Berlin Sights - The Main Attractions And Leading Sightseeing Places / Landmarks In Berlin

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The Brandenburg Gate, built between 1788 - 1791 coupled with the The Chariot of Quadriga ( added in 1794) which sits on top of it is probably Berlins most imposing landmark. The gate is the only remaining gate to the original Old City of Berlin.

Fairly close by is The Gendarmen Markt, (which many believe to be one of Europe's most bueatiful squares) built in 1688. It is home to The Deutscher Dom (German Catherdal) which was originally built in 1701. It's dome was added in 1780, destroyed in WW2 and restored in 1996. The Franzosischer Dom was ( French Catherdal) was built in 1701 with it's dome added in 1780. This was also damaged in WW2 but it was restored in 1977.

The present home of the German Parliament (which dates back to the Holy Roman Empire) The Reichstag was designed in 1884 by German architect Frank Wallott. In 1916 the words "Dem Deutschen Volke" (To the German people") were carved above the main entrance to the building, which irritated the German leader Kaiser Wilhelm II because of its 'democratic' inference. who had tried to block the adding of the inscription due to its democratic significance. After WW1 when the Kaiser abdicated it became the home of the Parliament of the Weimar Republic. In 1933 it was partially destroyed by a fire allegedly started by a Dutch communist Marinus van der Lube. There is some doubt as to whether Lube was responsible for the fire but he was subsequently found guilty of it and beheaded. The fire was used my the ruling National Socialists (the Nazis) as justification for suspending the Parliament and amending the country's constitution so that state security officers could combat a percieved communist threat.

In 1945 the Dome ar the end of WW2 was blown up As a result of this, and the division of Berlin and Germany the in 1949 the West German Parliament moved to Bonn and The East German Parliament was transferred to a paritcularly ugly Soviet inspired bronze construction 1km away. In the 1960s the East German Government partly rebuilt the ReichStag but it was not used for any parlimentary purposes. In 1994 the architect Norman Foster completed the reconstruction of the building. His work included the addition of an extension with a Glass Dome. This Dome is now one of Berlins most noticeable landmarks. It is has (not surpisingly) not found favour with many Berliners and from a tourist perspective it does not compliment the Reichstag and other nearby buildings. In 1999 the German Parliament - The Bundestag was reinstated in the Reichstag.

A more instructive exhibition is The Holocaust Memorial Centre adjacent to the Brandenburg Gate which opened in the Spring of 2005. This memorial which consists of 2,701 upright grey slabs arranged in roofless corridors is intended to represent the bewilderment experienced by Jewish prisoners imprisoned in concentration camps. It includes an underground exhibition with six gigantic pictures of victims of The Holocaust.

The project has been a controversial issue in Germany because it has not recognised the non Jewish victims of the Nazis. There also was public outrage when it was revealed in 2003 that it's construction involved - Degussa - a company who had also supplied the Zyklon B gas used in the gas chambers. Address Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe (just south of the Brandenburg Gate) Cora-Berliner-Straße 1, 10117 Berlin. Tel Tel: +49 (0) 30 - 26 39 43 36 Memorial Website Email: besucherservice@stiftung-denkmal.de How ever far more informative and blessed with an aesthetically pleasing new glass courtyard is the Jewish (Juedisches ) Museum. See also the euromost Auschwitz & Birkenau page

There are numerous other museums and exhibitions in Berlin (details of which can be found through German National Tourist Board & The Official Berlin Tourist Office links on the Berlin Home page. However the most interesting for many will be the Berlin Wall Document Centre see the Berlin Wall page. Well worth a visit is the City Museum (Stadtmuseum Berlin). The Museum which dates back to 1874 has at least 50 rooms covering most aspects of Berlin's history some a little bizarre!. It has reconstructed original parts of the Berlin Wall (complete with paintings and graffiti) and embedded them into the building. The website for the museum is a little complicated to follow unless you are fluent in German so here are its details: Stadtmuseum Berlin, Am Köllnischen Park 5, 10179 Berlin-Mitte +49 (0)30 24002-159. Last time we checked its opening hours were: Tuesday Thursday & Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission: €4.00 or for visitors entitled to a reductio) €2.00; On Wednesdays when it is open from 12 noon to 8 p.m admission is reportedly free.

