For the first time in historical documents, the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany was mentioned in 1244. Throughout its history, it experienced periods of separation of the country, numerous wars and revolutionary upheavals. Having traveled a long way of fragmentation and division into 2 states in the second half of the twentieth century, Berlin only in 1990, after the reunification of the GDR and the Federal Republic of Germany, again became the capital of a united Germany. Let's go to the heart of Europe to see the most popular sights of Berlin of different historical eras.
1
Bundestag
After many years of fragmentation and confrontation, the German Empire was formed in 1871. After the adoption of the constitution, a parliament was formed - the Reichstag, which in 1894 began to hold its meetings in the new building.
In 1945, the building was almost destroyed, and on April 30, 1945, a red banner was hoisted over it. After the partition of Germany, the building turned out to be in the western part of the city, and until the country's unification in 1990, restoration work was carried out in it.
Since 1999, the German Bundestag has been sitting in the old Reichstag building, and the German parliament is the most visited among all the legislative bodies of the world powers.
2
Brandenburg Gate
The most recognizable architectural monument on the map of Berlin appeared in 1791. Made in the style of German classicism, and the author of the project and the construction manager was the architect Karl Gottgard Langgans.
The facade and the famous quadriga were created by Johann Gottfried Schadov. Manages the four frisky horses Goddess Victoria. After the victories of Napoleon, the chariot was taken to Paris, but then again took its place above the gate columns.
During the existence of the Berlin Wall, the Arc de Triomphe was isolated from other monuments, and today the architecture of Berlin is no longer perceived integrally without this amazing structure in the heart of the German capital.
3
Victory Column
A massive triumphal column rises above the Big Star Square, the top of which is crowned by a gilded statue of the Goddess Victoria. She holds a laurel wreath in one hand and the Iron Cross in the other.
From 1864 to 1871, Prussia conducted a series of victorious wars, in honor of which they decided to put a memorial sign. With a large crowd of people, the convoy was inaugurated on September 2, 1873.
Inside the column there is a spiral staircase leading to the observation deck. Having climbed it, from a height of 50 meters you can see the main attractions and surroundings of Berlin.
4
Berlin Cathedral
Above the waters of the Spree River rises a majestic cathedral, erected at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries according to the project of the famous architect Julius Rashdorf.
Initially, the Baroque building, decorated with Silesian granite, reached a height of 114 m. But after damage during the war and reconstruction, the height of the cathedral decreased to 98 m. In front of the Evangelical church there is a magnificent park, in the center of which the keys of a beautiful fountain are beaten.
Tourists can see not only the interior of a beautiful church, but also visit the gloomy crypts of the monarch of the Hohenzollern dynasty. Also here is one of the most beautiful organs in the world, a selection of which on our site most-beauty.ru see in this article.
5
Charlottenburg Castle
The castle, or as indicated in the tourist avenues of Charlottenburg Palace, is a prime example of Baroque architecture. And they built it by order of Sophia Charlotte, his wife, and later the Queen, Frederick I.
The monumental dome is crowned with a statue of Fortune, and the facade of the palace is decorated with an arched colonnade. The halls are decorated with gilded statues, magnificent arches and bas-reliefs.
It is worth visiting the porcelain hall in the western wing of the building, where a unique collection of Chinese porcelain is exhibited. In the western part there is a greenhouse, which contains rare plants and magnificent flowers.
6
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
Due to their special design, Gedekhtniskirche Berliners jokingly call it “hollow tooth”. The church was built by personal order of William II in honor of the first chancellor of Germany.
The architect Franz Schwechten began work in 1891, and in 1895 the first services were held under the vaults of the church. During the raid on Berlin in 1943, the church was almost completely destroyed. After the war, the city authorities wanted to build a new building in its place, but residents opposed the demolition of the church ruins.
Every hour, residents of Berlin and guests of the city hear the ringing of a bell ringing from the bell tower of a monument of church architecture.
7
Berlin State Opera
The first opera building was erected in 1742 by order of King Frederick II. The first production was the opera Caesar and Cleopatra, with which began the long-term cooperation of the Berlin Opera and the city chapel.
Throughout history, the building has been repeatedly restored several times, as it received destruction as a result of the bombing. In 1928, the buildings on Unter den Linden expanded significantly so that it could receive more spectators.
After the unification of the country, it was renamed the State Opera, and the repertoire included productions of the Baroque era.
8
Sanssouci
Visiting the amazing and unusual places of Berlin, you need to look into the park, surrounded by greenery, where the Frederick the Great Palace of the same name is located.
The palace was erected in 1745-1747, and the project was developed by the monarch of Prussia himself. King Frederick instructed his close friend, the architect Georg Wenceslaus von Knobelsdorf, to build the magnificent building.
The small palace building is distinguished by the harmony of architectural structures, and also fits perfectly into the landscape of the park area. UNESCO, having considered the request of the Berliners, included the architectural monument in the World Heritage List.
9
Karstadt
A major attraction in Berlin was the large shopping center Karstadt Kurfürstendamm. The company itself was founded in 1881, and today it is a network of large stores throughout Germany.
