,
and world-renowned museums.
Along the way you’ll meet Berlin’s cul-
turally diverse population - a truly mem-
orable mix of people. Street vendors in
Turkish markets; independent café own-
ers keen to share an anecdote or two;
playful street musicians who soundtrack
a riverside beer break - Berlin has it all.
Accompanying this eclectic variety of
sights, the city has a rich and climactic
history that adds an intriguing, and of-
tentimes humbling, facet to everything
AN INTRODUCTION
you experience here. In this guide we
hope to lead you to the best places
in the city, while remaining under your
carefully planned budget.
Our team has spent a month explor-
ing Berlin’s diverse streets from East to
West; compiling, researching, and dis-
covering the places we think you should
(or shouldn’t) make time for while stay-
ing here. We’ve covered everything
from parks to partying, monuments to
mouth-watering meals, so you can ex-
perience the city’s unique buzz for your-
self.
So go on
BE in Berlin.
By Abigail LISTER
5. 8
9
Turn on the spot by the Brandenburg
Gate. In front of you are symbols of
Napoleon’s wars, Prussian might, Nazi
atrocities, a divided Cold War city and
modern cultural vitality. Berlin’s land-
scape is the product of its history; its
landmarks the venue of defining world
events.
A royal city since late medieval times,
Berlin rose to global significance on the
back of a modernising Prussian state,
the cornerstone of a unified German
Empire from 1871. A thriving cultural
centre in the 1920s, Berlin grew rapidly.
But then everything changed. A fire at
the Reichstag, conveniently started by
a Dutch Communist, gave Hitler - ap-
pointed Chancellor in 1933 - an excuse
to seize sweeping powers. The arrival of
war in 1939 postponed his monumen-
tal plans for Berlin, including a domed
palace and vast public boulevards.
Ransacked Jewish houses and a near-
by concentration camp were more ac-
curate monuments to Nazi dictatorship,
however. Trapped between the advanc-
ing western Allies and a vindictive So-
viet army, Berlin fell to ruins in 1945.
The women of Berlin, of whom perhaps
a hundred thousand were rape victims,
made heroic efforts to clear the rubble.
Unable to agree on Germany’s fate, the
Allies broke it up. That left West Berlin,
tethered to life during a Soviet blockade
by an Anglo-American airlift, in a curi-
ous position. Lying deep within Com-
munist East Germany (from 1949 the
German Democratic Republic, or GDR),
West Berlin belonged nonetheless to
capitalist West Germany (the Federal
Republic). Stagnant living standards in
the GDR, allied to envy of the West and
its ‘economic miracle’, prompted an up-
rising in East Berlin in 1953. Thwarted
by Soviet tanks, many East Germans
found emigration via West Berlin more
rewarding. By 1961, millions of skilled
workers, essential to the GDR’s planned
economy, had abandoned the East.
So the GDR closed the border and built
a wall around West Berlin. As US tanks
faced Soviet counterparts at Check-
point Charlie, Berliners prepared for
oblivion, but both sides pulled back.
Over 28 years, more than a hundred
East Germans were killed as they tried
to flee for West Berlin, cast by John
F. Kennedy as a beacon of freedom.
West. One of them, 32-year-old Win-
fried Freudenberg, died in March 1989,
when his improvised hot-air balloon
fell to earth. The Wall was opened just
eight months later, a poignant reminder
that the end of the Cold War was by no
means expected. Indeed, even as rev-
olution tore Communism to shreds in
Eastern Europe, the Wall’s demise came
almost by accident, the result of a surge
of East Berliners and a blundering GDR
hierarchy.
A generation later, the debris of the
Cold War is everywhere. But many in-
habitants of this young, diverse city had
little to do with it. Berlin has gained a
new reputation, as an affordable and
exciting home for Europe’s creative
population. Spaces left derelict by the
Cold War, most obviously Potsdamer
Platz, have been transformed into cul-
tural landmarks. Though wearing the
scars of the twentieth century, Berlin
now belongs to the twenty-first.
By Tim STICKINGS
A
SHORT HISTORY
OF
BERLIN
6. 10
11
Berlin’s transport system is clean, effi-
cient and used by the majority of the
population. Trams, underground and
overground trains (U- and S-Bahns), and
buses are all readily available through-
out the city and are the cheapest and
easiest way of getting around. Taxis are
another, much more expensive, option
– but armed with a map of the transport
systems (available in most stations) and
a general knowledge of where you want
to be, shelling out for private transport
can be avoided without much stress.
Berlin is also incredibly accessible by
bike, and countless Berliners use theirs
every day. It’s almost a given that you’ll
have a close encounter with someone
whizzing down one of the well-dis-
guised bike lanes at least once. Bikes
can be hired from independent stands
all around the city for around €10 per
day, and are a great way of exploring.
Despite its size, walking around in Ber-
lin is also highly recommended – the
streets are jam-packed with hidden
gems, whether they be shops, restau-
rants, cafés or sights. It is incredibly
easy to wander for hours and never get
bored – and to hop on a nearby tram,
bus or train to get back to where you
started.
GETTING AROUND:
Essential
German
Phrases:
Sprechen
Sie
Deutsch?
Please Bitte
BE PREPARED
A SURVIVAL
GUIDE
Berlin is a huge and bustling metropolis
that is divided into twelve distinct bor-
oughs: Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf,
Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Lichtenberg,
Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Mitte, Neukölln,
Pankow, Reinickendorf, Spandau, Steg-
litz-Zehlendorf, Tempelhof-Schöneberg
and Treptow-Köpenick. Each borough
has its own unique character and every
one is worth visiting if time is on your
side – especially since, because of its
long-term division between west and
east, Berlin does not have a typical city
centre area. Instead, the east and west
BOROUGHS:
both have their own central locations
where action is focused: Alexanderplatz
in the east, and Breitscheidplatz in the
west. A sprawling inner-city park, Tier-
garten, lies between the two.
Hello
Hallo
7. 12
13
Supermarkets: Berlin has a few super-
markets that will already be familiar to
many visitors: namely Lidl, Aldi and
Netto. Kaiser’s is a similar chain selling a
good selection of groceries, and many
are open 24 hours.
Medical: To get any form of minor med-
ical necessities, you’ll need to head to
the nearest Apotheke, identifiable by
its logo of a red A upon a white back-
ground. You’ll probably have to ex-
plain to the pharmacist exactly what
you need and why, but apart from this
the process isn’t tricky. Note that even
everyday items such as simple painkill-
ers are not available anywhere apart
from at Apothekes – however, they are
prolific and shouldn’t be difficult to lo-
cate, no matter where you are.
Toiletries: The biggest range of toilet-
ries are available at both Rossman and
Schlecker stores – these large chain
stores also carry a small range of gro-
ceries if you’re in a pinch.
WiFi: If your accommodation doesn’t
have good (or any) WiFi, many internet
cafés, libraries, cafés and even malls
have good sources.
DO look out for bikes! The (many, many)
bike lanes in the city don’t
always stand out from the pavement
and cyclists fly by every few seconds.
DON’T risk hopping onto any form of
public transport without a ticket. Plain-
clothed enforcement officers are much
more prevalent than they used to be
and the fine for getting caught can be
in excess of €60.
DO try out your German. Berliners
mostly speak excellent English but any
attempt to converse with them in Ger-
man, even if your language skills are
atrocious, will always go down well.
DON’T worry about safety. Berlin is a
friendly city and there are no
particularly dangerous spots. That be-
ing said, it is of course always
advisable to take a friend with you if
you’re exploring somewhere you’ve
never been before.
DO plan out your journeys around the
city. Berlin’s transport network is highly
efficient but also huge. Knowing which
station you need to get to and which di-
rection you’re heading in is
imperative.
By Cat ÖZ
Australian Embassy
Wallstraße 76-79
10179 Berlin-Mitte
Telephone number:
(030) 880088
British Embassy
Wilhelmstraße 70-71
10117 Berlin
Telephone number:
(030) 204570
DO’S AND DONT’S
EMBASSIES
NECESSITIES
Embassy of Canada
Leipziger Platz 17
10117 Berlin
Telephone number:
(030) 203120
Embassy of Ireland
Jägerstraße 51
10117 Berlin
Telephone number:
(030) 220720
EMERGENCIES:
POLICE (POLIZEI): TEL 110
FIRE SERVICE (FEUER-
WEHR): TEL 112
AMBULANCE
(RETTUNGSWAGEN):
TEL 112
My name is... – Ich heisse...
Bye! –Tschüss!
Have you
lost your
mind?
Du nicht
mehr alle
Tassen im
Schrank?
(Literally:
Have you
no cups in
the
cabinet?)
I have a
hangover
Ich habe
einen
Kater
That’s
ridiculous
das ist
Bescheuert
I don’t
understand
Ich
verstehe
Do you
speak
English?
Sprechen
Sie
Englisch?
Yes – Ja
This lady/
gentleman
will pay for
everything...
Die Dame/Der
Herr übernim-
mt die Rech-
nung...
No Nein
Where’s
the toilet?
Wo ist die
Toilette?
How are
you?
Wie
geht’s?
Sorry/
Excuse Me
Entschuldigung
I’ll get
the beer
Ich besorge
das Bier
U.S. Embassy Berlin:
Pariser Platz 2
10117 Berlin
Telephone number:
(030) 83050
HELPFUL PHRASES
9. 16
17
work at stations: Hackescher Markt and
Bellevue.
U-Bahn
Known for its yellow trains the U-Bahn
(underground) network is 146 km long,
and consists of 10 lines and 143 sta-
tions. Board the famous U1, as it trav-
els from east to west Berlin, starting its
journey from the east on the oldest sec-
tion of Berlin’s U-Bahn. With only a 5 -
10 minute interval, the U-Bahn is one of
the quickest options for getting around
the inner city. Running from 04:00 -
01:00 on weekdays and 24 hours on
weekends.
MetroTram and Tram
The 20 tram lines throughout Berlin
offer reasonably fast transport on com-
fortable, air conditioned carriages,
providing a welcome contrast to the
hot, and sweaty travel on the U-Bahn
and S-Bahn. Especially comprehen-
sive in the Eastern areas of Berlin, such
as Prenzlauer Berg or Friedrichshain,
MetroTrams, marked with the letter
‘M’ run 24 hours a day throughout the
week. At ten minute intervals during the
day, they ensure you won’t be waiting
long. After 00:30 they run at 30-minute
intervals.
BE ON TIME Bus
With an extensive number of routes,
to truly see the city, travelling by bus
is one of the better options. The 100
and 200 bus lines have become well-
known to tourists due to their remark-
able sight-seeing routes, so save on
expensive city tours by boarding one of
these instead. With both lines starting
at Zoologischer Garten, they pass many
landmarks such as the Reichstag, Bran-
denburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz, and
the TV-Tower to name just a few. Night
buses, marked with the letter ‘N’, travel
throughout the night, providing an in-
valuable service to explorers of Berlin’s
eccentric nightlife.
Insider Tips
Underground, bus and tram operator
BVG also offers information (in English)
and a journey planner on their website.
Download the BVG app for maps, and a
route planner.
Maps of the various networks can also
be collected for free from stations.
Tickets must be validated by stamping
them at yellow or red boxes on plat-
forms, in buses or trams. A ticket that is
not stamped is invalid.
Always carry your ticket with you. Any-
one caught on public transport without
a valid ticket must pay an instant fine
of €60. Ticket inspectors are dressed
in plain clothes and randomly operate,
making it difficult to spot them.
Even though you will often see locals
drinking on public transport, it is in fact
illegal to consume alcohol or eat on
public transport, so watch out.
BVG Call Centre - 03019449 for more
information
Tickets
Tickets can be bought from ticket ma-
chines on trams, from bus drivers, or
from multilingual ticket machines in S
and U-Bahn stations. Tickets are valid
for use on any of the four public trans-
port systems.
