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As you make your way through Classical and Baroque Berlin, you’ll
come across wide tree lined avenues and monuments to the glory of
the Arts. These are the heart of a city that has once again become
the capital. From the banks of the Spree to the ForiedrichstraBe
shopping centre, you’l pass between historical reconstructions
and acrhitectural innovation.
Reichstag
Built to plans by Wallot, the parliament building was only consecreted
to the German people in 1916. The hight of bad taste for Emperor
Wilhelm II, burnt down a month after Hitler’s rise to power,
the building was always the victim of the blows struct to democracy.
In April 1945 the Soviets raised their flags on it before it
was side lined by the Wall. Reunified Germany has recovered its
history by entrusting Norman Foster with the task of making democracy
more transparent by the way of architecture. Judge for yourself
from the top of the dome whether the enterprise has met with
success.
Opening hours: Daily 9am-10pm
Entry is free
Gendarmenmarkt
This is probably the most homogeneous architectural group in the
city. Many Huguenots settled here after the Edict of Nantes was
evoked in 1685, forcing them to flee to Protestant countries.
The Franzosischer Dom and the Deutscher Dom bear witness to their
enforced exile. Buillt to satisfy the French and Prussian reformed
faiths, these two churches form a harmonious balance with the
Schauspielhaus, a renowned concert hall, home to the Berlin Symphony
Orchestra.
Altes Museum
You reach the oldest museum in Germany through the Lustgerten (‘pleasure
garden’). Now restored to its original function, the park
was for a long time the scene of military parades of every kind
for which the severity of the colonnade made a particular fitting
backdrop. Inaugurated in 1830, Schinkel’s work is however,
most impressive with a dome that seems to defy the laws of physics.
Inspite of the restoration work in hand, it’s possible to
gain access to a selection of the paintings.
Opening hours: Tue.-Sun. 10am-6pm
Checkpoint Charlie
If you want to look for traces of the Wall Checkpoint Charlie seems
the obvious place to start. Only the Café Adler remains
as a reminder of the spot where the tanks of the two blocs confronted
eachother in a stand off in 1961. In its memory artist Frank
Thiel has placed monumental portraits of an American and a Russian
soldier here. Anyone keen on history should visit the Museun
Haus am Checkpoint Charlie.
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