Berlin
Cathedral: Built between 1893 and 1905, this Neo-Baroque
structure was the main church of Prussian Protestantism.
Berlin Town Hall: Seat of the
governing mayor of Berlin. Built 1861-69, also known as the "Red
Town Hall".
Brandenburg
Gate: Symbol of Berlin, built 1788-91, designed by C.G.
Langhans, Victoria with Quadriga added in 1794.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church:
Built in the late 19C, destroyed 1943. A modern church was built next
to the ruin in 1959-61.
St. Nikolai Church: Oldest church
building in Berlin, now houses a permanent exhibition on the history
of the city.
Schloss
Charlottenburg: Built as a summer palace for Sophie-Charlotte,
wife of the later King Friedrich I. Completed in its present form
in 1790.
Victory Column: Built 1866-73,
designed by J.H. Strack. Approx. 69m, topped with a gilded statue
of Victoria.
Berlin
Redevelopment: Information station on Leipziger Platz.
The Potsdamer Platz project investors -Mercedes-Benz, Sony, the Berlin
City Planning Office and German Rail - have installed a huge multimedia
container packed with computers, screens and models. A click with
the "space mouse" displays the latest information on the
progress of the new city quarter. Worth a visit!
Old Congress Centre (Kongresshalle):
Known locally as the "pregnant oyster", this building was
the U.S. contribution to the International Construction Exhibition
in 1957. Now the home of the House of the Cultures of the World.
New Guardhouse (Neue Wache): Built
1816-18, designed by Schinkel in the form of a Roman fort. Since 1969
memorial to the victims of fascism and dictatorship.
Potsdamer
Platz: Berlin's new centre, square with over 120 shops,
20 cinemas (including one IMAX), a large musical theatre and much
more.
Museum Island: Unique ensemble
of museums, many collections initiated by Wilhelm von Bode (1845-1929):
Pergamon Museum, Bode Museum, Altes Museum, Alte Natio-nalgalerie,
Neues Museum.
Kulturforum Art Gallery: Opened
in 1998, this magnificent new gallery unites formerly dispersed collections
with around 2,700 paintings spanning the 13C-18C.
Hamburger Bahnhof: Old terminal
railway station, completely renovated and expanded 1990-95 by Kleinhues,
now houses an important collection of contemporary art with 10,000m
of exhibition space.
Excursions
The vibrant metropolis of Berlin lies in the middle of the state of
Brandenburg, just a few miles away from countless lakes, historical
castles, stately homes, abbeys, heaths, pine forests, river valleys
and tree-lined country roads. Few cities have such a wealth of unspoilt
nature and cultural attractions in the direct vicinity. Berlin is
linked to its environs both by the Spree and Havel rivers and by their
common historical heritage, reflected in the many fascinating sights.
Brandenburg is well worth a visit while you're in Berlin -you can
see a great deal even in a few hours or a short day-trip.
The
Fernsehturm, the highest building in the city, is one of Berlin's
biggest attractions. Its total height is 368 meters: the viewing
platform is at a height of 203 metres.
It was built according to the plans of a team of architects from 1965-69,
with the assistance of a group of experts from Sweden. The Fernsehturm,
member of the World Federation of Great Towers, consists of a 250m-high
reinforced concrete shaft topped by a stainless steel sphere, which
is divided into seven stories. One of them is home to the Telecafé,
which offers a breath-taking view of the city.
The
café, which rotates on its own axis, takes 30 minutes to go
round. The tip of the tower is formed by a 118 meter-long television
antenna.
A pavilion-style construction around the foot of the tower was constructed
from 1969-72 according to the plans of the architects Walter Herzog
and Heinz Aust; it is divided into three sections with pointed, multi-pitch
roofs.
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