Single One Way Ticket -
Valid for one person and a 2 hour jour-
ney across the city.
Zones AB: €2.70 / Zones ABC: €3.30
Day Ticket -
Allows unlimited travel throughout the
day. Valid from the day of its validation
until 03:00 the following day.
Zones AB: €6.90 / Zones ABC: €7.40
Seven Day Ticket -
Valid for unlimited travel seven consec-
utive days from the day of its validation,
until the seventh day at midnight.
Zones AB: €29.50/ Zones ABC: €36.50
Month Ticket -
Allows unlimited travel throughout the
month. Valid from day of validation until
midnight of the final day.
Zones AB: €79.50 / Zones ABC: €98.50
By Alex VAN GOETHEM
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Berlin, like many other major cities,
would be unimaginable without its host
of public transport facilities. Used by
daily commuters- the elderly, late night
clubbers, and of course thousands
of tourists- the affordable and timely
transport system ensures safe and re-
laxed travel across Berlin. When travel-
ling during the day, you will rarely find
yourself having to wait any longer than
ten minutes to board any of the trans-
port systems, ensuring you can make
the most of your time spent in this dy-
namic city.
S-Bahn
With almost 170 stations covering 330
km of network on 15 lines, the S-Bahn is
most useful for covering long distances
over a short space of time, especially
between the outlying suburbs and the
inner city. S-Bahn stations can be easily
spotted by the green and white ‘S’ sym-
bol. Running mostly above ground and
cutting through the centre of Berlin,
views of the urban landscape are pro-
vided. At the weekend, S-Bahn trains
run 24 hours with 30-minute intervals
at night. However, the service only runs
from 04:30 - 01:30 on weekdays- at five,
ten or 20-minute intervals- depending
on the line and time of day. Be sure to
look out for the beautiful original brick-
11. 20
21
Immediately west of Pariser Platz sits
the former city gate that has stood as
an iconic Berlin landmark since 1791.
Commissioned by Frederick the Great,
King of Prussia as a symbol of peace
following the Napoleonic War; the gate
once marked the divide between the
town of Brandenburg an der Havel and
the renowned Unter den Linden, a bou-
levard of lime trees leading directly to
the city palace.
The gate has remained a figurehead
throughout Berlin’s distinct history, pro-
viding a site for many major events. It
was here that Napoleon lead his tri-
umphal procession after the Prussian
defeat at the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt
in 1806. Hitler’s victorious welcoming
parade passed beneath it in 1933, and
it served as an important party symbol
thereafter. The world watched Berliners
gather beneath it at the fall of the Berlin
Wall in 1989.
Although badly damaged after World
War II, with its iconic, four-horsed quad-
riga almost completely destroyed, the
gate was privately restored to its full
glory in 2000. Now closed to vehicle
traffic, walk beneath it along the cob-
bled pedestrian zone, and behold it in
all of its neoclassical glory. Particularly
spectacular at night.
By Isabella TAYLOR
Pariser Platz, 10117, Berlin-Mitte
Always Open
Brandenburger Tor S1, S2, S25, U55
Free Admission
www.berlin.de
BRANDENBURG
GATE
SIDE
GALLERY
EAST
EAST
EAST
The largest intact segment of the Ber-
lin Wall, the East Side Gallery is an ab-
sorbing attraction perfectly suited for
an afternoon stroll. The wall was origi-
nally decorated in 1990 as a tribute to
Berlin’s reunification in 1989, and all the
murals share a positive theme of recov-
ery, unity and freedom. The 105 pieces
– painted by 118 artists from across the
globe – have unfortunately fallen from
grace over the past decades, with new
and unattractive graffiti being scrawled
over the original designs.
In 2009 the entire site was renovated;
original artists were invited back and
paid extravagant fees to treat their work
to a facelift. Graffiti ‘artists’ continue to
leave their mark, but the best art is still
resplendently preserved and more than
worthy of a selfie or two. In particular,
the iconic, swollen-lipped faces paint-
ed by Thierry Noir, the artist who claims
to have been the first ever to deco-
rate the wall. Tourists also congregate
around ‘My God, Help Me to Survive
This Deadly Love’, a representation of
the infamous communist leaders’ fra-
ternal kiss. The piece has attracted un-
wanted attention and been sullied with
misinterpreted homophobic graffiti.
Grab a snapshot in front of the relative-
ly untarnished spectacle while you still
can.
By Cat ÖZ
Mühlenstrasse, 10243, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg,
Open 24 hrs
Free Admission
Warschauer Strasse S5, S7, S75, U12
www.eastsidegallery-berlin.de
12. 22
23
OLYMPICSTADIUM
The Olympic Stadium is a rare survivor
of Nazi architecture in Berlin. Its grand,
curving walkways, stone pillars and
neoclassical sculptures are the result of
Hitler’s desire to demonstrate German
power at the 1936 Olympic Games, for
which the stadium was built. Its impos-
ing aura remains, in spite of a thorough
renovation in the early 2000s. Even
the outdoor swimming pool, open to
the public in the summer, is flanked by
stone stands. The stadium’s most icon-
ic feature is a parting between the two
stands, facing the enormous bell tower
behind the ground. For an extra €4.50,
a climb to the tower’s summit grants a
spectacular view over both the stadium
and the city. Engraved on both sides
of the gap are the names of the 1936
Olympic champions. At their head is
one of history’s finest athletes, the Af-
rican-American sprinter Jesse Owens,
whose four gold medals exposed the
nonsense of Hitler’s racial theories. The
football tournament did not go Hit-
ler’s way either, as Germany was sent
packing by Norway. But the place has
earned more recent fame. Used as a
football stadium, it was the venue of
Zinedine Zidane’s infamous headbutt in
the 2006 World Cup final, won by Italy.
The athletics track was the scene of Us-
ain Bolt’s phenomenal 100m and 200m
world records at the World Athletics
Championships in 2009. The track is co-
loured blue, in honour of the stadium’s
main tenant, the football team Hertha
BSC Berlin. Visitors can wander round
the sprawling grounds by themselves
or take a guided tour, although those
often sell out hours in advance. Even for
those uninterested in sport, the Olym-
pic Stadium as a historical landmark is a
remarkable place.
By Tim STICKINGS
Olympischer Platz 3, 14053 Charlot-
tenburg , Berlin
Mon-Sun 9:00-19:00 (Apr-Oct), 9:00-
20:00 (Aug), 10:00-16:00 (Nov-Mar) -
€7.00, €5.50 concession
Olympiastadion (S5), Olympia-Stadi-
on (U2)
www.olympiastadion-berlin.de/en
VICTORY COLUMN
Standing proudly in the heart of Berlin’s
Großer Tiergarten park is this magnifi-
cently ornate 67m-high tower. Created
to commemorate a flurry of victories for
the Prussian nation in the mid-late 19th
century, the Siegessäule was inaugurat-
ed on 2 September 1873. It originally
stood in the Platz der Republik (Place of
the Republic). City planners of the Third
Reich moved it in 1939 to its current lo-
cation on Großer Stern square, where
the shimmering, golden statue of the
Roman goddess of victory, Victoria –
nicknamed Goldelse by Berliners – pre-
sides over the wooded park.
Cross the roundabout via underground
tunnels and pay a small fee to climb the
270 steps to the very top of the column:
a gruelling ascent. However, the view
of Berlin’s impressive skyline from the
small balcony is worth the toil. From
here the city and its sights look like
miniature models, giving you a unique
perspective on this bustling area. The
entrance fee also includes admission to
the permanent exhibition on National
Monuments in the ground floor area,
which also provides comprehensive in-
formation on the history of the column.
By Abigail LISTER
Straße des 17. Juni/Großer Stern, 10557 Mitte
Mon-Fri 9:30-18:30, Sat-Sun 9:30-19:30
€3.00 (€2.50 concessions)
Bellevue S5, S7, S75
13. 24
25
Gendarmenmarkt, 10117 Berlin- Mitte
Franzosische Straße U6
www.visitberlin.de
of a military regiment consisting of Hu-
guenots soldiers, Gens d’arms, that the
square derives its modern name.
Marvel at the array of beautiful architec-
ture embodied in the magnificent trio
of the French Church (Friedrichstadt-
kirche), German Church (Neue Kirche),
and the Concert House (Konzerthaus);
the grand entrances to these buildings
are located just a stone’s throw away
from each other. Standing proudly in
the centre is the elaborate marble stat-
ue of Friedrich Schiller, one of Germa-
ny’s most beloved poets, best known
for providing lyrics to Beethoven’s Ode
to Joy. Seated beside him are 4 female
figures, symbolically representing poet-
ry, drama, history, and philosophy.
Visit the square for its rich history and
beautiful architecture, stay for the re-
laxed experience and atmospheric ca-
fes.
By Alex VAN GOETHEM
Considered by many as Berlin’s most
beautiful square, Gendarmenmarkt is
awash with neo-Classical architecture
and life-like sculptures. It hosts a se-
lection of deliciously pleasing al-fresco
cafes and restaurants, harmoniously
accompanied by various musical street
artists. Over its long existence, it has
played host to an array of functions, un-
der a variety of different names. Origi-
nally created as Linden Markt in 1688, it
was once a thriving market place, and
a home for persecuted French Hugue-
not refugees. In fact, it is from the name
Two worlds collide at this multicultural
farmers’ market, which has been entic-
ing flocks of tourists and city-dwellers
for years. Stalls lining the riverside street
of Maybachufer teem with Turkish and
German fare: fresh fruits and vegeta-
bles, fabrics, handcrafted jewellery, and
various food stations, all at attractively
low prices. A handful of smaller tables
have charming home-made offerings
from independent vendors, including
organic berry-infused honey and sun-
glasses made of recycled cardboard.
The process of making your way
through the bustling market is a worth-
while experience in itself. The scent of
herbs and marinated olives permeates
the air, and a cacophony of Turkish,
German, and English is ever-present as
buyers chat with lively vendors. In fact,
taking the time to stop and talk to the
stallholders is always worthwhile. The
jewellery-makers are especially wel-
coming, and will be more than happy
to discuss their work.
Another highlight of the market is the
authentic Turkish and German food
on sale. The options are wide, and all
likely to set your stomach growling.
Go at midday for a bargain lunch of
falafel, complemented by a traditional
Turkish sımıt (sesame ring) and round-
ed off with sticky baklava.
By Cat ÖZ
Maybachufer Strasse, 12047, Neukölln, Berlin
Tue & Fri 11:00-18:30
€€
Schönleinstrasse, U8
www.tuerkenmarkt.de
14. 26
27
BOAT TRIP
STAR
EMPEROR WILLIAM
KAISER-WILHELM-GEDÄCHTNISKIRCHE
STERN UND KREIS SCHIFFAHRT
AND
CIRCLE
For a break from Museum Island, you
might like to jump on a boat for an
hour-long jaunt down the river Spree.
For an experience like an Open Top Bus
Tour on water, catch one of the hourly
services from outside Berlin Cathedral.
A pleasant ride with plenty of angles
for photo opportunities, it is a chance
to rest your feet and switch the brain off
from museum mode.
The Reichstag looks spectacular among
the full glass facades of the modern
parliamentary buildings. Appreci-
ate Stephan Braunfels’ futuristic and
eco-friendly architecture as you float
underneath the connecting walkways,
all while craning your neck to see if you
just might spot Angela Merkel.
Gaze at the imposing Friedrichstraße
Station, the House of World Cultures
and catch glimpses of the Victory Col-
umn in the distance. Winding around
the city, you get a true sense of its enor-
mity. On the return journey, be amazed
by the grandeur of the Berlin Cathedral
and the city’s museums.
Don’t sit too close to the blaring speak-
ers giving the German commentary,
which overpowers the English version
from your modest hand held device.
Also be aware that the erratic audio
guide could replay or skip entire sec-
tions. Otherwise, relax, enjoy a cold
beverage and don’t forget your selfie
stick.
