Berlin Travel Guide

Address: Alexanderplatz 10178 Berlin Germany

At the very center of Berlin, Alexanderplatz serves as a hub of the city, with many of the best sights within walking distance of the square. Although the Fernsehturm, the large TV tower that is the second tallest structure in Europe, rises out of the center of the square, the name Alexanderplatz refers to everything within the square, including the world clock, city park, and the Fountain of Friendship between Peoples.

Alexanderplatz was renamed in honor of the Russian Emperor Alexander's visit to Berlin in 1805. With the construction of the station at its center the square became a prominent part of the city and was the center of Berlin's nightlife for much of the 1920s. Since German reunification, the square has started to reemerge as a shopping center and tourist district. One of the most popular attractions of Alexanderplatz is the Fernsehturm TV Tower. A high-speed elevator takes you to the top of the tower where a rotating restaurant completes one revolution every 20 minutes offering a complete view of the city.

Many buildings around the square are undergoing renovation right now although construction does not interfere with the Fernsehturm.

Admission: 8.50 Euros

Hours: March until October 9 o'clock to Midnight
November until February: 10 o'clock to Midnight

*The Fernsehturm is not wheelchair accessible.

Address: Berlin, Germany

Built by the Communists in 1961 to keep East Germans from escaping into the prosperous Western-controlled section of West Berlin, the Berlin Wall was the most famous symbol of the entire Cold War. After civil unrest in late 1989, the East German government stopped defending the Wall and in the weeks and months following, the Wall was torn down first by souvenir hunters and then later by heavy equipment.

Only three small sections of the Wall remain today as a memorial to that divided era. An 80-meter section near the Potsdamer Platz is the easiest to visit, but there is also an art-covered section near the Spree River known as the East Side Gallery, and another memorial section in the north near Bernauer Strasse. None of the remaining sections resemble the full-size look of the Berlin Wall during the Communist Era, as vandals and souvenir hunters continue to chip away at the remaining scraps, and the preserved sections are only one layer of the original security set up.

The best understanding of the Wall and the brutal East German security policies can be found by visiting the Checkpoint Charlie Museum near the site of that infamous border crossing.

Hours: Always open

Admission: The 3 remaining Berlin Wall sections are free to visit

Address: Am Lustgarten, 10178 Berlin

Enter the Berliner Dom and show your neck to the world as your eyes are immediately drawn up, up, up to Karl Friedrich Schinkel's rendition of the 12 apostles on the underside of the Berlin dome cathedral. One of Berlin's architectural landmarks and the former court cathedral of Prussia's roya family the dome is now in its third incarnation after being demolished in 1894 and damaged during World War II.

Built as the Protestant answer to Saint Peter's Cathedral in Vatican City, the church took 20 years to rebuild the dome and simplified the form of the roof in the process.

Located in the Lustgarten on Berlin's Museum Island, the Dome reopened in 1993 and during the 2006 World Cup offered soccer themed prayer services at noon each day. Climb the 270 steps to the top of the dome before you leave for a great view of the surrounding buildings and parks.

Visits to the cathedral can be quick drop-ins between other attractions, but if you're lucky enough to arrive in time for a service, stay to hear the 7,000 pipe Sauer organ--the largest organ in original form from the late Romantic period.

Berliner Dom also hosts organ concerts on Saturdays at 6:00 pm.

Hours: Monday thru Saturday 09:00 a.m. ? 8:00 p.m.

Admission: 5 euro

Phone: +49(0)30 20269-136

Address: Am Pariser Platz, Berlin, 10117, Germany

Probably the most recognizable existing symbol of Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburg Tor in German) is the only remaining example of what used to be a series of gates through which visitors entered the city. With the new Reichstag building on one side, and the important Unter den Linden Street terminating on the other side, the Brandenburg Gate is in the center of a large chunk of Berlin?s compulsory sights.

Completed in 1791 with 12 Doric columns and a quadriga on top, the Brandenburg Gate is also the backdrop of many large public celebrations. After an extensive renovation prior to Germany?s 2006 World Cup hosting, the large area on the former-Eastern side has been home to most of the city?s biggest outdoor gatherings including an enormous 10th anniversary of the fall of the Wall event in 1999.

The former Berlin Wall ran through the plaza on one side of the Brandenburg Gate, which was closed during this era from 1961 through 1989. The wall is gone in this area now, but the outline remains preserved in the street so visitors can easily picture what the area looked like when it was fully divided. In 1987, US President Ronald Reagan delivered his famous ?Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!? speech just inside the West Berlin side.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Address: Budapester Straße 10623 Berlin, Germany

After an allied bombing raid on Berlin in 1943, only part of the Kaiser-Wilhelm- Gedächtniskirche, was left standing. The burned out tower is still there today, a simultaneous reminder of the destruction of war and the resolve to rebuild and one of Berlins most viewed landmarks.

Gedächtniskirche was slated for destruction several times, but avoided demolition in the 1950's and 60's and now stands as a landmark. The church was known for its beautiful glass mosaics decorating the interior and at the base of the tower the surviving artwork can be seen on display along with a history of the church and photographs of the rebuilding process.

Located near Zoologischer Garten, the area around the Gedächtniskirche has filled in with large malls, and shops. A modern church with a hexagonal tower of approximately the same height was built next door in 1961 and took over the services formerly held in the other church.

The church is surrounded by a public square, so the church is visible all the time, but the lower historical gallery is only available to the public until 7 pm each day.

