Tourist Information about Berlin
Compared to other European cities, Berlin with its less than 800 years is considered a rather young city, but its history is unique. The two founding towns Cölln and Berlin affiliated in 1307 for a union. After riots, elector Friedrich II. declared the twin town his residence in 1451.
1701, after elector Friedrich III had coronated himself as king Friedrich I in Prussia, Berlin rose to a Royal Capital and Residence Town. Numerous well-known buildings were designed then, his grandson Friedrich II (1740–1786) continued with the architectural redesign of the city, assisted by the famous architect Knobelsdorff. 1806–08 Napoleon's troups occupied the city; after the victory of Leipzig the Quadriga, which was annexed by Napoleon, was returned to the Brandenburg Gate in 1814.
In the following decades, the splendid classicist buildings by Schinkel and the blossoming park areas by Lenné emerged. Since the middle of the century, Berlin's economy boomed, the population grew rapidly. After 1871, when the city had become capital of the 'Deutsches Reich', the construction and economy boom even grew in the Gründerzeit ("founding era"), Berlin's population exceeded one million. The heavy defeat of World War I as well as revolutionary riots caused a deep crisis of the Reich and its capital. Out of the riots the Republic was proclaimed in 1918. Despite the difficult economical situation and further riots, art and culture flourished during the twenties; innovative theatre productions, splendid film premieres, vivid vaudevilles and an uncomparable nightlife made Berlin the centre of the "Golden Twenties". Hitler's takeover in 1933 marked the beginning of the persecution of Jews, Communists, Homosexuals, Oppositionals and many more.
After the Nazi terror and the end of World War II the city was finally devastated in 1945. The four allies divided Berlin in four parts: the East was administered by the Soviet Union, the Southwest by the USA, the West by Great Britain and the Northwest by France. With the "Berlin-Blockade" in 1948, the city became object of the Soviet-American conflict; Americans and British supplied the three West sectors via "Luftbrücke" with "Candy Bombers". In East and West Berlin the reconstruction began. The construction of the Berlin Wall on Aug 13, 1961 set the seal on the city's division and separated its people.
The city celebrated on Nov 9, 1989 when the Berlin Wall was torn down. After the reunification in 1990 Berlin became residence of the Federal Government, which held its first plenary session in the redesigned Reichstag on Apr 19, 1999. The Reichstag with its new glass dome became an attraction for both Berliners and tourists from all over the world. The new millennium was celebrated with a magnificent party at the Brandenburger Tor. A lot has changed in Berlin since then. And Berlin will keep changing.
With about 3,400,000 inhabitants, Berlin is the largest City in Germany. It is 38 kilometres long and 45 kilometres wide and covers an area of 889 square kilometres. Discover Berlin! Click on the map to learn worth-knowing about the different districts of Berlins.
There are coming more and more scientists to Berlin and therefore the research districts thrive and prosper. Some of the most important facilities and institutions will be introduced at the following pages to give an insight of the scientific world in Berlin. There are many opportunities to research, to learn and to teach.
Research district Adlershof: The biggest research and technology park is located in the southeast of Berlin. Besides the six institutes of the Humboldt university and other twelve facilities of research, more than 370 companies are working altogether. They are mainly concentrate on physics, chemistry and biology. Since 1998 it is also the location of the High-luminosity radiant source BESSY II.
The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin's only remaining city gate, is the true symbol of the city. Because it was situated in the no man's land just behind the »wall, it also became symbolic of the division of the city. After the Fall of the Wall, the Gate was reopened on December 22, 1989. After extensive renovation work, the Brandenburg Gate has been unwrapped in a spectacular show on October the 3rd, the Day of German Unity. The sandstone construction, built from 1788–91 to plans by C.G. Langhans, has 12 Doric columns and is based on the propylaeum of the Acropolis in Athens. On both sides, six Doric columns support the 11 meter-deep transverse beam, dividing the gate into five passageways. In 1794 the building was crowned with the quadriga and goddess of victory created by Schadow, which face eastwards towards the city center. The Brandenburg Gate was surrounded by further buildings which were destroyed in the war. After the decision of Berlin' s senate on October, 22 The Brandenburg Gate remains closed for cars, cabs and busses. Berliners and their guests can enjoy now the renewed beauty of the Pariser Platz.