By Heidi VINEY
Stern und Kreis Schiffahrt
Berliner Dom pier
Daily departures: Hourly from 11:00 -
18:00, plus 10:30, 12:30, 13:30, 15:30 and
16:30.
EURO12.50
www.sternundkreis.de
MEMORIAL CHURCH
The Memorial Church belongs to a
class of Berlin attractions- including
the Reichstag and Olympic Stadi-
um- which serve both as historical
landmarks and modern-day venues.
Nowhere however, is the distinction
clearer than at the Church, which con-
sists of two separate buildings. The
first, built in tribute to the unified Ger-
many’s first Emperor, was wrecked by
Allied bombing in the 1940s. Its par-
tially restored remains, still capped by
a ruined spire, go by the nickname ‘hol-
low tooth’. The ornate interior makes
it clear why the loss of the Church was
so traumatic for its congregation, and
why their successors choose to adver-
tise their ardent pacifism. Tours take
place several times a day.
The Church’s second incarnation,
opened in the 1950s, is designed rather
differently. Dominated by stained glass
windows of twilight blue, a large statue
of Christ appears to hang in mid-air. The
sound of the refurbished organ echoes
against the building’s eight walls, as
though coming from the Church itself.
A major component of the cultural
and architectural history of Berlin, the
Church merits a thorough visit.
By Tim STICKINGS
Breitscheidplatz 10789 Charlottenburg, Berlin
Mon-Sun 9:00-19:00
Free admission
Zoologischer Garten S5, S7, S75, U2, U9
http://www.gedaechtniskirche-berlin.de/
15. 28
29
BERLIN
CATHEDRAL
BERLINER DOM
Berlin Cathedral is the largest Protes-
tant church in Berlin; an imposing 115
metre tall building located on the ever
popular museum island. In order to en-
ter, a queue is obligatory, however this
moves quickly and the impressive inte-
rior which follows definitely warrants a
wait.
An audio guide is available in six lan-
guages for an extra fee of €3, providing
an informative, comprehensive guide
to the history and different compo-
nents of this reconstructed 15th century
building. For those who don’t invest in
the audio guide however there are still
snippets of information available at in-
dividual audio-visual stations. Allocated
at different spots within the cathedral,
these provide basic, simply presented
facts. The Hohenzollern crypt hous-
es tombs of the royal family of former
kingdom, Prussia, some of which were
badly damaged or destroyed during
World War II and have since undergone
restoration.
A unique attribute setting Berliner Dom
aside from other European cathedrals
is its 360 degree panoramic viewing
platform; both its 270 step ascent and
vast cityscape will leave you breathless.
A difficult climb makes the ‘Dom walk-
way’ inaccessible for those not physical-
ly able. For the less religiously inclined,
the viewpoint will provide as good a
point of reflection as any.
By Sian HEELEY
Am Lustgarten, 10178 Berlin, Mitte.
Mon-Sat 09:00-20:00
Sundays and Holidays 12:00-20:00
From October 1st - March 31st, closing at 19:00
No viewing during church services or events.
€7 admission, €5 concession, €3 audio guide
Alexanderplatz U-bhf: U2, U5, U8.
Hackescher Markt S-bhf: S5, S7, S9, S75.
www.berlinerdom.de
Puschkinallee, 12435 Berlin – Treptower
Open 24 hours
Free admission
Treptower Park S9
+493025002333
At first glance the memorial is an area
of recreation, enjoyed by dog walkers,
joggers and tourists alike. Yet the mes-
sage of Nazi defeat left by the Soviets
in 1945 is written throughout. Like a lot
of Berlin, the memorial is embracing its
tragic past while enabling those of the
present to openly interpret and utilise
the space as they wish.
By Sian HEELEY
This memorial within Treptower Park,
completed in 1949 gives an ideal op-
portunity for a moment of reflection in
the heart of bustling Berlin. The com-
memorative site is located just off Push-
kinallee, a short walk from Treptower
Park station. It’s grand yet minimal
layout incites a feeling of perspective,
however the Soviet War Memorial is
one which offers material for deeper
thought. The focus point of the memo-
rial is an impressive statue, depicting a
swastika crushed beneath a proud Sovi-
et soldier. Two huge marble Soviet flags
frame the panorama of this commemo-
ration to five thousand Soviet soldiers.
The marble used was taken from Hitler’s
main office in his infamous Reich Chan-
cellery; a strong reminder of the win-
ners and losers of World War II.
SOVIET WAR
MEMORIAL
17. 32
33
The price tags here are exclusive – it is
possible a student-friendly budget for
an entire weekend away in Berlin could
be swallowed up by a single blouse.
Unless you’re anticipating a stroke of
lotto luck, it would perhaps be wiser to
head to H&M round the corner.
Mulackstrasse is a Mecca for the fash-
ion elite; for the more amateur shopper,
a trip to one of Berlin’s many Arcadens
will no doubt suffice.
By Sian HEELEY
Mulackstraße, 10119, Mitte.
Daytime hours.
€€€
Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz U2
A short walk from Hackerschermarkt,
this street is somewhat underwhelming,
nothing sets it apart from any of the less-
er known thoroughfares which make up
central Berlin. This unremarkable exteri-
or however is not mirrored by the pieces
displayed in its multiple fashion houses,
which line either side of its cobbles.
The likes of Vivienne Westwood and Lala
Berlin are discretely positioned on this
ordinary street; Mulackstrasse is home
to the ‘crème de la crème’ of the fashion
world. To enter any of these shops is an
experience in itself, the deadly silence,
sparsely filled racks and distinctly hos-
tile assistants will soon make you aware
this is a shopping experience not to be
taken lightly. Unless sporting a Rolex
watch, Louis Vuitton bag or Gucci sun-
glasses, it is unlikely your presence will
be welcomed.
MULACKSTRASSE
Between the Brandenburg Gate in the
West and the main building of Hum-
boldt University in the East stretches
Unter den Linden, one of Berlin’s most
important commercial streets. It is a bus-
tling international thoroughfare, home
to the Russian Embassy, Berlin’s branch
of the waxwork museum Madame Tus-
sauds, and dozens of restaurants. While
at pedestrian level this might seem like
any other city centre street, you must
walk with your eyes to the sky to tru-
ly appreciate it. Nestled on the corner
of the expansive Pariser Platz, which is
dominated by the Brandenburg Gate, is
the grand Hotel Adlon. Here begins the
row of superb examples of classical ar-
chitecture. Although they were largely
reconstructed following WWII, perhaps
ruining the magic, the street still man-
ages to achieve a strangely enticing
contrast between the old and the new.
Especially as you can experience the
length of the street from a horse drawn
carriage of from a sightseeing tour bus,
alongside Berliner workers going about
their day. Here is Unter den Linden’s
charm - it is a street that must be visited
to get a further taste of quintessential
Berlin.
By Abigail LISTER
10117 Berlin-Mitte
Brandenburg Tor U55, S1, S2
UNTER
DEN
LINDEN
18. 34
35
NIKOLAIVIERTEL
With its roots in 1230, this is the oldest
neighbourhood of Berlin; however, due
to its reconstruction after WWII, build-
ings look pristine, losing what made
them authentic. Walk past the cluster
of tacky tourist shops and cafes, which
greet you upon arrival, and you’ll be
rewarded with the square’s true charm,
the quiet, car-free streets; quaint, inde-
pendent shops; and welcoming restau-
rants.
The information plaques dotted around
the quarter - highlighting key historical
points of interest - are the only clues
that truly hint at its heritage. Follow
this signposted trail as it informatively
guides you through the movie set-like
streets, pausing to admire everything
of interest, most notably the stunning-
ly detailed statue of St. George slaying
a dragon, and the Nikolaikirche (St.
Nicholas Church). Take a visit here, the
oldest church in Berlin, on every first
Wednesday of the month, when admis-
sion is free (otherwise €5).
Complete your Nikolaiviertel experi-
ence with a well-deserved beer (€3.50)
on the terrace of ‘GeorgBraeu’ Brau-
haus, overlooking the statue of St.
George and the Spree river. While not
exactly being the historical heritage
site that it advertises itself as, Nikolaivi-
ertel remains a charming arrangement
of enticing streets, where you can take
a break from the ever-changing land-
scape of Berlin.
By Alex VAN GOETHEM
10178, Berlin Mitte
Church opening times: Mon-Sun 10:00
- 18:00
Alexanderplatz S5, S75, S7; U5, U8, U2
Visit www.visitberlin.de for more infor-
mation
Named after the Russian Tsar Alex-
ander I to honour his visit to the city
in 1805, this large public square and
transport hub started as a cattle mar-
ket in the middle ages. It was turned
into a military exercise ground in the
mid 19th century, became a vibrant
nightlife spot during the 1920s and
today it is a nest for loads of tourists
gathering under the World Clock or
by the Fountain of Friendship.
The square, right in the city centre, is
a pedestrian zone dominated by the
imposing 368 metre TV Tower and
the Park Inn skyscraper. Both house
breathtaking observation decks.
Brand names are stuck, hung, paint-
ed, printed and sculpted in sizes and
colours that aggressively demand
your attention. Cosmopolitan and
tourist-oriented, it’s the right place
to go if you want to do some serious
shopping. In Galeria, Alexa and Sat-
urn department stores you can buy
everything from clothing and beauty to
entertainment and technology.
But beware, it could give you a serious
headache unless you are very into con-
formism and consumerism.
By Paolo Andrea PIDELLO
Alexanderplatz, 10178 Berlin-Mitte
Always open
€
Alexanderplatz S5, S7, U5, U2, U8
LEXANDERPLATA Z
19. 36
37
BUS TOURS
100 AND 200
These two bus routes offer a chance to
see all the major historical sights in the
city centre, hopping on and off when
you spot something interesting. All this
using your regular public transportation
ticket. Rush for the front seats on the
upper level and spot the major ‘been-
there-seen-that’ sights in Mitte from the
large window in comfort.
Take the 100 bus towards Zoologischer-
garten, that drives up Unter den Lin-
den passing by the Museum Island and
Humboldt University before taking a
turn right right before the Brandenburg
Gate, gets by the Reichstag and dives
into Tiergarten. It then shortly reaches
its destination allowing you a peek at
the Victory Column and Zoo Berlin.
At the end of the run, walk a few me-
ters back along Hardenbergstraße and
catch the 200 bus returning to Alex-
anderplatz. This slightly different tour
winds back to the city centre, always
skirting the Tiergarten, and reach-
es Potsdamerplatz before joining the
same path of its twin bus right on Unter
den Linden.
A great chance for binge-sightseeing if
you are in a rush but best to avoid hot
days.
By Paolo Andrea PIDELLO
Route: Alexanderplatz to Charlotten-
burg
Monday - Sunday 7.00 - 23.00
€
Eberswalder - U2
www.bvg.de/en”http://www.bvg.de/en
Travellers hoping to experience a more
tranquil side to Potsdamer Platz should
head to Panorama Punkt which charm-
ingly towers over the square. You can
take an elevator up to the 24th floor
and gaze over Berlin from the elegant
rooftop terrace. This is the perfect op-
tion for students as you can gain entry
for a discounted price of only €5, pro-
viding you have a valid ID card.
The diversity of activities that lives with-
in Potsdamer Platz is what makes it
great and definitely worth a visit.
By Steph BASSEY
Potsdamer Platz, 10785, Berlin
Potsdamer Platz U2, S1, S2
It’s hard to imagine that only 26 years
ago Potsdamer Platz was laid in ruins af-
ter World War II and the Cold War era
when the Berlin Wall bisected the area.
After major redevelopment work, Pots-
damer Platz is now a famous square and
bustling tourist magnet bursting at the
seams with cafes, shopping malls, res-
taurants and topped off with panoramic
views.
