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Berlin Journals

Summer in Berlin

Best of IgoUgo

A July 2002 trip to Berlin by becks

Kaiser Wilhelm Gedaechtniskirche Photo - Berlin, Germany More Photos
Quote: Berlin is a beautiful city full of interesting sites of both esthetical and historical importance. Glorious summer weather made visiting the plentiful parks and open-air cafés a pleasure. The museums and historical sites are easily accessible and offer a choice for all tastes.
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Summer in Berlin Best of IgoUgo

Overview

Kaiser Wilhelm Gedaechtniskirche Photo - Berlin, Germany
Quote:
Berlin has been at the center of world history for so many years that just being there made the journey worth the effort, which is fortunate as some of the famous sights we wanted to see were closed for restoration. Special highlights were the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche, the Bundestag, Brandenburg Gate, the newly restored areas of Unter den Linden, Museum Island and Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam. Apart from rain on the first day the rest of the week had glorious sunshine and the Berliners love open-air cafes. Drinking coffee or beer (OK mostly beer) and people watching - whether on the stylish Unter den Linden Boulevard, the commercial but beautiful Kurfürstendamm or next to the Opera...Read More

Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre Best of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Crowne Plaza City Center"

The Crowne Plaza Photo - Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre, Berlin, Germany
Quote:
The Crowne Plaza would not normally be my first choice to stay in in Berlin but the Adlon was fully booked. As we expected that circumstances might force us to spend more time in the hotel than usual we opted for a hotel where we would be sure to have a decent size room and full facilities. The Crowne Plaza is conveniently located off Kurfuerstendamm near the Kaiser Wilhem Gedaechtniskirche and Zoo Station. Inside the nondescript building in a very nondescript street awaited a warm welcome from very friendly and competent staff. Check-in was very fast and although we traveled fairly light a friendly bellhop insisted on helping with the luggage. He also refused the tip and seemed almost e...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre
NUERNBERGERSTRASSE 65
Berlin, Germany
49-30-0 21007 0

Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche"

Kaiser Wilhelm Gedaechtniskirche Photo - Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, Berlin, Germany
Quote:
The Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche (Emperor Wilhelm Memorial Church) is not much older than a century but it has a significant importance for the people of Berlin. It commemorates the life of Kaiser Wilhelm I (not the Second of World War One fame), but was severely damaged by bombing during the Second World War. After the war it was decided not to repair the church but to let its' damaged appearance serve as a reminder of the devastation that war brings. It was located at the heart of West Berlin and a poignant symbol in a city that rebuilt as fast as possible to show off the wealth and progress of the capitalist West compared to the Communist controlled East. All that is left of the chu...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche
Breitscheidplatz
Berlin, Germany 10789
+49 30 218 50 23

Checkpoint Charlie and Museum Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie"

Checkpoint Charlie Photo - Checkpoint Charlie and Museum, Berlin, Germany
Quote:
The Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie must have the most convenient opening hours of all museums in Berlin if not the whole of Europe – open daily from 09:00 to 22:00 it is a good place to visit after dinner or on Monday's when many other sites are closed. Checkpoint Charlie, or what is left of it, is of course nowadays open round the clock. This museum is often referred to as the Cold War museum and is mainly dedicated to the people who tried to escape from the former East Germany to the West. Newer, and equally interesting, exhibition areas also focus on repression and resistance worldwide. Approaching the museum we had our doubts – it was hard to find the real entrance of the...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Checkpoint Charlie and Museum
Friedrichstrasse 43
Berlin, Germany 10969
+49 30 25 37 25 0

Museum Island Berlin (Museumsinsel) Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Museum Island"

Museum Island Photo - Museum Island Berlin (Museumsinsel), Berlin, Germany
Quote:
Berlin has a number of excellent museums although none are as well known as say the Louvre or the British Museum. However, what they lack in international fame they do make up for by being mostly conveniently located within close proximity on Museum Island in the heart of Berlin. Museum Island was the location of the first settlements in Berlin during the 13th century and has been at the center of action ever since. Approaching the island from Unter den Linden Boulevard, you cross the magnificent Schlossbrücke (Castle Bridge), which is lined with classical statues. Directly across from the bridge is the copper colored Palast der Republik (Palace of the Republic), the former parliament of...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Museum Island Berlin (Museumsinsel)
Berlin-mitte
Berlin, Germany

