BerlinTraveller.info

Berlin City Guide

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:35:17 +0000

From the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of the city, Berlin has restlessly reinvented itself as a political, business and entertainment center. But even before its roller-coaster ride through the 20th century, a 19th-century observer remarked that the city was constantly on the verge of becoming, never in a state of being.

The glass dome of the Reichstag crowns the government quarter, with its straight band of office buildings and the sleek, curving glass hall of its main train station. South of the Brandenburg Gate, a cluster of skyscrapers and an eye-catching tentlike structure define the rebuilt Potsdamer Platz—a center of activity in the storied Berlin of the 1920s and now a bustling development built next to the formerly divided city’s no-man’s land, which sat as an empty sand lot for many years.

A rediscovery of the waterfront is in full swing, as new restaurants, nightclubs and cafes have positioned themselves along the Spree River and the city’s many canals. Architecture, much of it in glass and steel, is definitely the calling card of the New Berlin, but the city’s many parks, canals and forest-rimmed lakes are still its loveliest real estate. One of Berlin’s newest attractions is the Jewish Museum, a massive architectural thunderbolt housing two millennia of German Jewish history.

The city is full of history and charm, but with a rebellious attitude. Generally less expensive than its European counterparts, Berlin is a lot more spacious, and its mix of cultural and countercultural extravaganzas is unrivaled. History, politics and social preferences collide there, which is precisely what gives Berlin its unique and diverse character.

Metamorph

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:25:06 +0000

Don’t you just hate those three words at the bottom of a party invitation: FANCY DRESS ONLY. Now instead of looking forward to your friend’s birthday you’re going to spend all week fretting about what to wear, only to eventually cobble together some poor imitation of JK (from Jamiroquai) which has everyone asking, “Who have you come as? …Really? Doesn’t he wear a different hat to that?”. Well if that rings a bell, then finally you can allay your fears: at Metamorph you will find a dazzling array of exciting costumes, from villains and superheroes to the larger-than-life characters of the Roaring 20s and the Wild Wild West! So whether you fancy yourself as Darth Vader, Batman, Al Capone or Billy the Kid, there’s something here for you.

KaDeWe

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:24:05 +0000

If shopping is high on your list of things to do, make sure you come to KaDeWe first – you may well end up not having to go to a single other store during your time in Berlin; there literally is that much! In 2007, the Kaufhaus des Westens will celebrate its centenary, marking 100 years in which it has existed as the heart of shopping life in Berlin. Despite suffering damage in 1945 when an aircraft crashed into the building, the KaDeWe has bounced back to its pre-war status and, spread among its seven floors, you’ll find everything from the latest men’s and women’s fashions to the latest gadgets, toys and beauty services. If it all gets too much, crash out in the food hall on the top floor and pig out while the missus goes crazy with the plastic.

Antik & Flohmarket

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:22:22 +0000

There’s all sorts of mysterious items going for a song at the antique and flea market. Communist-era goods are now considered cool & kitsch, and that popularity is reflected in the number of stalls here dedicated to selling such things as mugs with old-school traffic-light men. There are several vendors who concentrate on actual antiques, and for those in the know there is a great deal of bargains to be had; at least that’s what we’re told by those in the know, for we are sadly not.

Waahnsinn

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:21:44 +0000

Off-the-wall fashion and decor shop, is perhaps best described as the antithesis of Marks and Spencers, which - unless you’re shopping for Granny’s christmas present - can only be a good thing. Find everything that you just can’t get in your small town shopping malls and highstreet fashion stores: from vintage coats to fancy-dress outfits, funky 1940s furniture and fittings, and even a splash of light fetish (this is Berlin after all!). Waahnsinn is well worth a perusal, even if you’re too boring and conventional to buy anything.

Galerie Filmposter.net

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:20:04 +0000

Looking for something to cover that crack on the wall? Then Filmposter.net may have the perfect solution for you. They have been in the business for twenty years and have amassed an impressive collection of promotional posters of vintage and cult films - everything from camp classics such as ‘Barbarella’ and ‘Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!’ to the all time greats like ‘Ben-Hur’ and ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. You’re bound to find something that you like here, although being collectors items you should be prepared to pay a little extra than your average pin-up: from 40 Euros to well over 400!

Brücke-Museum

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:12:55 +0000

Bussardsteig 9
Berlin, BE 14195 Germany

+49 (0)30 831 2029

Open Hours11am-5pm Mon & Wed-Sun

This small museum is worth the trek out of the city centre. It houses the works of the Brücke Group, considered to be Germany’s pioneers in Expressionism. The group was founded in Dresden in 1905, but later moved to Berlin. The permanent exhibition includes works by all the members of the group—Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Emile Nolde, Otto Müller, Erich Heckel, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff and Max Pechstein. Nazi repression in the 1930’s lead to the destruction of many of the group’s works—but what has survived is fascinating.

Bodemuseum

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:11:06 +0000

Situated on Museum Island, the Bode Museum features a wide collection of Byzantine Art. Originally conceived as a ‘Museum for the Christian World’, the building now houses several smaller collections. The Children’s Gallery is a cultural centre that makes art and cultural history accessible to children and young people. The Münzkabinett, the coin collection, houses a permanent exhibition of over 50,000 coins from the Middle Ages to the present day. The Museum of Ancient Antiquities and Byzantine Art contains pieces from 3rd-19th century Russia, Asia Minor, Greece and Eygpt. An extensive collection of sculpture includes works from the Prussian Kunstkammer Collection, which have been housed in the Bode Museum ever since the Berliner Schloß was demolished by East German authorities.

Schloss Charlottenburg

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:08:25 +0000

Spandauer Damm 20
Berlin, BE 14059 Germany

+49 (0)30 25 0025

Open Hours9am-5pm Tue-Fri; 10am-5pm Sat & Sun

This beautiful baroque palace was built in 1695 by King Friedrich Wilhelm I as a summer residence for his beloved wife, Queen Sophie Charlotte. Hidden away in the lush Royal Gardens are several smaller buildings: the ornate rococo Belvedere, containing an impressive collection of porcelain; the Schinkel Pavilion which houses drawings, paintings, sculptures, furniture and porcelain by Karl Friedrich Schinkel; and the neoclassical Mausoleum containing the tombs of Queen Louise, King Friedrich Wilhelm III, Emperor Wilhelm I and Empress Augusta.

Pergamon-Museum

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:07:00 +0000

Am Kupfergraben
Berlin, BE 10178 Germany

+49 (0)30 2090 5555

Open Hours10am-6pm Tue-Sun; until 10pm Thu

This museum houses a vast collection of artefacts from the ancient world, the crowning glory being the altar from the Zeus Tempel in Pergamon (180-160 BC), one of the world’s most significant archaeological finds. The museum is also home to parts of the magnificent Antique Collection, the East Asian Collection, the Near Eastern Museum and the Islamic Museum. The electronic guides for visitors are very informative and are available in several languages for a small fee.