The Sony Center is enclosed within an ar-
chitectural masterpiece designed by the
famous Helmut Jahn. The glass dome al-
lows droplets of sunshine to beam down
onto the fountain below which is at the
heart of the Center. After a day of trying
to navigate your way through the Mall of
Berlin, which is home to over 300 shops,
head to Cafe é Gelato to sample the
delectable ice cream available from just
€1.50.
POTSDAMERPLATZ
20. 38
39
A
LTERNATIVE
Ironically starting from Alexanderplatz,
the most mainstream location in the
city, this free tour promises to quickly
ease you into the alternative and under-
ground history, street art, and nightlife
scene of Berlin.
Heading by public bus to Hackescher
Markt, the guide drives you through the
fascinating history of Mitte and its gen-
trification issues, told through personal
experience and word-of-mouth stories.
Notice the smallest graffiti tags and
their meanings, on your way to Hack-
esche Höfe. This alley represents the
last bit of alternative cultural resistance
in the neighbourhood.
Ask your guide for suggestions about
the best places to drink and dance
while on the U-Bahn heading to Kreuz-
berg. Once here, you get an insight to
the multicultural spirit of this district. The
guide enthusiastically highlights squats,
subculture bars, art houses and the most
obscure nightclubs, providing abundant
tips on venues to visit from the strange
to the kinky. The YAAM reggae bar in
Friedrichshain is the final destination of
the tour.
Start your Berlin experience in the right
way and use this tour to get off the well-
worn tourist paths.
By Paolo Andrea PIDELLO
Alexanderplatz, 10178 Berlin-Mitte (next to the
starbucks under the TV-tower)
Free, but tips are welcome and transport card
needed.
Every day at 11:00, 13:00, 15:00
http://alternativeberlin.com/
WALKING TOUR
22. 42
43
Cora-Berliner-Strasse 1, 10117, Mitte, Berlin
Apr-Sep: Tues-Sun 10:00-20:00, Oct-Mar: Tues-Sun
10:00-19:00, 24-26th Dec, 1st Jan: Closed
Free
Audio Guide: €4/€2 concessions. Brandenburg
Gate/Potsdamer Platz S1, S2, S25, U55
www.stiftung-denkmal.de
tims, stories of Jewish families perse-
cuted during the war, and biographies
of the murdered and missing are all
explored in unique and chilling depth
through the use of photographs, au-
dio recordings of interviews, and per-
sonal documents such as letters and
diaries. A comprehensive audio guide
allows for a more immersive experi-
ence of the exhibit’s written content,
using voice actors to give life to the
poignant letters on display. The above-
ground memorial also features in the
subterranean structure, which has a cof-
fered ceiling that replicates the stelae
above. Peering up at the shadowy rec-
tangular blocks suspended overhead
only heightens the impression that you
are wandering beneath a graveyard.
By Cat ÖZ
One of the top attractions
in Berlin, a sober tribute to the Holo-
caust often referred to as “The Field
Of Stelae” is tucked away around the
corner from Brandenburg Gate and
the Adlon Hotel. The memorial con-
sists of a vast, disorientating grid of
almost 3000 grey concrete slabs, some
of which reach nearly five metres high,
laid out over 19,000 square metres.
American architect Peter Eisenman has
remained silent regarding his views on
its symbolic interpretation of the me-
morial since its completion in 2004.
Nevertheless, exploring the tomb-like
blocks brings to mind the eerie quies-
cence of a stroll through a cemetery.
Located underneath the ‘Field’ is the
information centre, an exhibition con-
sisting of four large rooms lit with cold
white light. Writings of Holocaust vic-
MEMORIAL TO THE
MURDERED JEWS OF
EUROPE
DESIGN
PAN
OPTIK
UM
One might wonder why anybody
would want to collate a museum of
such random objects, but Vladimir’s
premise is simple. He doesn’t want
your money, he wants your mind.
This isn’t as terrifying as it sounds.
He wants to inform people about real
life, real history – things he deems of
unequivocal importance. He wants you
to question your interpretations, push
the boundaries of your imagination.
Then, he claims, you will leave the
premises twice as smart.
Photos welcome.
By Isabella TAYLOR
Torstraße 201, 10115 Berlin-Mitte
Mon-Sat 11:00-18:00
Admission Fee: €7
Rosenthaler Platz U8
www.designpanoptikum.de
There’s a distinct sense of foreboding in
the air as you enter Vladimir Korneev’s
‘Surreal Museum of Industrial Objects’.
Maybe it’s the cloying, musty smell of
old: more likely the vivid anatomy poster
on the wall, or the magnified image
of a screaming head beside the front
desk. A self-confessed ‘Frankenstien’s
Lab’, Vladimir has created pieces from
historical artifacts he’s painstakingly
sourced from across Europe and Russia.
With over 1000 objects spanning ten
rooms, there’s certainly no shortage of
things to see.
Take a look at the Iron Lung, which
Vladimir claims a woman once spent
sixty years inside – or the tall steel cased
bathtub, which was once used for shock
therapy in a hospital. It now sits fenced
beneath a stiff wire bedframe, eerily
redolent of a bizarre kind of torture
device.
23. 44
45
ALTE
NATIONAL
GALERIE
On certain summer mornings, Museum
Island (Museum Insel) looks like a painting.
The classical architecture is awash with
golden morning sun and the streets have
a hazy, warm quality as if produced in
watercolour. It is a perfect backdrop to the
Alte Nationalgalerie (Old Nationalgallery),
which is snugly situated next to the Neues
Museum. The queue for the entrance is a
less appealing prospect; however, patience
certainly pays. Upon entering the gallery
and standing under the imposing white
marble entrance hall, the waiting is forgiven
and forgotten.
The gallery displays the city’s collection
of 19th
century art, including some prime
examples of German Romanticism and
Neoclassicism. Its large size and expansive
layout means crowds disperse almost
immediately, so while it may seem that
you will be fighting for floor space, you’ll
actually find that you have entire rooms to
yourself. For a €16.00 entrance fee (€10.00
concessions), you can also get an audio
guide, which is highly recommended. They
Bodestraße 1-3, 10178 Berlin-Mitte
Hackescher Markt S5, S7, S75
Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thur 10:00-20:00
Admission €12; €6 concession without audioguide. €16;
€10 concession with audioguide
Tel: 030 266 42 42 42
THE ALLIED
MUSEUM
Located in the former American army
garrison, you can delve into the story of
post-war allied presence in Berlin. The
idea for this museum was conceived in
the wake of German reunification when
the American, British and French armed
forces left the city.
To uncover the first of two sections, you
walk under the old fashioned movie
marquee into the former American
cinema, The Outpost Theatre. This
section focuses on the immediate post-
war period and the 1948-1949 Berlin
Airlift.
The information is straight to the point
and easy to read, with the vast array
of artefacts uniquely adding to the
story. Discover the curtain-wedding
dress made for an American soldier’s
marriage to a woman he met while in
Berlin; the children’s running shoes from
the extracurricular camps set up by the
allies; and the mini parachutes dropped
to school children by the Candy
Bomber during the airlift. Walking
under a British Hastings TG 503 aircraft
and passing the original Checkpoint
Charlie guardhouse, you then enter the
old American library which is devoted
to the years 1950-1994.
Lastly, make sure you peer inside the
fascinating Berlin Spy Tunnel, and play
with the interactive border crossing
map. This captivating museum will
open your eyes to the trail of the allies.
By Kelsey RAUSCH
Clayalee 135, 14195 Berlin
Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00
Free Admission
Oskar- Helene-Heim U3,
Bus 115, X83
www.alliiertenmuseum.de
+49 (0) 30 8181990
are multi-sensory, incorporating music
and real quotes from the artists to make
you feel as if you are inside the paintings
themselves. This is a vivid experience,
especially for works such as Adolph
Menzel’s Flötenkonzert Friedrichs des
Großen in Sanssouci (The Flute Concert of
Frederick the Great at Sanssouci) or Charles-
François Daubigny’s Frühlingslandschaft
(Spring Landscape). The capacious rooms
allow relaxed wandering from painting to
painting, especially on the third floor where
a collection of works by Karl Friedrich
Schinkel is housed. His detailed, fantastical
paintings of fairytale Gothic castles demand
your time, and with well-worn benches in
each of the rooms you can comfortably
absorb the enticing landscapes. Take your
time in the Alte Nationalgalerie: immerse
yourself in these masterpieces.
By Abigail LISTER
24. 46
47
Beneath the bustling hive of
Gesundbrunnen station lies a
subterranean labyrinth brimming with
history. Berlin Unterwelten E.V., a private
society formed in 1997 to help preserve
Berlin’s underground architecture, have
conducted tours beneath the station for
years.
The popular ‘Dark Worlds’ tour explores
the twisting maze of tunnels and
chambers beneath Gesundbrunnen
station that were used as an air raid
shelter during WWII. Shuffling through
dimly-lit, low-roofed rooms, groups of
20-30 people are treated to a gripping
history lesson on what life was like for
the average Berlin citizen during the
terror of an air raid.
The chambers are packed with
fascinating artefacts – from ‘organic’
toilets (which utilised soil as a
flushing mechanism), to recycled
bomb fragments and helmets crafted
into stoves and colanders. Some
walls feature murals with perfectly
preserved Nazi motifs; on others, toxic
phosphorescent paint still glows in the
dark.
There are three opportunities every day
to experience the 90-minute English-
language tour, led by Unterwelten’s
highly knowledgeable staff – and with
such budget-friendly ticket prices,
delving into Berlin’s underworld is
easier than you might think.
By Cat ÖZ
Brunnenstrasse 105, 13355 Prenzlauer
Berg
Thu-Sun 11:00, Mon 11:00 & 13:00
€11 (€9 conc.) Cash Only
Gesundbrunnen U8, S1, S2, S25, S41,
S42
www.berliner-unterwelten.de
BERLIN FROM
BELOWBELOW
FROM
Located next to the Berliner Cathedral,
this stunning neoclassical building
by Prussian architect Karl Friedrich
Schinkel was completed in 1830, but
looks like an import from ancient Rome
or Athens. Sandstone eagles perched
atop eighteen imposing Ionic columns
peer down at you as you ascend
the grand entrance steps – a proper
introduction to this museum, host of
Greek, Etruscan and Roman artefacts,
which are chronologically spread out
over two floors.
Armed with paper guides in each of the
rooms, you will venture through 10th
to 1st
century BC Greece, discovering
beauties such as the Berlin Goddess,
a statue depicting a woman holding
a pomegranate – a symbol of fertility.
The upper floor displays the museum’s
Etruscan and Roman items; in fact, this
is one of the largest Etruscan collections
in the world outside of Italy. Highlights
include life-like marble busts of Roman
officials and the vast Hildesheim
treasure, the largest collection of Roman
silver found outside the Roman frontier,
consisting of 70 intricately crafted solid
silver vessels.
The jaw-dropping neoclassical rotunda
dominating the centre of the museum
offers you space to muse about your
time here, while flanked on all sides by
antique sculptures of the Greek gods:
a fitting final glimpse at the ancient
world.
By Alex VAN GOETHEM
Lustgarten, 10178 Mitte
Tue-Sun 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 20:00
€10, concessions €5
Hackescher Markt S5, S7, S75
www.smb.museumww
THE ALTES MUSEUM
25. 48
49
THe MU SEuM
OF LE
TTers
is a delight, naming in comprehensive
detail each item’s font, dimensions and
other technical attributes. But for the
amateur, more historical context would be
a welcome addition. The gothic script used
in Nazi propaganda and the neon signs of
West Berlin were symbolic of the societies
which produced them, yet the displays put
more focus on personal quests to trace
missing vowels. It is unfair, however, to be
too demanding of a museum which wears
its geeky obscurity with pride.