Admission: Free

Hours: 9am to 7 pm

Trains running to Zooligischer Garten stop: (S3, S5, S7, S9, U2, U9, U12)

Address: 10117 Berlin, Germany

Three notable buildings surround one of the most popular public squares in Berlin, the Gendarmenmarkt. The Konzerthaus, (Concert House) The Französischer Dom (French Cathedral) and Deutscher Dom (German Cathedral) line the outside of the Gendarmenmarkt, augmenting it's cultural relevancy.

The Konzerhaus, designed by Karl-Friedrich Schinkel, is home to the Berlin Symphony Orchestra and also hosts many music events each year. Built in place of the National Theater, which burned in 1817, the Konzerhaus was completed in 1821 and refurbished after receiving damage during World War II.

The Französischer Dom and Deutscher Dom face each other across the square and to the untrained eye it would be difficult to figure out which is which. They look remarkably similar and despite their names, both are now museums and not cathedrals at all. The Französischer Dom contains a Huguenot museum and in the Deutscher Dom you will find exhibits on German history.

A statue of German poet Friedrich Schiller stands in the center of the square.

Hours: 24 Hours

Admission: Free

Museums may have a separate charge.

Address: Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Cora-Berliner-Str. 1, 10117 Berlin

Berlin's Holocaust Memorial, which actually bears the long and rather heavy name of "Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe," is a relatively recent addition to the city. It was opened in 2005 and is composed of two parts - the above-ground part which takes up a whole city block, is always open and free to wander through; and the below-ground information center for which there is often a long line to get in.

The ground level part of the Holocaust Memorial is composed of row after row of concrete slabs (known as "stelae") of various heights. The spaces between them are designed to be only navigable in single file, giving the visitor a sense of being alone, and you can quickly go from towering over the slabs to sinking down into a valley between very tall monoliths. Underground, the Holocaust Memorial's Information Center contains, among other things, the names of as many Jewish Holocaust victims as are known.

The Holocaust Memorial is about a block from the Brandenburg Gate, and within sight of the Reichstag.

Hours:
Field of Stelae - Always open
Information Center - Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00-20:00 (April-September), 10:00-19:00 (October-March); last entrance is 45 minutes before closing time; center is closed on Mondays

Admission: Free

Address: Am Lustgarten, 10178 Berlin, Germany

In spite of its exotic-sounding name, Berlin?s Museum Island is just the top third or so of a large island in the Spree River that winds through town, and it doesn?t really feel like an island at all. It does conveniently contain a large group of the city?s most famous and important museums, so it?s definitely worth a visit even if you don?t go in all of them.

The oldest of the museums, which was completed in 1830, is known as the Old Museum. It contains the country?s main antiquities collection, featuring many pieces from Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. A bust of Queen Nefertiti dating back to 1360 BC is one of the highlights, but in 2009 it?s scheduled to move to the New Museum next door. The New Museum was originally opened in 1859 and is being completely redone until 2009, after which it will house much of the Egyptian collection among other things.

The Old National Gallery contains one of the largest collections of 19th Century paintings anywhere. The Bode Museum reopened in 2006 after a major refurbishing project, and it is home to sculpture collections and later antiques and Byzantine Art. The Pergamon Museum might be the most famous museum on the island. Its main attraction is the giant reconstructed alter excavated from the Greek city of Pergamon, originally built in the 2nd Century BC.

Tip: The museums are open until 10 p.m. on Thursdays and admission is free for all after 6 p.m.

Hours: The island is always open, but the museums keep traditional hours

Admission: Free to get on the island, but the museums charge ?8 for a single entry or ?12 for a pass to visit all of them for one day. Students with ID are half price.

Address: Platz der Republik 1 11011 Berlin-Tiergarten, Germany

The Reichstag building first opened in 1894 as the center of the German government, and was substantially refurbished and rebuilt in a project that led up to Berlin retaking its position as capital of the reunified Germany in 1999. British architect redesigned the building for its new incarnation, most notably adding a steel and glass cupola (dome) as a tribute to the original one that was mostly destroyed during World War II.

Today the new Reichstag is one of the most popular attractions in Berlin. It?s interesting to get a close-up look at the formal workings of the Bundestag, which is Germany?s federal government, but the main attraction is the glass cupola itself. Taking an elevator from the ground floor, visitors can stroll along the concentric circle walkway that loops along the windows for an unbeatable view of the city. It?s impressive during the day and often breathtaking at night.

Security is airport-style so take as little with you as you can manage. The lines are usually long so going early in the morning or late in the evening is a good idea, although entry cuts off at 10 p.m.

Hours: 8 a.m. until midnight every day, but no entry after 10 p.m.

Admission: Free

Address: Spandauer Damm, 14059 Berlin, Germany

Originally completed in 1699 for the prince?s wife, Sophie Charlotte, the Charlottenburg Palace is the largest palace in the Berlin area and one of the city?s must-see attractions. New sections and wings were added throughout the 18th Century, bringing it up to its current dimensions. It was heavily damaged during World War II, but after 20 years or vigorous restoration the palace was brought back to its previously opulent condition.

The outside is impressive enough, but the interiors hold some of Germany?s finest collections of art and antiques. The largest collection of 18th Century French paintings outside of France is one of the highlights.

The grounds themselves are a huge part of the appeal. The symmetrical baroque gardens behind the palace were laid out in a French style at the end of the 18th Century. A tea house in the gardens now serves as a porcelain museum, and a mausoleum for Queen Luise added in 1810 is also worth a look.

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Mondays

Admission: Adults - ?10 as part of a guided tour of the Old Castle and ?6 for the New Wing, the gardens are free