As part of the reconstruction of Pariser Platz, new buildings have been added which are based on their historic forebears. Pariser Platz forms the link between the Brandenburg Gate and the magnificent »Unter den Linden boulevard. It was originally a parade ground before barracks were built at the end of Unter den Linden during the reign of Friedrich Wilhelm I. Noble villas, embassies and the luxurious Hotel Adlon arose around the square. The square was destroyed in the Second World War. Since the Fall of the Wall, new buildings by renowned international architects have been and are being built. The Liebermann House and the Sommer House, newly constructed to the left and right of the Brandenburg Gate, were conceived as a pair, and their design is based on the previous buildings created by Stüler. The Dresdner Bank building follows the architectural conventions of Pariser Platz closely, without degenerating into historicism.
The Reichstag is the seat of the German Bundestag or federal government and, with its new dome, one of the Berlin's biggest crowd-draws in Berlin. Its colorful past reflects the turbulence of German history since the 19th century. The Reichstag was constructed from 1884–94 by Paul Wallot, since a representative building was needed to house the parliament of the newly-founded German state. The inscription "Dem Deutschen Volke" ("To the German people") was only added in 1916 during the First World War, because Wilhelm II. had previously been against it. On 9 November 1918, the politician Philipp Scheidemann announced the establishment of the Republic from one of its windows. Part of the Reichstag was destroyed in a fire on 27 November 1933: the exact cause has never been identified, but the fire was used by the Nazis to justify their persecution of political opponents. After the war, the devastated building was rebuilt in a simplified form from 1961–71 to plans by Paul Baumgarten, but it was not used for parliamentary functions. The dome, which had been blown up in 1945, was not rebuilt. Inside the edifice bordering the »Berlin wall there was an exhibition, "Questions on German History", which is now displayed in the »Deutscher Dom. After reunification, the German Federal Government decided to use the building as a parliament once again. From 1994–99 the Reichstag was reconstructed and extended by the Architect Sir Norman Forster, taking into consideration both the immense historical implications and its function as a modern working parliament, and adding an accessible dome. Before the renovation work began in 1994, the building became the stage for one of the most spectacular art events in Europe: it was wrapped by Christo and Jeanne Claude. The glass dome, which was at first the subject of great controversy, has now become one of the newest landmarks in the city. Since 1999 the Reichstag building has once again been the seat of the German Bundestag.
Berlin's magnificent boulevard, the centrepiece of the Old Berlin, leads from Pariser Platz at the »Brandenburg Gate to the Schlossbrücke bridge. Unter den Linden was originally a bridle path: from 1573, it led from Berlin Palace to Lietzow, later Charlottenburg, and then on to Spandau. From 1701, the Linden became more and more built up, mirroring the rising splendor of the monarchy and the new architectural style. As time went by, the »Zeughaus (Arsenal) and the Friedrichstadt appeared; under Frederick the Great, they were joined by the Kronprinzenpalais, the Prinzessinnenpalais, the »Opera House and the Palace for Prince Heinrich, now the Humboldt University. The »Forum Fridericianum, begun at the end of the 18th century, was to be the intellectual and artistic centre of the monarchy, with the »Staatsoper, the Academy Library, »St. Hedwig's Cathedral and, on the opposite site, the Palace of Prince Heinrich.