By Tim STICKINGS
Buchstabenmuseum/Museum of Letters
Holzmarktstraße 66, 10179 Mitte
Thu-Sun, 13:00-17:00
€6.50 (reg), €3.50 (conc)
Jannowitzbrücke (S5, S7, S75, U8)
http://www.buchstabenmuseum.de/
What seems a poetic name is merely
accurate. The Museum of Letters’
collection consists entirely of letters of
the alphabet, gathered from disused
signs. It is hard not to laugh at its mission
statement of “rescuing threatened
letters”, but the museum’s garage
atmosphere and quirky contents mark
an establishment not taking itself too
seriously. Still, it takes some effort to
match its enthusiasm that the symbols
in front of you really did once complete
the word ‘Alexanderplatz’.
The one-storey exhibition displays
buzzing electric lights, concrete slabs
and hand-painted signs in no apparent
order. In a separate room at the back,
an E used in Inglourious Basterds hangs
from the ceiling. And so it goes on.
For typography anoraks, the museum
Officially consecrated in 1773, St. Hed-
wig’s Cathedral is a must-see master-
piece of grand historical architecture.
Dedicated to the onetime Duchess of
the Prussian province of Silesia, in mod-
ern-day Poland, this post-Reformation
Catholic Church was the first of its kind
in Berlin. It gained the status of Cathe-
dral in 1930.
As you enter you feel yourself instant-
ly dwarfed by its proportions, with the
huge dome towering towards the heav-
ens. At its highest point is a similarly
massive circular window through which
a beam of sunlight shines down upon
a beautiful golden statue of Bishop
Andreas Heidegger. The Cathedral’s
partial destruction during World War
II provided an opportunity for the inte-
rior to be redesigned, and access was
opened up to the former crypt. This
area is now a sub-church surrounded by
eight peaceful chapels, most of which
are open to the public.
Nestled in the centre of the city, this im-
mense building completely transforms
into a sanctuary for self-reflection and
quiet thoughts, as time seems to stand
still. Information within the Cathedral
is only provided in German. However,
guided tours are available on request
by calling +49302034810.
Alex VAN GOETHEM
ST. HEDWIG’S
CATHEDRAL
26. 50
51
At the end of a residential street in
Oranienburg, where children ride
bicycles and elderly men water their
garden plants, are the grey concrete
blocks that form the sign for the
Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
These unexpected surroundings were
chosen in 1936 for the prototypical
camp of the Nazi regime, an hour away
from the Reich’s capital in Berlin. Initially
the camp was used for SS training, then
a Second World War concentration
camp and after, a post war Soviet
Special camp. It is therefore rooted in
many layers of German history, having
imprisoned 200,000 people. There’s
the original guard tower, ‘Tower A’,
recreated barracks and a 40 metre
high obelisk; demonstrating Soviet
memorialisation in might over memory.
You enter the camp through gates
marked with the infamous phrase,
‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ (work sets you free)
and from this position you can see
the effectiveness of one of the camps
distinctivefeatures-itsgeometriclayout.
The audio guide immerses you into the
world of Nazi leaders’ intentions, unjust
killings and allied liberation, all through
poignant personal prisoner stories.
Sachsenhausen became a museum and
memorial in 2003, thus recent research
and recreation of the camp creates an
instructive and in-depth look over its 60
year history.
By Alice STRETCH
Address: Str. der Nationen 22, 16515 Oranienburg
Opening times: 08.30 – 18.00
Public transport: Oranienburg station
Website: www.stiftung-bg.de
SACHSENHAUSEN
CONCENTRATION CAMP
The fire left an unused and subsequently
bombed building, captured by the
Soviets in April 1945; their preserved
graffiti and the Red Army flag
photograph are symbols of Nazi defeat.
Despite a post-war plea to the world
in front of the Reichstag, the building
was unused due to its proximity to the
wall. After reunification Norman Foster,
a British architect, won a competition to
redesign the building which included a
40 metre transparent dome. It is worth
visiting the dome’s spiral walkways, for
panoramic views of the city and views
into the Bundestag chamber, where the
heart of German democracy beats.
By Alice STRETCH
Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin
08.30 – 18.30
Free Admission, online registration
Bundestag U55
www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/visits
REICHSTAG
Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag,
deliberates the country’s future inside
a building with deep scars of the past
- the Reichstag. Located on the Platz
der Republik square, the neo-baroque
building has borne witness to 130
years of the city’s history. Designed
by Frankfurt architect Paul Wallot with
Dusseldorf sculptor Otto Lessing, the
first stone was laid by Wilhelm I in June
1884 - beginning as an imperial diet to
present-day constitutional democracy.
The Reichstag has seen war in 1914,
the inscription of Dem Deutschen Volke
(To the German People) in 1916 and the
revolution in 1918. A historiographical
controversy surrounds the fire in 1933
which led to Hitler’s power-driven
Enabling Act.
27. 52
53
Originally designed by Berlin architect
Ernst Eberhard in 1897, the Bode
museum has since been renovated and
renamed. It now houses the ‘Sculpture
Collection’, displaying one of the
largest collections of ancient sculptures
in the world. Along with the ‘Museum
of Byzantine Art’, which exhibits a fine
selection of antique and Byzantine art
from the 3rd to the 15th century.
Follow the evolution of art and discover
peculiar artefacts such as the late Roman
marble gambling game, a rare item
otherwise only known to us through
ancient descriptions. Also notable,
is the Romanesque tribune from the
Abbey Church in Gröningen, with its
finely detailed figure carving. The free
audio guide is a useful companion,
although beware, commentaries do not
always match up to the correct artefact.
The museum’s jaw-dropping interior
architecture is what really sets it apart.
The striking design is most notable
in its two domes and basilica. Be
sure to complete your experience by
overlooking the red veined marble clad
Great Dome, the most stunning room
in the museum. Compliment your view
with a hot mug of ‘Russian chocolate’
with vodka (€4.90), from the museum
cafe.
This combination of striking architecture
and enigmatic art will leave you
speechless.
Alex Van GOETHEM
Am Kupfergraben, 10117 Mitte Berlin
Opening times: Tue-Sun 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00
- 20:00
Admission Fee: €10, concessions €5.
Hackescher Markt S5, S7, S75
www.smb.museum.de
BODE
MU
SE
UM
In the Tiergarten opposite the vast
Holocaust Memorial, lies a large,
opposing cube of concrete with a single
window facing the front. This place of
remembrance mirrors the formality
of the Holocaust Memorial. Both are
composed of stone blocks, but resting
in different places symbolising how the
Jews and homosexuals are different but
victimized similarly.
The Nazis viewed male homosexuality
as useless and inefficient, as two males
could not reproduce, therefore they
could not contribute to the growing
Third Reich. In 1935 homosexuality
was formally criminalized and a kiss
witnessed between two males was
enough to persecute. This was used
as justification for thousands of
castrations, in addition to imprisonment
and, ultimately, death in concentration
camps.
The simple video clip showing two
men kissing forms a warm contrast to
the adverse memorial, designed by
Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset.
Opened to the public on 27 May 2008,
this serves as a lasting symbol against
exclusion, intolerance and animosity
towards homosexuals.
Even though it only takes five minutes
to observe, this memorial will leave you
with a haunting memory of this injustice.
By Kelsey RAUSCH
Tiergarten, opposite the Memorial to the
Holocaust Memorial/Eberstraße, 10557 Berlin
Free Admission
Brandenburger Tor S1, S2, S25, U55
www.stiftung-denkmal.de
MEMORIAL TO
HOMOSEXUALS
PERSECUTED
UNDER NATIONAL
SOCIALISM
28. 54
55
It is often the simplest statement that
makes the greatest impact. And there is
nothing simpler than a glass window in
the ground. It peers down into an emp-
ty room lined by empty bookshelves,
with the glass mirroring the impressive
reflection of the towering Humboldt
University and library building diverting
your attention.
Unless you knew what to look for, many
would walk through Babelplatz oblivi-
ous to the memorial buried under their
feet. The artwork is situated in one of
the locations where the books were
burnt on 10 May over 80 years ago. The
sunken room would fit 20,000 books,
a close comparison to the number of
books the Nazis burnt in 1933. The me-
morial was designed by Micha Ullman,
an Israeli artist who simply dubbed it Li-
brary, and was revealed in March 1995.
There is a lightbulb that remains on at
all times to illuminate the shelves. It's
only necessary at night but those who
take the time to contemplate, conclude
that this lightbulb also represents the
symbol for an idea. And a book can be
destroyed but an idea cannot.
By Isla TODD
Bebelplatz 1, 10117 Berlin Mitte
Französische Strasse U6
BOOK
BURNING
ME MORIAL
ME
COLLECTORS
ROOM
To round off this experience, hot and
cold drinks, cakes, and lunches (made
daily by an in-house chef) are available
in the café at surprisingly affordable
prices, along with free wifi. Spare an
hour or two on a weekday afternoon
when the place is almost empty to
explore and take it all in, as it may be
the only gallery of its kind in the world.
By Abigail LISTER
Auguststraße 68, 10117 Mitte
Tue-Sun 12:00-18:00
Admission to permanent and temporary
exhibitions €7 (€4 concession)
Oranienburger Straße S1, S2, S25
Weinmeister Straße u8
www.me-berlin.com
With its modern glass frontage
contrasted against the quaint
neoclassical architecture of its
neighbours along Auguststraße, it is
difficult to miss me Collectors Room.
Part chilled café, part exhibition
space, the gallery also plays host to
the Olbricht Collection – a showcase
of over 200 curiosities ranging from
intricately crafted wooden skulls to
stuffed turtles. While there seems to be
little coherence in the display itself, this
is also the collection’s defining feature.
A wander past the various starkly lit
cabinets is an intriguing experience - a
glimpse into the strange and exotic.
The admission price includes an
audiobook and paper guide to walk you
through the various objects. However,
wander without a guide and have fun
guessing what each curiosity could
possibly be.
29. 56
57
This 'historical’ street was the best
known crossing point between East and
WestBerlinbutitcanquitecomicalwhen
armed with the facts. The only remain-
ing historical artefacts are the wooden
posts supporting a fake sign informing
the tourists that they have indeed ar-
rived in Checkpoint Charlie. The fake
German soldiers, the signposts plas-
tered everywhere and the giant mural of
a soldier, who many falsely assume to be
Charlie all add to the amusing façade.
The tension between the Soviets and
Americans at the height of the Berlin
Crisis in 1961 could have resulted in
World War three if either side had been
too trigger happy. Checkpoint Charlie
has so much more historical significance
to offer but all this has now been lost,
replaced by tourist traps; the merchan-
dise, the actors, and multiple photo op-
portunities. The real guard house can be
found in the Allied Museum in Dahlem.
Checkpoint Charlie is worth a visit, but
simply to take a photograph, check it
off your list and move on.
By Isla TODD
Friedrichstraße 43-45
10969 Berlin Kreuzberg
Kochstrasse: Train: U6. Bus: M29 or N6
CHECKPOINT
CHARLIE
Travel back to the era of the eight bit
pixel games, an ideal museum wheth-
er you remember the games or con-
sider them retro. This place has them
all; Mario, Space invaders, two life size
figurines of Lara Croft, The Legend of
Zelda or the simple Tetris. Covering
the history of the gaming industry, in-
cluding the German influence, this mu-
seum hosts 20 interactive exhibits with
headsets and your own little controller
to play through Skype interviews, game
trials or examples. Opened in Janu-
ary 2011, this museum has already be
praised by key figures in the industry
and visitors alike, the 300 exhibits in-
clude rare games and consoles such as
Pong, Pain Station and various Ninten-
do donations.
The popular arcade allows many to re-
live their childhood by spending hours
trying to level up. Be sure to get there
early, the games are in high demand
and there is nothing worse than being
Player Two in a single player game.
By Isla TODD
Address: Charlottenstraße
1, 10969 Kreuzberg, Berlin
Mon-Sun 10:00-20:00
www.computerspielemuseum.de
Tickets: Adult: €8 / Concession €5 / Family card
€17
Kochstraße U6.