Bright showcases invite you to buy quality clothing and products from world famous brands. In addition, it is a huge entertainment complex with restaurants, cafes, recreation areas.
The official website of a major European shopping center provides all the information about products and new arrivals. the site has a section about the history of the store.
10
Amusement park
Around the picturesque lake there is an amusement park. This is a paradise for children of different ages. The park has 40 exciting attractions, an electronic bird theater, and playgrounds.
A copy of the Statue of Liberty rises above the surface of the lake, and paths are laid around the lake and there are benches for relaxation. All this is surrounded by magnificent sculptural compositions and fountains.
Adults will find something to their liking here. You can ride on the "Russian roller coaster", visit the laughing room, or sit with friends in cozy cafes.
11
New museum
Most tourists come to Berlin to visit the New Museum, in one of the expositions of which the famous bust of Nefertiti is exhibited.
Discovered a sculptural image of the ancient Egyptian ruler in December 1912 during excavations in the city of Aachenoton. After conservation, the sculpture was delivered to the German capital, and since 1924 it was put on public display.
The museum itself is located in a building built in the spirit of classicism in 1855. In its halls unique artifacts of different cultures and historical eras are collected. The ancient Egyptian courtyard, as well as the collection of the prehistoric period, is especially striking.
12
Gendarmenmarkt Square
Gendarme Square, despite its harsh name, is considered the most beautiful square of a large European city. It began to form in the reign of Frederick I, and finally got its appearance under Frederick II, who ordered two beautiful Catholic churches to be built around its edges.
In its very center stands the majestic Concert Hall. On both sides of it above the square are the domes of the German and French cathedrals. Around there are many cozy restaurants, cafes, shops and souvenir shops.
At one time, it served to hold city fairs and festivities. On the city square, celebrations and national holidays are held. Performers also perform at it, including symphony orchestras.
13
Theater on Potsdamer Platz
On Marlene-Dietrich-Platz, architect Renzo Piano built a beautiful theater building. Inaugurated it in 1999.
The auditorium has a capacity of 1,800 seats, and it is the largest theater in Western Europe. Famous performances are staged on the stage, including the famous musical Notre Dame de Paris. They use the theater for concerts of famous pop and rock musicians.
Since 2000, the theater’s building hosts screenings and the main events of the Berlin Film Festival, and therefore it has since become known as the Berlinale Palace.
14
TV tower
The modern architecture of Berlin is trying to preserve the old classical traditions, but there is no escape from the influence of modernity. The television tower grew over the city in 1969, and became a kind of symbol of Berlin.
Crowns her spire, which is mounted on a steel ball. Its height, together with the spire, is 368 and 3 cm. Two elevators function in the tower itself, which deliver visitors to viewing platforms and entertainment centers.
More than a million visitors rise to the tall tower annually to explore the beauty and grandeur of a European city, as well as taste national cuisine in a high-rise restaurant.
15
Aquadom
The cylindrical saltwater aquarium in Berlin is the largest aquarium in the world. It is located in the Mitte district, on Karl Liebknecht Strasse.
The diameter of the amazing structure is 11.5 m and the height is 16 m. 1,500 beautiful aquarium fish swim in the water. In order to view the inhabitants, an elevator with transparent walls is equipped inside.
The aquarium received its first visitors in 2003, and the very first days became one of the most popular entertainment in the German capital. An unusual design stands in the courtyard of the comfortable Radisson Blu Hotel.
16
Zoo
Arriving in Berlin with children, you should visit the beautiful zoo, which is located in the Tiergarten district. One of the oldest zoos in Europe, it was opened in August 1844.
It began with a small number of unique animals, and today in its spacious aviaries there are 15 thousand animals. In addition, there are aviaries for birds and a huge aquarium. Amazing species of fish, rare reptiles swim in it. In the serpentarium, visitors are greeted by graceful and bewitching snakes and arachnids.
In 1990, combined with the magnificent landscape zoo of East Berlin Tierpark, and became the largest in the country. And also he is included in the list of the most beautiful zoos on our site most-beauty.ru.
17
Tempelhof
With this attraction, we should start our review on most-beauty.ru, since the Tempelhof airport has served as the main air gate of Berlin for many years.
The first runways appeared here in the 20s of the twentieth century, and over time the airport bypassed London, Paris and Amsterdam in the number of accepted planes. During the blockade of West Berlin, it became the main component of the air bridge through which food and medicine were delivered to Berlin.
In 2008, Tempelhof was closed, and today anyone can walk along the runways and wander through the halls of the legendary airport. The last aircraft to take off from the strip was the Soviet AN-2, previously owned by the GDR Air Force.
Do not miss the fascinating article on our site about the most beautiful airports in the world.
Summary
Any Germany travel guide provides information on what to do in Berlin. Numerous architectural monuments, museums, parks and squares will not leave tourists indifferent, and a visit to the German capital will give only vivid impressions and positive emotions. We showed only a small part of all the attractions of this beautiful city and put them on our interactive map:
What places in Berlin do you like? Write about this in the comments.
Posted by Valery Skiba