Many times I write about my exploring right after I return home, when the memories are fresh and I first go through all the photos I took during my trip. Today, I thought I’d re-visit my days in Berlin less than a couple of years ago.
The capital of reunited Germany is laden with history and symbolism. I think it always has been. It is a peculiar place simply because of all the volumes of history written in its streets, buildings and fields.
All that provides someone visiting the city with many items to add to a list of must-sees. Here, I will share the places I enjoyed the most in Berlin. Maybe they will end up in your list of what to see in Berlin! I will start with the museums and move on to other places…
The many museums in Berlin’s Museum Island
Museum Island is a treasure trove of important museums. The Pergamon Museum, the Neues Museum, the Altes Museum, the National Gallery, and the Bode Museum are some of the museum options that will -I am sure- wear out even the most museum-addicted visitor.
With museums, having a plan is key as covering all the works on display is about impossible with large museums or in an area with so many of them. I did not have enough days in Berlin to explore all of these (save the Pergamon Museum) so I can’t attest to their “visit worthiness”. However, the Neues Museum has the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti, an item I wished I had seen in person since I have visited the tomb where it was found in Egypt …
Of course, there are many other museums in town beyond Museum Island so, keep exploring! (Keep reading for a later entry in this post about a Berlin Wall museum…)
A museum of greatness: Pergamon
The Pergamon Museum stands out due to the grandeur of the building and some of the contents (like the Ishtar Gate and other grand remnants of historic places from antiquity. The museum was established before World War I and, thankfully, its art and objects were safeguarded so they survived the destruction brought to the city by World War II. The Pergamon Altar, the Ishtar Gate, the Miletus Market and the large collection of Assyrian statues/busts were some of my favorite things to see firsthand. It is a big museum and could consume a long time so plan properly. For my tips for a well-done visit, check my earlier post about the Pergamon Museum.
Post-World War II history museum
The Allied Museum in the “suburb” of Dahlem (in what used to be West Berlin) caught my eye and I made an easy trip on the U-Bahn to get to see it but, rookie mistake, I did not check opening schedule and it was closed that day. From the outside, I did get to see some of the large items placed outdoors from across the fence and it really made me regret not checking the schedule first!
I did walk around the residential streets of Dahlem and it was cool to see a very different type of neighborhood than most European cities have. I almost felt I was back in the U.S. (though there was still differences). I am not sure if the history of the area is that these homes were built during the American occupation of the area post-World War II, or if they pre-date those times. I knew of the area as a good friend was born there while his father was stationed in Germany in the early 1970s so that gave me context for the area and explains why the Allied Museum as well as a U.S. consulate office are located there vs. closer in to the heart of Berlin.
The DDR Museum – throwback to the Cold War
On the slight whimsical side, yet filled with interesting info and artifacts, is the DDR Museum right next to Museum Island. It takes one back to how life in Communist East Germany was and has great imagery (physical and digital) to do that. If you were born after the fall of the Iron Curtain (1989), this may be a curiosity but to those who remember the Cold War, it may be a more vivid reminder of those times that now seem like ancient history, almost surreal!
Great rooftop views of Berlin – and great food!
The Bundestag, Germany’s federal parliament, is housed since 1999 in what has to be one of my favorite buildings in the city: the Reichstag Building. It was built in the latter part of the 19th century and fell into disuse after a fire in the 1930s and the effects of World War II. It never functioned again as a diet or parliament until well after German reunification in the 1990s.
Its modernistic dome is fun to climb via the long ramps and it will offer great photo opportunities of the outdoor and the indoor (if you look straight down inside, you are looking at the chamber where the politicians meet).
The rooftop terrace provides great views of the city.
But, being a bit of a foodie, my favorite part of the Reichstag Building was its rooftop restaurant (Dachgarten Restaurant) named Käfer. Its breakfast offerings are delicious. I hear that it is also a great place to go before sunset to enjoy the views with the sunset colors of the sky.
Tips to visit the Bundestag’s rooftop restaurant, Käfer
You need to make reservations to be able to go (on the link provided above, scroll down to get the reservation form). The exact info on every visitor will need to be provided when making the reservation for security measures. Upon arrival, allow extra time ahead of the reservation time to go through security where you will need to provide valid photo ID (I suggest your passport).
Walking Berlin’s unique neighborhoods
I was lucky that one of my Godchildren lives in Berlin and besides spending time together, he showed me very unique neighborhoods that perhaps as a tourist, I may have never gotten to explore. If you have the time and don’t mind meandering, I highly recommend walking around these neighborhoods, mostly in the former East Berlin. Some areas to consider exploring: Alexanderplatz, Prenzlauerberg, and Kreuzberg.