T
HE
GAM
ES
MU
SEUM
30. 58
59
After stumbling over the name of this
Third Reich museum, you stumble
into an anonymous box-like structure.
It could easily be mistaken for a 21st
century office space with its glass walls,
water feature and grey colour palette.
However uprooted the building may
seem, it is entrenched in the history
below, as it is built above the former
Gestapo and SS headquarters. The
museum consists of five themes
across the institutions and acts of
terror. Displayed on hanging boards
(which are sea-sick inducing as they
sway when you read) the exhibition
includes biographies, power structures,
historiography and even security
officers’ private photos. You either
enter with a strong mindset and comfy
shoes to stand-read, or you dip in and
out, using the interactive films, folders
and facsimiles to form your experience.
The outdoor display contains excavated
headquarters, the expansive history
of Berlin and a long stretch of original
Berlin wall. The indoor exhibition
poignantly ends with block versions of
employment index cards.
These index cards highlight that, of the
7,000 who worked for the institutions
of terror, only 16 were convicted,
conveyed by a prominence from the wall
instillation. It is sobering, informative
and a valuable introduction to Berlin’s
historical sites.
By Alice STRETCH
Address: Niederkirchnerstraße 8,
10963 Berlin
Opening times: Mon – Sun, 10.00 –
20.00,
Free admission
U Bahn and S-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz or
Kochstaße, Anhalter Bahnhof
Website: http://www.topographie.de/
TOPOGRAPHY
O F
TERROR
Originally opened in 1925 by pacifist
Ernst Friedrich, it housed a collection
of artefacts from WW1, with the inten-
tion to show the horrors of war in order
to promote peace. In 1933 the Nazis
seized the museum and tragically con-
verted it into a torture chamber. It was
not until 1982 that the museum reo-
pened, in a new location, by a group
led by Friedrich’s grandson Tommy
Spree. Spree still works here, alongside
a team of dedicated volunteers.
Comprised of three small rooms, it
holds pieces from the original museum
as well as objects donated by Berliners
from both world wars. One room fo-
cuses on various leaders of the peace
movement worldwide and another is
a gallery displaying art about human
rights and peace.
What this museum lacks in size and
slickness, it makes up for in hands-on
experience. Try to lift the fragment of
a WW2 bomb, one of the thousands
dropped on the city. Leaf through a
scrapbook of landscape pencil draw-
ings made by a WW1 soldier while on
the front.
Lastly, head downstairs to the original
air raid shelter, with its authentic ar-
tefacts, where you get some sense of
the trepidation and stifling conditions
one would have experienced during a
bombing raid.
By Heidi VINEY
Brüsseler Straße 21, 13353 Berlin-Mitte
Mon-Fri 16:00-20:00
Free admission but donations appreci-
ated.
Seestraße U6
http://www.anti-kriegs-museum.de
ANTI- WAR
MUSEUM
31. 60
61
B ERL I N
W
A
L
L
MEMORIAL
Germany’s official monument to a
once divided city, commemorating
the victims of the Berlin Wall and the
communist regime is a 1.4km memo-
rial. The 220m walk along the section
of wall allows time for solemnity and
learning from the past.
Watch a short introductory film up-
stairs in the Visitor Centre, then step
outside to wander among the mark-
ers of former border fortifications.
Here multimedia stations tell the sto-
ries: how the wall altered the area, re-
placing a cemetery and a church; how
the border was guarded; desperate
escape attempts; and heart rending
accounts of families torn apart by the
unforeseen division.
Particularly moving is the Window
of Remembrance, dedicated to the
136 people who lost their lives at the
wall. Now standing on the site of the
destroyed church is The Chapel of Rec-
onciliation. Across the road, the Doc-
umentation Centre’s exhibition marks
25 years since the fall of the wall, out-
lining the politics and history of those
turbulent years. From here, further
understand what you have seen from
a bird’s eye perspective at the viewing
platform.
This poignant site serves as both a som-
bre tribute to a divided past, as well as
a gathering place for Berliners to re-
member, and to reclaim what was once
a hostile piece of land.
By Heidi VINEY
Bernauer Strasse 111, 13355, Berlin.
Visitor Centre/ Documentation Centre Tues - Sun:
10:00 - 18:00.
Open Air Exhibition open 24 hours a day, all year
round.
Free Entry.
JEWISH
MUSEUM
American architect Daniel Libeskind’s
design reminiscent of a deconstruct-
ed Star of David is the chosen setting
for this comprehensive museum doc-
umenting the history of the German
Jews and Jewish culture. Libeskind’s
creation of physical ‘voids’ throughout
- deceptively cavernous spaces within
the building- act as a powerful symbol
of the overwhelming absence of Jewish
life from German society.
Descend the staircase to explore the
three intersecting paths which zig zag
underground. The Axis of Exile, repre-
senting the personal upheaval for Jew-
ish refugees fleeing the Nazi regime,
leads to the Garden of Exile - its diso-
rienting, sloping ground and concrete
columns, evoking a sense of im-balance
and isolation. Another axis ends at the
Holocaust Tower with its overbearing
grey walls. Silence fills the void here as
the door clunks behind you, and all that
remains is a slither of light from above
and distant noises of an outside world
out of reach. The Axis of Continuity
leads, with a sense resilience, to the up-
per levels of the museum.
Here, over two floors, interactive displays tell
the chronological story of the German Jews,
starting from the first settlements in the
Middle Ages. There is a feature on how re-
ligious and cultural tradi-tions have evolved
and a focus on the identity of the people as
both German and Jewish, with their hopes
for equality and social recognition in the
century preceding the Nazi regime.
A haunting tribute to all victims of war and
violence is found in the ‘Memory Void’ where
Menashe Kadishman’s installation invites the
visitor to walk across a floor strewn with over
10,000 large metal faces, as though they
were fallen leaves.
This is a museum that deserves time, so
allow at least half a day to visit. Take the
highly informa-tive audio guide as well as
take a picnic lunch to enjoy in the extensive
gardens.
By Heidi VINEY
Lindenstrasse 9-14, 10969, Berlin.
Daily 10.00 - 20.00, Mondays until 22.00.
Adult: EURO 8, Concs EURO 3, Audio Guide EURO 3
(plus ID as deposit)
Hallesches Tor U1,U6 or Kochstrasse U6. Bus M29, M41,
248.
www.jmberlin.de
32. 62
63
THE KENNEDY
MUSEUM
Occupying the second floor of a former
Jewish girls’ school, The Kennedys
presents a summarised history of the
Kennedy family in images, videos and
documents. Despite the plural title, it
is of course John F. Kennedy, of such
symbolic importance to Berlin, who
dominates the museum.
Exploiting its spacious venue, the
exhibition has as its cornerstone a
profusion of photos. Their contents –
JFK at home, JFK campaigning, JFK
and his wife’s silhouettes on the toilet
doors – are repetitive enough that
it is tempting to accelerate through
the gallery. Visitors are rewarded
for thoroughness however, by some
intriguing primary sources including the
President’s handwritten notes on how
to pronounce his iconic phrase, ‘Ich bin
ein Berliner’. The speech containing it
appears on a video screen.
There is little on the other defining
features of the Kennedy presidency –
Cuba, the Space Race, civil rights – and
one senses that a museum dependent
for much of its collection on the John F.
Kennedy Library in Boston chooses not
to highlight more contentious matters.
But this, after all, is Berlin, and the
exhibition aims at an overview rather
than a comprehensive history, in that it
succeeds.
By Tim STICKINGS
‘The Kennedys’ Museum
Auguststraße 11-13, 10117 Charlottenburg, Berlin
Tue-Sun 11:00-19:00
€5.00, €2.50 concessions
Oranienburger Straße S1
http://www.thekennedys.de/english/
EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE
GDRMany of Berlin’s museums narrate the
deeds of East German politicians. This
superb, interactive exhibition in a for-
mer brewery puts the focus instead on
the daily lives of their subjects during
the Cold War. The museum’s two large
rooms contain simple artefacts as jam
jars, empty bottles and television sets,
juxtaposed with posters of meaningless
Communist party slogans.
Among the exhibition’s aims is to reveal
the everyday hopes and fears of GDR
citizens, divorced from ideology. One
valuable method used is to look at the
GDR through the eyes of young people,
who were less conditioned by official
propaganda. Asked to describe how
they expect the world to look in 2010,
schoolchildren of the 1980s dream of
the chance to travel outside the East-
ern Bloc. Postcards of bland, state-run
company holidays make it obvious why.
The display does stray into politics at
times, remarking on the scale of Stasi
repression. Although with 11,000 East
Berliners employed by the Stasi in 1988,
it is quite reasonable to see surveillance
as a feature of everyday life. Full of de-
tail, conveying the spirit of the GDR, the
museum would be worth a substantial
admission fee. For no cost at all, a visit
is essential.
By Tim STICKINGS
Alltag in der DDR/Everyday Life in the GDR Muse-
um in der Kulturbrauerei
Knaackstraße 97, 10435 Mitte
Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu 10:00-20:00
Admission free
Eberswalder Straße U2
http://www.hdg.de/berlin/museum-in-der-kultur-
brauerei/
33. 64
65
Built between 1843 and 1855 and
originally conceived as an extension
of the Altes Museum, the Neues (New)
Museum boasts one of the largest
Ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world,
along with Berlin’s Prehistory and Early
History collections.
Reconstructed by London architect
David Chipperfield, the Neues Museum
is itself as much a part of the exhibit as
the priceless artifacts held inside. The
remains of wall paintings and delicately
mosaicked tiles from the original
building destroyed during the air raids
dot the walls and ceilings, the most
impressive examples found within the
Ancient Egyptian section. An old solar
calendar painting in brilliant blues and
gold’s stares down from the roof at you,
a tribute to the Ancient Egyptian sun
cult of Amon-Ra.
Grab your free audio guide and enter
the realm of the ancient Egyptians,
winding your way through the exhibits
to the room of the legendary bust of
Queen Nefertiti. After you’ve marvelled
at her perfectly preserved paintwork,
slowly move up the three floors through
the papyrus rooms, sculptural atrium
and sarcophagus chamber to the top,
where the Golden Hat sits proudly
within a perspex covered sanctuary.
Passed through the generations as
an educational tool for religious and
sun-calendar recording purposes, the
unique shape of this headgear and
its antique story telling technique is
definitely a must-see.
Be sure to drink plenty of water before
your visit, as bags are checked and
water is thrown away upon entrance.
By Amy FREUND
Bodestraße 1-3, 10178 Berlin-Mitte
Fri-Wed 10:00-18:00 Thurs 10:00-20.00
Hackescher Markt S5, S7, S75
www.smb.museum
12€, Concession 6€
NEUES
MUSEUM
Hidden away in a shopping center,
this museum may be hard to find but
shouldn’t be missed. This journey
through 800 years of Berlin’s dramatic
past is laid out across three storeys
and includes a guided tour through a
nuclear bomb shelter from the Cold
War.
Explore 23 themed rooms which gives
the viewer a first-hand interactive
experience of the city’s history, from the
bustling Middle Ages to the fall of the
Berlin Wall. Opened to the public in
June 1999, the curator’s intention was
to connect emotional experience with
historical information.
The best way to achieve this is to tour
the bomb shelter, built in 1973.
The city of Berlin created this first-
come-first-served underground bunker
in case of nuclear emergency. Inside,
there is so much shocking information
to absorb, firstly how there was only
room for 3600 people. Then facts such
as there were no showers or bathroom
stalls for fear that isolation would result
in suicide and how all these ideas were
only for a maximum of two weeks with
no follow up plans. The construction
of this bomb shelter conveys the idea
of how easy one can be manipulated
through fear. It all becomes a bit too
real when you realise this shelter is still
planned for use today.