Brandenburg Gate Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Brandenburg Gate and The Wall"

Brandenburger Tor Photo - Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany
Quote:
One of the enduring images of the Cold War is the sight of the Brandenburg Gate behind barbed wire and later The Wall as symbol of not only a divided city but also a divided world. It was for this distinct twentieth century role, more than its late eighteenth century origin, that I wanted to see the Gate. However, my attempts to see the Gate were thwarted. To add to the disappointment of the nearby Bundestag being closed for maintenance for the whole of the week we were in Berlin, the Brandburger Tor was fully draped in construction gauge bearing an enormous advertising for Bild newspaper and Deutsche Telekom. The Gate reopened with fanfare on October 3, 2002, although seeing the event live on G...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Brandenburg Gate
Pariser Platz
Berlin, Germany

Unter den Linden Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Unter den Linden Boulevard"

Unter den Linden Photo - Unter den Linden, Berlin, Germany
Quote:
Since the 18th century Unter den Linden (Under the Lime trees) has been the street to be seen in Berlin. This grand avenue lined with four rows of lime trees runs from the Brandenburg Gate to Museum Island, and has a large amount of historic buildings, embassies, up market shops, and cafes. After the War it was part of the East and although the lime trees were replanted in 1946, it only started to return to its' former glory after the wall came down. Strolling down from the Brandenburg Gate you pass the newly reconstructed Adlon Hotel, the vacant lot of the US Embassy, the French and Russian Embassies, several banks, and very flashy stylish car show rooms. The Russian Embassy was the first sign...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Unter den Linden
Schlossplatz
Berlin, Germany 10117

Potsdamer Platz Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "East Berlin"

Palast der Republic Photo - Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, Germany
Quote:
At times Berlin looks like one massive building site and it is hard to decide whether the economy is booming or whether Berlin is trying to finally rid itself of the ghosts of the past. Most of the building activity is taking place in the former East Berlin and in the no-man zone where the wall once stood, making it increasingly hard to see East German architecture and constructions. Probably the busiest building area is the Potsdamer Platz, where famous buildings such as the Sony Center, Deutsche Bahn, and the headquarters of Daimler-Chrysler are constructed. Many more are following. Close by many countries also constructed magnificent new embassies on land that belonged to the respective coun...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Potsdamer Platz
Public Square, Center of Berlin
Berlin, Germany 10785

Museum Island Berlin (Museumsinsel) Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Pergamon Museum"

Pergamon Museum Photo - Museum Island Berlin (Museumsinsel), Berlin, Germany
Quote:
Spoiled for choice on Museum Island, the Pergamon Museum is an easy choice as it offers something different from the ordinary exhibitions, statues, and pictures seen in all standard museums and galleries. It has several enormous reconstructions of parts of ancient cities. Included in the entry fee of Euro 4 is an audio set available in several languages. The audio guide is very good and leads you through the exhibitions providing sufficient general information without becoming overbearing. More detailed information can be requested for most displays should they really tickle your interest. The star exhibition is the Pergamon Altar, a Greek construction with beautiful freezes that dates...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Museum Island Berlin (Museumsinsel)
Berlin-mitte
Berlin, Germany

Jewish Museum Berlin (Jüdisches Museum) Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Jüdisches / Jewish Museum"

Jüdisches / Jewish Museum Photo - Jewish Museum Berlin (Jüdisches Museum), Berlin, Germany
Quote:
The Jewish Museum was designed by Daniel Libeskind and is a very modern and complicated construction. The passages zig-zag and represent a torn Star of David. The layout is full of symbolism and represents complicated philosophical ideas related to the loss of Jewish culture though the holocaust. Frankly speaking this worked better in a video program on this very interesting building that I saw prior to visiting the museum. In reality I found the layout at first a bit complicated and confusing, although very friendly and abundant multilingual staff are willing to point you in the right direction. The museum surprisingly doesn’t focus on the holocaust but rather on the history of Jews in G...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Jewish Museum Berlin (Jüdisches Museum)
Lindenstrasse 9-14
Berlin, Germany 10969
+49 (30) 25993-300