I was told and I could tell that the areas of the former East Berlin have a slightly different feel than those of the former West. The difference may be blurring some but it is detectable and feeds the curiosity of those of us who never saw the city before reunification as to how things must have been…
Berlin’s Cathedral
Compared to many other German European cathedrals, Berlin Cathedral’s (Berliner Dom) interior did not really do anything for me (though it still had some splendor).
However, its exterior is impressive and going up to the dome for the views may be cool to do if you are into that (I am!). There are other churches around town so if you like to check them out, I’d say go for it. My limited time in town, unfortunately, prevented more exploring. But Berlin has so many unique things other cities don’t have that I don’t regret my prioritization!
Kaiser Wilhelm’s Memorial Church
OK, I know I said I did not get to explore churches. But this one is different. Not much of the church remains and that is the point. It was not an old church to begin with. But, after it suffered destruction during the war, it was decided not to re-build it so it could serve as a reminder of the hard times Berlin has known and the horrors of war. It is well worth the visit though and, along the way, explore this more modern and commercial area of Berlin.
Eating at KdW!
Oh, and while around there, do NOT miss “KdW“! Kaufhaus des Westens is a large department store à la Galeries Lafayette in Paris.
Not much of a shopper here but exploring its marzipan and chocolate section was a walk through paradise. And then do not miss eating one of the Berliner Currywurst in one of the food counters in one of the top floors!!!
The Brandenburg Gate
Of course, you were waiting for me to talk about this (and the next item), weren’t you? Well, yes, of course I have to list it in this post. The iconic Brandenburg Gate is a must for a photo (selfie or not!). It is located near important embassies and across one end of the Tiergarten Park. The gate dates from the late 18th century and is in a location where there used to be another gate in the past. It is monumental and impressive! The Berlin Wall used to go right in front of it (remember Reagan’s speech telling Gorbie to “tear down that wall”?) as the gate was in East Berlin.
Remnants of the Berlin Wall
For many of us, likely, nothing evokes Berlin as the Berlin Wall that lived almost 30 years in the midst of this great city, dividing its people and its essence.
The history of the boundary between East and West Berlin is fascinating once you read up on it. Having lived in the era of the wall, I thought generally there had always been a hard barrier between the two halves of the city once the post-WWII period began.
Well, actually, that was not the case in the immediate years of the post-WWII period. People could cross through between the two parts of Berlin. It was not until the living standard of West Berliners started surpassing that of the East Berliners that the Communist regime had to erect a barrier to prevent people voting with their feet (since they had no free elections for their leaders…). Also, wanting to isolate and demoralize the Westerners also played part, I assume.
In any case, there are some remnants of the wall still standing (thankfully) such as the pieces in the large Postdamer Platz, right next to where I stayed during my visit. It is well-signed including photos of how the area looked while the city was divided, and a good spot for photos.
Even more fascinating for me are the places where the wall used to be is marked on the pavement or sidewalks of the city. This trail makes the past reality a little more vivid as you can feel the seeming randomness of the wall’s route. It also is puzzling as you see of all sudden the trail go into a new-ish building’s wall and wonder how the space was before the building was built. I loved running into this trail as I meandered around town!
Topography of Terror and the Wall
A very large portion of the wall is still in place by the Topography of Terror Museum. You can walk along it and read about the times… The museum itself has a LOT of information of the terrible events brought about by the Nazis in the many “boards” with plenty of photos. I think it was well-done but the topic is definitely overwhelming…
Checkpoint Charlie is nearby. Go for it… #underwhelming
Memorial to the Murdered Jews
This large memorial between the Brandenburg Gate and Postdamer Platz deserves some time. I did not get to see the indoor exhibit due to the time of my visit but the outdoor place certainly made feel sad. Whoever had the inspiration for this very unique memorial’s design nailed it. It was really off-putting to see folks climbing on the pieces and posing for funny photos as if they were in a regular park. Of course, I don’t have an issue with photos but certainly expect some respect given the reason this memorial was needed… #neveragain
A non-site: Hitler’s bunker
Hitler’s underground bunker, as you may know, is where he and some of his minions lost their lives by their own hands or others’. The bunker was destroyed in the Communist period, I imagine, to prevent any crazies from ever making it a memorial, even if just in their mind.
Today, we do know where the bunker was (curiously, not far from the Memorial to the Murdered Jews) and there is a residential building and its yard built on the spot. A small, non-descript sign on the sidewalk gives some information. One cannot really memorialize such a place but, from a historical standpoint, I certainly wanted to see what the area looked like today. (The residential building is on Wilhelmstrasse.)
This post does not Berlin justice. There is so much more to see and do that I can cover.
But, I hope, it gives you some interesting new places to consider while including some well-known ones. Berlin is a never-ending exploration!