By Kelsey RAUSCH
THE STORY OF
BERLIN MUSEUM
AND NUCLEAR BOMB SHELTER
Kurfürstendamm 207-208, 10719 Berlin
Open daily 10:00- 20:00, last entry at 18:00
€12, €9 concessions
Uhlandstrasse U1 X9, X10, 109, 110, M10, M19, M29
www.story-of-berlin.de
34. 66
67
GHOST STATION
EXHIBITION
Nordbahnhof S-Bahn station hosts
an exhibition to Berlin’s Cold War-era
ghost stations, which made up one of
the more curious episodes in the city’s
history. Berlin’s underground network
was no friend of a divided city- as trains
in West Berlin following routes installed
before the Cold War- continued to
loop through the East. After closing
the border above ground in 1961, the
East German authorities considered the
tunnels as a likely means of escape, shut
down stations connecting to the West,
and sent armed guards to supervise
them.
Boarded up and removed from maps,
Nordbahnhof was among the stops
reduced to a ghost station.
Today, although retaining its old-
fashioned architecture, it is home once
again to the sound of tourists, train
doors and ticket machines. It recalls
its history in an informative display on
the forecourt, passed by everyone who
uses the station. The exhibition is full of
detail,yetsmallenoughtowanderround
in twenty minutes. Its tone is balanced,
not assigning blame, but instead
reminding visitors that the division of
Berlin was a feature of everyday life, not
just of global politics. Its location makes
Berlin’s past a constant presence.
By Tim STICKINGS
Invalidenstraße 131 10115, Mitte, Berlin
Open all hours
Free admission
Nordbahnhof S1,S2,S25
SINTI AND ROMA
MEMORIAL
Taking up a small corner of the Tiergar-
ten, Berlin’s memorial to the Sinti and
Roma victims of Nazism is a place of
contemplation within immediate sight
of both the Reichstag building and
Brandenburg Gate.
Installed in 2012, arguably long over-
due, it has at its focal point a calm and
shallow pool of water. The pool is sur-
rounded by paving stones, engraved
with the names of concentration camps.
A single flower, lying on a plinth in the
middle of the pool, is replaced every
day. Unlike the Holocaust Memorial,
the monument comes with an explana-
tion from its architect, Dani Karavan, for
whom the water represents tears. The
flower, he goes on, reminds us that re-
membrance is an active and ongoing
process. Amid the commotion of the
city, a recorded violin sound is almost
imperceptible.
The memorial is nonetheless well
placed, a short distance from the Hol-
ocaust Memorial, and a mark of Ger-
many’s contrition among symbols of its
power. Enclosing the site, set in a small
patch of grass, are panels narrating the
persecution of gypsies under the Third
Reich. As many as half a million Sinti
and Roma were murdered in Germany
and its occupied territories.
By Tim STICKINGS
Georgenstraße 23, 10117 Mitte
Open all hours
Admission free
Brandenburger Tor S1, S2, S25
www.stiftung-denkmal.de/en/memorials/sin-
ti-and-roma-memorial.htmlremove
35. 68
69
S
T
R
E
E
T
ART
A L L E Y
Street art in one form or another can be
seen nearly everywhere in Berlin – on
walls, doors, even sidewalks - but the
mecca of all things graffiti is located
near Hackescher Markt off Rosenthaler
Straße. This happening backstreet is
covered by huge, ever-changing murals
that make for a jaw-dropping backdrop
for an afternoon stroll or an evening
drink.
The creative energy is palpable as you
meander down this relatively hidden
alley. Famous artists like Banksy, El
Bocho and local legend xooooox are on
display alongside amateur stick-ups and
the occasional scribbling by tourists.
Gaze at the vague body-like forms on
the wall, then move in closer to study
the intricate details that emerge. In the
back of the alley, marvel at artist Jimmy
C’s awe-inspiring portrait of Anne Frank
comprised of blue, pink and orange
swirls.
Artists from all over still visit the alley
to express themselves and paint over
existing works so every visit could be
different. Café Cinema sits just beside
the alley so take a seat outside and
ogle at the overlapping shapes and
occasional pieces of urban knitting
wrapped around light-poles. Be sure
to bring a camera as the technicolored
walls make the perfect background for
a stunning selfie.
By Jessie DiMARTINO
Rosenthaler Strasse 39, 10178, Mitte
Free Admission
Berlin Hackescher Markt S5, S7, S75
Weinmeistertraße U8
LAKE
WANNSEE
On the south west bank of Berlin, you’ll
find a refreshing summer getaway. Open
to the public in 1907, this 1275 meter
beach of golden sand has continued to
provide a relaxing environment for the
past 100 years.
Beyond the entrance to the park is a
large open area complete with life-
sized chess boards, ice cream stands,
and pathways to ride a bike or take a
stroll. Steps lead down to food kiosks
to quench your thirst or satisfy your
hunger from splashing around all day.
Clean toilets, showers, and lockers are
abundantly available for safekeeping
valuables and rinsing off from the murky
waters. Wicker beach chairs can be
rented for €8 daily, or €5 for half a day.
For those looking for some thrill,
make sure to take the short swim
from the shore to the enclosed
waterslide. A water sports center
provides rentals for windsurfing
and sailing. Specific courts for
football and volleyball can be
found on the sand as well.
A great place for both the young
and old alike, make sure to stay
to the left of the wooden wall,
which designates the barrier
of the nudist beach. After all,
no one wants an unexpected
surprise on their day off.
By Kelsey RAUSCH
Wannseebadweg 25, 14129 Berlin
April-June: Monday –Friday 10:00-19:00,
Saturday- Sunday 8:00-20:00
June-August Monday- Friday 9:00-20:00,
Saturday- Sunday 8:00-21:00
€5.50, €3.50 reduced
Nikolassee S1
www.berlinerbaeder.de
36. 70
71
STASI PRISON
A red brick wall encloses an eerie ghost
town, located in an otherwise regular
neighborhood. Here lies the former
restricted area home to Stasi, the East
German Secret police, comprised of
workshops and offices and the prison’s
walls in the centre of it all.
After the division of Berlin, Josef Stalin
ordered a purging of hostile elements,
a de-Nazification which spared few.
Opponents of the Stasi were held in this
pre-trial prison from 1945-1989.
Starting with an informative video,
the lengthy guided tour leads you
through two buildings, including
the underground isolation rooms
nicknamed ‘the Submarine’, a padded
room made with tyres to buffer sound,
and a criminal Barkas B 1000 transport
truck. With three floors and over 200
cells, this preserved museum looks
just as it did on the day of German
reunification in 1989. It is impossible
to miss the rancid ‘East Germany smell’
of plastic and Lysol cleaner used in the
120 interrogation rooms.
You will hear stories of prison brutality,
the intense and methodological tactics
of total control, and how isolation forced
prisoners into false confessions. A visit
is only possible through a guided tour,
and make sure to come on Thursdays
when an 85 year old former inmate who
was tried for terrorism at 15 leads the
tours.
By Kelsey RAUSCH
Genslerstraße 66, 13055 Berlin
Guided Tours March to October daily 11:30 &
14:30
Guided Tours November to February Wednesday,
Saturday, Sunday 14:30
€5, €1 concessions
Freienwalder Straße M5, Genslerstraße M6,
Liebenwalder Straße Bus 256
www.stifthung-hsh.de
NEUE WACHENEUEWACHE
On Unter den Linden, a small but striking
building stands between the German
Historical Museum and Humbolt Uni-
versity. This structure, formerly home to
the Royal Guard, has been Berlin’s main
memorial site for the victims of war since
1993. From afar, spectators admire the
building’s German Neoclassical archi-
tecture, characterised by massiveDoric
columns, but beneath this lovely façade
the Neue Wache has a complex history.
Karl Friedrich Schinkel designed the
guardhouse in 1816 on orders from
King Friederick Wilhelm III of Prus-
sia. The building served as the roy-
al guardhouse until the end of World
War I, at which time architect Heinrich
Tessenow redesigned it as a memorial
to those who died during the war. In
1960, after suffering damages during
World War II, the monument was re-
constructed as a memorial to the vic-
tims of fascism and militarism. Once
German reunification began, the build-
ing underwent yet another transforma-
tion, making it the “Central Memorial
of the Federal Republic of Germany
for the Victims of War and Tyranny.”
Today, when you walk into this cav-
ernous memorial, you’re greeted by
a single tragic sculpture of a moth-
er cradling her dead son, created by
German artist Käthe Kollwitz. The stat-
ue sits beneath an oculus that leaves
it exposed to the harsh snow, wind
and rain. This represents the suffering
of civilians during WWII and is a con-
stant reminder of Berlin’s brutal past.
By Jessie DiMARTINO
Unter den Linden 4, 10117, Mitte
Open Daily 10:00-18:00
Free Admission
Friedrichstraße S, U6
+49 30 25002333
37. 72
73
M E D I C A L
HISTORY
Focusing on methods of research, in-
struments and the philosophy behind
the deep scientific understanding of
the human body, this exhibition gathers
together over 300 years of fascinating
medical history.
Pathologist and physician Rudolf Vir-
chow’s results of years of research and
efforts, are displayed
over two floors of the former museum
building of the Pathological Institute,
inside the Charité
Hospital Campus.
Visitors start with a re-creation of a lec-
ture theatre where dead patients were
once grossly cut open for the sake of
science. Continuing with Virchow’s per-
sonal set of operation tools – including a
spooky amputation kit – and a wall cov-
ered with sample wax faces bearing eye
diseases, visitors come to the Specimen
Hall, the main attraction of the muse-
um. Here are over 750 of Virchow’s wet
and dry anatomic-pathological prepa-
rations. Exhibits range from creepy and
deformed skeletons through kidney
and bladder stones arranged in obscure
artistic compositions to foetuses
floating in formaldehyde. It makes
for a rather gruesome show, so be
prepared.
The second level is dedicated to a
rich exposition of medical equip-
ment including the first pioneering
exemplars of an iron lung, x-ray ma-
chine and sepsis care apparatus.
Easily taking up to four intense
hours, an audio guide rich with ad-
ditional historical information and
tacky sound effects can add to your
visit.
By Paolo Andrea PIDELLO
Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
Tues-Sun 10:00-17:00, Wed-Sat
10:00-19:00
€7 (€3.50 concession) Audio Guide
€3
Berlin Haupbahnhof S7, S5, S75
www.bmm-charite.de
BERLIN MUSEUM OF
AT THE CHARITÉ
39. 76
77
F A S T
FOOD
I N B E R L I N
For a greasy bite as the sun rises
after Kreuzberg clubbing, a snack
before a day trip or just to eat your
way through Berlin, the tastes of this
city are unrivalled. Be introduced to a
vast range of international bites and
beverages at Street Food Thursday
(Markt Halle Neun, 10997). You will also
realise why the Germans are famous
for their Wursts (sausages). Berlin has
a particular specialty – Currywurst –
sauced and spiced to perfection. If
you’re a keen bean you can find them
right outside the airports, at the train
stations and at a handful of Curry Wurst
:-) road-side kiosks. Instead, wait and
try the most hyped one from Curry 36
(Mehringdamm, 10961) or at a Witty’s
stand with its organic local produce
feel-good factor.
If a sausage does not excite, then
maybe something closer to home
will placate your palate. Don’t
automatically take your €1.19 to
McDonald’s for a cheeseburger, instead
have a master burger at Burgermesiter
(Oberbaumstraße, 10997). As a former
toilet it’s an intriguing - and now
hygienic - place to eat. For English
service, American meat and a filling
portion size The Bird (Am Falkplatz,
10437) in Prenzlauer Berg is a meaty
moment waiting to happen. Yet don’t
miss out on the ‘Offer of a Century’ at
Tommi Burger (Invalidenstraße, 10115)
which began as a joint in Iceland but
now a Berlin staple.