Comparatively new to Berlin is Madame Tussauds whichs has eight subject zones.The history zone is fairly impressive and of course features the famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech by President John F. Kennedy. Other waxworks include German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Pope Benedict XVI, Boris Becker Beethoven Erich Honecker and the Dalai Lama. There was / is a waxwork of Adolf Hitler but this exhibit may not be available it has been attacked in the past (the head was decapitated) as its prescence has been widely opposed. The admission which is approximately €19 for adults and €13 for children is a little on the high side as you would be hard pressed to spend two hours there.

Better value for animal lovers and children (at €12 and €6) respectively has to be Berlins Zoologischer Garten which is one of the world's biggest zoos that assuming of course that you are okay with the zoo idea. For the same prices you can also buy tickets to the Zoos Aquarium. Combi Tickets for both establishments are available at €18 and €9. These tickets can be purchased online. Family tickets and concession can be purchased at the Zoo.

Berlin oldest park is The Tiergarten spans the area between the zoo and the Brandenburg Gate. The park which is heavily populated with tree is the home to several official bodies - most famously the Bundestag and the German Chancellery. It also is includes the official home of the German President. From 1919 until it s closure by the Nazis in 1933 it also hosted the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft which was a private clinic for studying the Science of Sexuality. Its Director Magus Hirschfeld was a advocate of gay rights. Tiergarten darkest moments were the at the former house at Tiergartenstraße no 4 which was were the Nazi programme Action T4 systematically killed disabled people. Today a memorial to those killed can be found stands at the spot in the bus terminus station adjacent to the Berliner Philharmonic.

On the outskirts of Berlin Muggelsee in the east and Wannsee in the west there are two lakes. In the summer they are popular venues with locals for sunbathing and in the depths of winter they serve as ice rinks. Treptower Park in the east of Berlin alongside the Spree River and has a Soviet War memorial to the soldiers of Red Army's killed in WW2.

Other places of supposed interest include the 1936 Olympic Stadium and The TV Tower. The stadium when it is not hosting sports and concerts etc is open to public. Admission without a guide is €3-€4 (family tickets €8) and with a guide the prices double. The Berlin TV Tower which was built buy the communists to keep an eye on those they ruled - and the allies in West Berlin boasts a restaurant and viewing platform. The entrance fee is €10 for adults and €5.50 for chidren (group rate €8 per person) or approximately double if you want VIP tickets to avoid the queue - if there is one. You can not eat in the restaurant without paying the entrance fee first. The restaurant itself offers good food at moderate prices but the 'high' (forgive the pun) entrance fee is verging on the riduculous.

On the outskirts of former West Berlin is the City of Potsdam which is seemingly surrounded by a series of lakes lakes linked to one another. On the edge of these lakes (which you can take a cruise down) are numerous estates with palaces and stately homes once frequented by Prussian Kings. One of these - estate of the parks and palaces of The Prussian King Sanssouci were built in the mid-eighteenth century 1745 is a first class example of the Rococo style of architecture an it is by far the biggest World Heritage site in Germany. The older part of the city of the city centre is really pretty and there are numerous cafes snd restaurants to chill out in day or night - and in the middle of all this you can find some good second hand shops. The city boasts two universities and more research institues than anywhere else in Germany. If you are in Berlin and have a few hours to spare Potsdam is well worth visiting.

Berlin has with three major shoppimg centres - Ku'damm Friedrichstraße and Potsdamer Platz. The Kurfürstendamm, is an attractive boulevard 3.5 km long from the Memorial church to Halense. Shops include the famous department store Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) over the Europa-Center and many international fashion boutiques, restaurants and cafés.

During the mild summer nights, this part of Berlin ) stays open 24 hours. Closing times are practically unknown and visitors to the "Athens on the Spree" can experience the delights of its cosmopolitan character.There are over 6,000 restaurants catering from most tastes. All three shopping centres are directly connected by the underground line U2.

Cash Machines Central & East. Berlin - Alexander Platz Area

These are not as common as in West Berlin. One that is easily found is situated on the road between the TV Tower and alongside the westside of the station. It is in the corner building on the right when you leave the station and face the TV Tower. Go through the door which is open 24 hours