Berlin Zoo (Zoologischer Garten Berlin) Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Berlin Zoo"

Berlin Zoo Photo - Berlin Zoo (Zoologischer Garten Berlin), Berlin, Germany
Quote:
The division of Berlin following the Second World War left Zoo Station at the center of commercial West Berlin. Although the major trains from western Germany still stop at Zoo, the new station at Potsdamer Platz is suppose to gradually take over the role as Berlin’s central station in reality if not in name. Zoo Station of course got its' name from the adjacent zoological gardens, which can still be entered from Lion’s Gate directly across the road from the station. However, the main entrance is via the Asian style Elephant Gate. Originally established in 1844, Berlin zoo is one of the oldest in Germany and still one of Berlin’s most popular attractions. We went on a sunny Sunday when...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Berlin Zoo (Zoologischer Garten Berlin)
Hardenbergplatz 8
Berlin, Germany 10623
49 (0)30-254 01-0

Gendarmenmarkt Best of IgoUgo

Attraction

Gendarmenmarkt Photo - Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin, Germany
Quote:
Gendarmenmarkt is a particularly beautiful square a few short blocks from Unter den Linden down Charlotten Street. It's dominated by the Konzerthaus (Concert Hall) but flanked by the two similarly looking French and German Cathedrals. Bistros and coffee shops with outdoor seating both on the square and in the adjacent streets are a haven for the tired and hungry. The Konzerthaus is a neo-classical building dating from the early nineteenth century. Although extensively damaged during the Second World War, the exterior was restored to its former glory while the interior was updated. It's the home of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra – not to be confused with the Berlin Philharmonic, which is housed in...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Gendarmenmarkt
Französische Straße
Berlin, Germany 10117

Potsdam Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Potsdam 1"

Park Sanssouci Photo - Potsdam, Berlin, Germany
Quote:
Potsdam is nowadays probably more famous for hosting the post-World War II conference of the victors than for being a former royal residence. However, it is for the Park Sanssouci and its royal residences that the tourists flock to this town just outside Berlin. Entry to the massive 287-hectare (700 acres) Park Sanssouci is free, but entry is charged to enter all buildings (more than ten). Many can only be seen on a guided tour. Combination tickets are available and can be stretched over two days - about the time needed to see them all. The first palace built here and the most visited is Sanssouci, constructed as a summer residence by King Frederick the Great in 1745. Constructi...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Potsdam
Main Street
Potsdam, Germany

Potsdam Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Potsdam 2"

Park Sanssouci Photo - Potsdam, Berlin, Germany
Quote:
Continued from Potsdam 1 While waiting for your tour you can stroll the beautiful gardens. The classical view of Schloss Sanssouci is from the fountain at the bottom of the hill. The park is rich in sculptures, grottos, and other decorations and worth strolling in. Picnicking is allowed. From the colonnade at the back of the palace, you can see some Roman ruins on the opposing hill. The Romans of course never made it this far, but the ruins were built to add classical flavor and to obstruct the view of water works. On summer weekends you can also visit the kitchen and the Lad...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Potsdam
Main Street
Potsdam, Germany

Potsdam Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Potsdam 3"

Park Sanssouci Photo - Potsdam, Berlin, Germany
Quote:
Continue from Potsdam 2 The other major building in the Park is the huge Baroque style Neues Palais (New Palace). Walking through the park from Schloss Sanssouce to the Neues Palais will require at least half an hour, and it may be better to take the bus running along the back of the park. A lack of time prevented us from visiting this palace but it is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Germany. Between Schloss Sanssouci and the Orangerie the Historical Mill can be seen. The current mill is a recent copy but the original became famous, as Frederick wanted to have...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on October 3, 2002

Potsdam
Main Street
Potsdam, Germany