Berlin is home to the largest Turkish
community outside Turkey with over
200,000 Turkish people living within
the city and the fast food is testament
to this. Over 1000 kebab shops in
the city makie it difficult to focus your
food instincts on what’s best. Mustafa’s
(Mehringdamm, 10961) renowned
vegetarian kebap is a unique and
unforgettable taste. Although be
prepared to queue, as with many of
these Berlin staples. Try a traditional
kebab at Hakiki (Schönhauser Allee,
13359) as it translates to “the genuine”,
or a lahmacun Turkish pizza at Hisar
(Yorkstraße, 10965) the origin of the
Turkish franchise, or for a 100% veal
kebab Tadim (Adalbertstraße, 10999) is
your best bet.
Berlin is a diverse melting pot with
Irish pubs, Swedish franchises and
Vietnamese restaurants. You will never
tire of the food here, even if your wallet
does - all fast food mentioned costs less
than €10. So while in Berlin delve into
the deliciousness, test your tastes and
be hungry.
By Alice STRETCH
40. 78
79
CAFE 1900Tucked away in a quiet, leafy
Charlottenburg Street lies a time
capsule. Café 1900, with its meals
modelled off turn-of-the-century
favourites, makes you feel as if you’ve
been given a piece of the past for your
morning cuppa. Sit amongst uneven
tables, chequered tablecloths and the
many businessmen and locals who
make a pilgrimage to the café each
morning, as you enjoy one of the café’s
many delectable omelette options. If
you’re looking for a meal to satisfy your
hunger, you can indulge in ‘The 1900’.
A delicious selection of local cheeses,
meats and handmade bread rolls, it is
topped with freshly squeezed orange
juice to sweeten a deal that comes in at
a reasonable €9.
Or bring a friend and split ‘The 1900
for Two’, a mammoth meal for just €16.
Once you’ve immersed yourself in the
nostalgic atmosphere and sultry songs
of the past, treat yourself to one of
the café’s aromatic teas, ‘The 1899’. A
smooth harmonic mix of sliced apples,
ginger, fresh mint and cranberries, it will
leave you feeling warm and fuzzy for
the best part of the day.
By Amy FREUND
Knesebeckstraße 76, 10623 Charlottenburg
Savignyplatz S5, S7, S75
Mon-Fri 8:00-19:00 Sat-Sun 9:00-19:00
€€
030 88715871
This deceivingly spacious café has
been constructed with minimalist,
yet chic décor throughout. A feeling
of traditional values will immediately
overcome you as the waiting staff
politely greet customers and allow you
to select your own table.
There is no use for pens and pads in this
fine establishment as the skilful staff take
note of your order only from memory.
The service is surprisingly quick and the
plates are topped with ample portions.
The complimentary bread rolls are
stamped with the Einstein logo just
in case you forget where you are. The
extensive menu will have you spoilt for
choice, however the scrambled eggs
with bacon and onions for only €6 is not
to be missed.
Dining at café Einstein is an experience
within itself and having a drink in
the beautiful garden will beautifully
complete the culinary adventure. Drinks
are reasonably priced (from €2.80) and
provide the perfect way to cool off on a
warm summer’s day.
By Steph BASSEY
Kurfürstenstraße 58, 10785 Berlin
Mon-Sun 08:00-00:00
€€
Nollendorfplatz U3, U4, U12
www.cafeeinstein.com/en/
CAFE EINSTEIN
STAMMHAUS
41. 80
81
MUSTAFA’S
GEMÜSE KEBAB
Head over to Kreuzberg’s
Mehringdamm Straße for a kebab
experience like nothing you’ve had
before. A giant queue amasses around
a tiny shack with simple green signage
as the lucky few are given the holy grail
of this simple fast food treat. Mustafa’s
- the mecca of Döner Kebabs.
Take your spot in the queue and get
ready to sink your teeth into a delicious
concoction of seasonal char-grilled
vegetables; melt-in-your-mouth, slow-
turned chicken; and a mix of feta cheese
and dill, with either a garlic-herb or hot
sauce that you can only dream of.
The prices are just as small as their menu,
with only three choices available for
starved customers ranging from €2.80
to €3.50. Not that this matters though.
Their specialty, the vegetarian Kebap or
its meaty cousin are all you really need.
But beware of the lunch and afternoon
rush, as eager eaters (tourists and office
people alike) pour out of the woodwork.
They stream into the ever-growing
queue which may leave you desperate
enough to evacuate the line for a quick
pizza next door. But withstand the wait,
the anguish all melts away with your
first bite of a truly delicious; practically
perfect, kebab.
By Amy FREUND
Mehringdam 32, 10961 Berlin-Kreuzberg
Mon-Sun 10:00-02:00
€
Mehringdamm Bahnhof U6, U7
www.mustafas.de
BAGEL
COFFEE
CULTURE
under €3. Alternatively, go with one
of the rejuvenating fruit smoothies,
a homemade explosion of colour
and flavour (€3.60). Its slogan “Small
Kitchen - Big heart” is a fitting line for
such a friendly, homely cafe.
By Alex VAN GOETHEM
Mehringdamm 66, 10961 Berlin
Opening times: Mon-Fri 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 -
20:00, Sun 10:00 - 20:00
€€
Mehringdamm U6,U7
www.bagelcoffeeculture.com
Facebook.com/bagelcoffeeculture
Just a short walk from the packed
queues of ‘Curry 36’ and ‘Mustafas
Gemüsekebaps’, lies this tiny, stylish
cafe specialising in coffee and mouth-
wateringly delicious bagels. Be
welcomed by the friendly staff and the
aroma of freshly ground coffee beans.
Your food will be delivered straight to
your seat, so relax and take the time
to unwind, absorbing the beauty of the
classical decor, while making good use
of the free Wi-Fi. With over eighteen
varieties of bagel dishes available,
each with its own unique flavour, you
will not be stuck for choice.
The menu also provides a selection
of salads and ‘Soup of the Days’,
with options for vegetarians, vegans,
and those requiring halal. Prices are
affordable, and range from €2.40
to €6.50. Accompany your bagel
with high quality coffee or tea for
42. 82
83
This surf and turf restaurant is known for
its scrumptious and affordable cuisine,
with dishes such as fried fish and
potatoes priced at only €6.50. You’ll be
greeted by a six-foot statue of the Berlin
Bear and a plush red carpet that leads
you to the entrance. Upon entering, the
smell of fresh lemon zest fills your lungs
and you’ll see a range of sea creatures
on ice that include lobsters, crabs and
octopus.
Tables, located inside and out, are
kitted out with the fanciest of table
decorations including luxurious
vanilla-scented candles and
delicately folded crisp white napkins.
The delectable dishes and dashing
decor do not, however, make up for
the appalling service. After making
a booking, you’ll need to call and
confirm your table at least once more
as reservations often get ‘deleted from
the system’. If you are lucky enough to
be seated by the less than enthusiastic
staff, you’ll have the chance to
peruse the vast, yet confusing menu.
The restaurant’s food is ideal for steak
and sea food lovers but brace yourself
for the waiting staff’s terrible attitude
as ‘service with a smile’ does not exist
here.
By Steph BASSEY
Kurfürstendamm 212, 10719
Charlottenberg
Mon-Sun 11:00-01:00
€€
Uhlandstraβe U1, U9
+49 30 - 886 828 00
L E T S G O S Y L T CAFE AM
LITERATURHAUS
sponge centre, artfully presented with
apricots. If you are after something
warmer, there are countless coffees
to assuage any tired tourist; from
grog mit rum (beverage with rum) to
heisse zitrone (hot lemon). Soak up
the atmosphere with those who dine
here; tourists, Berliners, air-kissing
ladies and literary enthusiasts alike.
A place of pretentious loveliness
with receptive service and a literati
lineage.
By Alice STRETCH
Address: Fasanenstraße 23, 10719 Berlin
Opening times: Monday – Sunday 09:00 –
22:00
Public transport: S-Bahn: Savignyplatz,
U-Bahn: Uhlandßtrase
Website: www.literaturhaus-berlin.de
Pristine, starch white tablecloths lay
beneath glasses of French wine, plates
of delicate pastries and the voices of
an afternoon’s chatter. A welcoming
atmosphere to the upmarket art-
nouveau style café. Enjoy an Italian
prosecco or German brandy outside
in the historic gardens, an enticing
sandwich in the Wintergarten
(conservatory) or a warm meal in the
darkwood-clad dining space. The café is
an addendum to the Literaturhaus which
has existed as a military hospital, soup
kitchen and brothel once completed
in 1889. However, for the past thirty
years, it has been a museum, bookstore
and cultural forum, even hosting the
international literature festival.
A short walk from Kufürstendam, the
café is the perfect place to brunch with
a breakfast platter (€7 to €22) before a
day’s shopping. Refreshing desserts are
presented on the patisserie counter all
day including an iced tiramisu with a
43. 84
85
WEST BERLIN CAFE
Friedrichstraße 215,
10969 Kreuzberg Berlin
Opening times:
Mon-Fri 08:30 - 19:00
Sat-Sun 10:00 - 19:00
€€
Kochstrabe U6
www.westberlin-bar-shop.de
facebook.com/westberlin.de
+49 (0)30-25 92 27 46
This super-trendy coffee bar and media
shop provides the perfect pit stop for
tourists and office workers alike. Located
in the midst of the hyper-touristy area
around Checkpoint Charlie, it provides
a welcome contrast.
Admire the range of mouth-watering
sandwiches, quiches and salads, all
freshly prepared in store, but the
scrumptious cakes and coffee are the
real speciality. Coffee is imported from
famous roasters ‘Five Elephant’ in Berlin
and ‘drop coffee’ in Stockholm for a
unique taste, served by the competent
yet less-than-engaging staff. The high
quality coffee is reasonably priced
(€2.50 - €3.50) but be prepared to pay
slightly above average (€3.50 - €6.50)
for slightly above average artisan food.
The ultra-contemporary minimal
designed decor with grey concrete
floors and a medley of wooden furniture
- feels almost too cool, as though
you’re intruding into an art installation.
However, the free Wi-Fi and allocated
work space area with electrical recharge
stations, makes this an ideal hideaway
for Internet surfers and drop-by workers.
The interior space is accompanied by
an outside patio and wide selection of
newspapers and stylish art and design
magazines.
By Alex VAN GOETHEM
B U C H A L D
BAKERY
Take a step back in time with a visit
to Buchwald Bakery, the oldest pastry
shop in Berlin. Family owned and oper-
ated since 1852, Buchwald specialises
in the baumkuchen tree cake. This la-
bour-intensive specialty is cooked on
a spit over a wood fire, the batter del-
icately painted on with every rotation.
This results in about twenty thin layers
per slice, which when cut resemble
rings of a tree. Covered in dark choc-
olate, and coated with marmalade,
this magnificent culinary experience is
the best you’ll find in Germany. Given
that the founder, Gustav Buchwald, was
named Purveyor of the Pastry by Prus-
sian Prince Alexander in 1852, it is no
surprise everything here is a confection-
ary masterpiece.
Creaking parquet floors, striped, tex-
tured wallpaper, and worn in couches all
provide the café with a homey atmos-
phere reminiscent of a caring grand-
mother’s kitchen. The staff, armed with
smiles and samples, are eager to serve
from their extensive menu ranging from
breakfast omelettes, to dinner options.
If you just want to fill up on dessert,
grab a slice of cake for €3, or cake with
ice cream for €5, and you’ll be smiling
for the rest of the day. Take a trip out
to this charming bakery and stay awhile,
your stomach will thank you.
By Kelsey RAUSCH
Konditorei Buchwald Bakery and Café
Bartningallee 29, 10557 Mitte Berlin
Monday-Saturday 8:00-18:00, Sundays
and public holidays 9:00-18:00
€
Bellevue S5, S7, S75
http://www.konditorei-buchwald.de/
