10 Best Attractions In Berlin

You will feel the history in every step you take in Berlin. The history of the cold war, the history of the second world war and the years that built up to it, the history of the first world war, and even the history of the 19th century and centuries preceding it. And history is not all you’ll see in Berlin – museums are a dime a dozen, fine restaurants as well as the world famous night life. Here’s a list of the must-do attractions in Berlin

1. The Berlin Wall

During the cold war, Berlin was divided to East Berlin and West Berlin by the famous Berlin Wall. With the collapse of the USSR, the wall was finally taken down and the city was united again. Parts of the wall are still visible. The best places to see it are the East Side Gallery (Mühlenstraße, 10243 Berlin) and the Berlin Wall Memorial (Bernauer Straße 111, 13355 Berlin)

 

2. The Reichstag

opened originally in 1894, the Reichstag building goes hand in hand with the history of Germany during the last 120 years. Since 1999 it is once more the meeting place of the German parliament. Tourists can visit (for free, but need to book in advance) the glass dome of the Reichstag

 

3. Brandenburg Gate

Located within a very short walking distance from the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate is one of Germany’s most famous landmarks. Originally a city gate, the structure was rebuilt as a triumphal arch during the late 18th century (see more famous man made arches)

 

4. Checkpoint Charlie

Another history landmark related to the cold war – Checkpoint Charlie is the name of one of the crossing points of the Berlin Wall between East and West Berlin. The checkpoint still exists today on Friedrichstraße, with a nearby dedicated museum

 

5. Alexanderplatz and Fernsehturm TV Tower

Alexanderplatz is a big city square in the Mitte district, and formally part of East Berlin. Located within the square is Fernsehturm TV Tower – the tallest structure in Germany and the second tallest structure in the European Union (see the tallest towers in the world) at a height of 368 meters (1207 ft). You can take a 40 seconds elevator ride to the observation deck and restaurant and see Berlin from above

 

6. Pergamon Museum

The most important art museum in Berlin and most visited museum in Germany. The Pergamon museum is located on the Museum Island and opened in 1930. It is divided to the antiquity collection, the Middle East museum, and the museum of Islamic art. It is most famous for holding the Pergamon Altar and the Market Gate of Miletus

 

7. Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (the Holocaust Memorial)

a site located near the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate, covered with 2,711 big concrete blocks. The memorial opened in 2005, 60 years after the end of the second world war. The site also contains an underground information site that holds the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims, obtained from the Israeli museum Yad Vashem in Jerusalem

 

8. The Jewish Museum

The Jewish museum in Berlin exhibits 2,000 years of German Jewish history. It’s new addition was designed by the architect Daniel Libeskind. The importance of this museum is indescribable

 

9. Kurfürstendamm (Ku’damm)

This famous avenue is considered the Champs-Élysées of Berlin. It is a long and broad shopping street with coffee houses, restaurants and expensive shops

 

10. Gendarmenmarkt

This beautiful square near Friedrichstraße in the Mitte district is the location of the Concert House, the German Cathedral and the French Cathedral. A nice walk in the vivid Friedrichstraße street and a visit to the Gendarmenmarkt square is a great way to spend the afternoon