Berlin`s Top Ten Sights - The Reichstag, the Victory Column and the Tiergarten

The Reichstag, the Victory Column and the Tiergarten
The Reichstag is the seat of the German Parliament. It was built 1884-1894 by Paul Wallot. The inscription "Dem Deutschen Volke" ( to the German people) was added only in 1916. A deliberately laid fire burned down the Reichstag in 1933. During World War II the Reichstag was destroyed again. From the dome (1999 Sir Norman Foster) you have fantastic views of the city, but you must register in advance.
Der Reichstag

Tip: In the vicinity of the Reichstag are the new government buildings (Band des Bundes), which were constructed when Berlin became again the capital of Germany after the reunification.
The Siegessäule (Victory Column) recalls Prussian victory in three wars: 1864 against Denmark, 1866 against Austria and 1870/71 against France. It was completed by Heinrich Strack in 1871.The golden angel on the top of the Victory Column is affectionately called Goldelse by us Berliners. It`s worth to climb up the 285 steps of the Victory Column. There are great views over the city and the Tiergarten.
Siegessäule
The Tiergarten is the second largest park in Berlin and is the perfect place to regain your energy after all that sightseeing! On Neuer See ( new lake) you can row, a restaurant is nearby. The Tiergarten has been created in 1527. It was redesigned several times. A particularly beautiful corner is the English Garden.
Early spring in Tiergarten
In Tiergarten lies Bellevue Palace, the seat of the Federal President of Germany. It was built in 1786 for Prince Ferdinand, a younger brother of Frederick the Great.
Tip: The Berlin Zoo is a must for all animal lovers!

How to get there: Bus 100. This bus runs from Alexanderplatz to Bahnhof Zoo and passes many sights. A ride on the line100 is a popular sightseeing tour.

Popular posts from this blog

Berlin's Town Halls

Image
Some of Berlin's town halls look like castles, some are still used and some not. Berlin has a variety of them. Due to the union of several districts, some of the town halls are no longer used as government seats. Today we are going to take a closer look at the best known and most impressive ones. By the way, the German name for town hall is Rathaus. Rotes Rathaus (Red Town Hall) Berlin’s main town hall was built 1861-1869 by Hermann Waesemann. A frieze around the building tells Berlin's history. The tower is 74 meters high. During the division of Berlin, the government of East Berlin used the building. The politicians of West Berlin met in the town hall in Schöneberg. Opposite the Rotes Rathaus lies the Altes Stadthaus (old townhouse) . It was opened in 1911, because the Rotes Rathaus could no longer accommodate all the offices! Rathausstraße 15 10178 Berlin Bus: 100, 200, M48 The Rotes Rathaus is Berlin's best known town hall. The Altes Stadthaus l
Read more

Berlin's Top Sights - the village of Marienfelde

Image
Marienfelde is actually a suburb in the south of Berlin that belongs to the district of Tempelhof. If you drive along Marienfelder Allee, leave it to visit  a village made of some splendid houses, farmhouses, two ponds and an old church. village green in Marienfelde   Gutspark Marienfelde With   53 hectares the Gutspark Marienfelde may be quite small, but it is a beautiful recreational area for the locals.  You will find a little paradise here in the summer: benches provide shelter from the burning sun, a fountain splatters and you can relax on lawns. Children can play in the playground. I don't know any place in Berlin that has so many snowdrops as the Gutspark Marienfelde,   but as soon as you see them, you know that spring is here! Lehmann's farm on the village of Marienfelde Eggs, honey, freshly baked bread, many regional sausages and cheese specialties, are among the products you can find on Lehmann's farm - the only farm in Marienfelde! And it
Read more

Berlin's city walls

Image
Everybody knows the famous Berlin wall, but the German capital  had actually four city walls. None of them still exists, but you can still find remains or discover their traces. Medieval town wall The first one was erected during medieval times, you can still find a large piece of it in Klosterstrasse, near the Restaurant “Zur Letzten Instanz".    U Bahn:  U2 (Klosterstraße)    the medieval wall in Klosterstraße is the oldest of Berlin's city walls The Fortress T he second wall belonged to a fortress that was built by the order of the “Great Elector" Frederick William (1620-1688) shortly after the 30 Years' War. Contruction of it began in 1658. The fortress was torn down in 1744. A tower of it, the Wusterhausener Bär, still exists in Köllnischer Park.  U2 (Märkisches Museum)   the Wusterhausener Bär The Customs Wall The third wall in Berlin was the Berlin Customs Wall (Berliner Zoll-und Akzisemauer). It came into being from 17
Read more