Schinkel's great architectural achievement was the unification of the various buildings and styles into a single aesthetic concept: this led to the creation of the »Neue Wache (New Guardhouse), the Schlossbrücke bridge and the redesigned Lustgarten; in this way, Unter den Linden became a coherent ensemble. At the end of the 19th century, the »Berliner Dom was constructed in the eclectic Wilhelmine style. During the Second World War, Hitler ordered the linden trees to be chopped down so that the road could be widened and integrated into the east-west axes; by the end of the war the avenue was a wasteland of ruins. Those buildings which still stood were gradually reconstructed, but the real work of rebuilding, which included the demolition of the Stadtschloss (Berlin Palace), only began in earnest in 1958. Sleek, 1960s buildings with uniform façades began to appear. The place of the former Berlin Palace was taken by the Palast der Republik (Palace of the Republic) which had to be closed in the nineties due to its intoxication with asbestos. Since the Fall of the Wall, many buildings have been restored and reconstructed. The Lustgarten, previously used as parade grounds, has been redesigned as a garden in accordance with Lenné's plans. The reconstruction of the Schlossplatz with the decaying Palast der Republik is heavily discussed.
The Fernsehturm, the highest building in the city, is one of Berlin's biggest attractions. Its total height is 368 meters: the viewing platform is at a height of 203 metres. It was built according to the plans of a team of architects from 1965–69, with the assistance of a group of experts from Sweden. The Fernsehturm, member of the World Federation of Great Towers, consists of a 250m-high reinforced concrete shaft topped by a stainless steel sphere, which is divided into seven stories. One of them is home to the Telecafé, which offers a breath-taking view of the city. The café, which rotates on its own axis, takes 30 minutes to go round. The tip of the tower is formed by a 118 meter-long television antenna. A pavilion-style construction around the foot of the tower was constructed from 1969–72 according to the plans of the architects Walter Herzog and Heinz Aust; it is divided into three sections with pointed, multi-pitch roofs.
Numerous legends and agent stories are told about Checkpoint Charlie. The former border crossing point between East and West Berlin was the place where Soviet and American tanks stood face to face, after the construction of the »Wall in 1961. From 1961 to 1990, Checkpoint Charlie in the »Friedrichstraße, was the only border crossing point for the Allies, foreigners, employees of the Permanent Representation and officials of the GDR. Today, the checkpoint is commemorated by a border sign and a soldier's post. The museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie tells the history of the Wall.
Potsdamer Platz is one of the most popular attractions of the New Berlin. With its mix of restaurants, shopping opportunities, theatre and cinemas, both Berliners and tourists are drawn in to pass the time. The former Postdamer Platz is only a small part of the site now bearing its name. The original square was a crossroads which, after the building of the train station Potsdamer Bahnhof, became one of the busiest junctions in Europe and a synonym for the pace of life in the capital. The square was badly damaged in the Second World War; consequently the junction of the American, British and Soviet sectors, and cut through by the »Wall, the wasteland decayed into a no man's land in the heart of the city. After the Fall of the Wall the area around Potsdamer Platz became the biggest building site in Europe. Between 1993 and 1998, a completely new quarter arose on the land owned by DaimlerChrysler, with office buildings, shops, hotels, apartments and restaurants as well as the Stella Musical Theatre and a casino. The 22-story debis-Haus was designed by Renzo Piano: its atrium, boasting cathedral-like dimensions, contains Jean Tinguely's machine sculpture "Meta-Maxi". Next to this are the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden – a mall with numerous shops – and an IMAX cinema. In the year 2000, the Sony Center opened on Kemperplatz, and now houses Sony's European headquarters. Seven buildings surround the forum, which is conceived as a light-flooded arena with a tented roof. The futuristic building also houses the new Filmhaus with the Filmmuseum, two cinemas and an IMAX film theatre, as well as restaurants. Until building work began on the new Potsdamer Platz, the Hotel Esplanade was a solitary ruin in the former wasteland between East and West Berlin. In a spectacular feat of engineering, the Breakfast Room and the Emperors' Room were integrated into the Sony Center. The neo-baroque Emperors' Room, weighing 1,300 tonnes, was lifted onto air cushions and moved around 70 metres to its present position. It is now a restaurant. In the red clinker-clad Kollhoff building, the express elevator – the fastest in Europe – leads to a panorama platform with breathtaking views over the whole area. Early in 2004, the noble Beisheim Centerwas opened at Lenné-Dreieck. The complex of hotels, offices and residential units reminds of early modern American skycrapers. The nearby Delbrück Haus, designed by architect Hans Kollhoff, will be completed in 2004 / 2005.
