Sightseeing in Berlin - what to see. Complete travel guide

Berlin is one of the biggest cities in Europe (its population is 3.4 million of people). Perhaps, this is also one of the most fashionable and constantly changing cities of the region. Berlin has been chosen the capital of Germany since 1990. However, in reality the city still consists of 2 parts. When The Berlin Wall fell, Berlin became one of the musical centres of Europe. The city keeps attracting numerous musicians and artists. Soon after this numerous trendy restaurants and clubs appeared in the city, and Berlin got back its reputation of the most fashionable place in Europe.

The Berlin Wall. During approximately 30 years citizens of Berlin were separated by The Berlin Wall. It served as a boundary between the communist East and the capitalistic West. Nowadays, the largest part of the wall was disassembled, but sometimes you still can see the marks on the pavement. These are the places where the wall used to be located. The Berlin Wall was ruined on the 9th of November, 1989. In a 2-year time after this symbolic event the disgraceful construction was practically destroyed. The fragments of the Wall were sold as souvenirs. Nowadays, the remains of the Wall still remind of the past events. The East Side Gallery is situated in Mühlenstraße. This is a 1200-meter long wall, which is painted by artists from all over the world. Bernauerstrasse is the place where tourists can still see the remains of The Berlin Wall. The wall here has holes that were made on the night from the 9th to the 10th of November 1989. This place has become a true memorial of the past events.

The Documental Centre is the place where visitors can learn about the history of The Berlin Wall. The centre exhibits plenty of photos, documents and videos related to it. Do not forget to pay your attention to the Kapelle der Versönung, which was built in the memory of the 200 deceased, who had tried to get over the wall. The Checkpoint Charlie Museum, which was founded in 1962 soon after The Wall was built, is also devoted to The Berlin Wall and to attempts to get over it. In this museum one can see how hard the people, who had tried to escape from Eastern Berlin, were punished. The museum also exhibits numerous devices that were used during successful escapes. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Alexanderplatz. Alexanderplatz, or, as locals call it, “Alex” was the second important transport flyover before the Second World War. The square got its name in 1805, in the memory of the visit of Russian tsar Alexander I. During the war Alexanderplatz was ruined and later reconstructed. Thanks to this reconstruction, the square became larger, but it was surrounded by typical buildings with rather a boring design, such as the Stadt Berlin Hotel and the Kaufhof department store. The square itself was turned into pedestrian zone, surrounded by streets. The centre of Eastern Berlin was created this way. The fountain in the centre of the square is still one the most popular places with young people. However, the main point of interest is located not in Alexanderplatz, but nearby. This is the local TV-tower, which is 368 meter high. The tower is known as the highest building in Berlin. There is an observation deck at the height of 203 meters, from which everyone is welcome to enjoy the beauty of the city from a bird’s-eye view. There is also an unusual restaurant there. The restaurant moves slowly, and makes a complete circle in half an hour. When the sky is clear, visitors can see a great panorama of the city with a distance of 40 kilometres. When the weather is sunny, a big cross appears on the metallic revetment of the tower. Locals call it “the revenge of the Pope” – without a doubt, such an optical effect wasn't foreseen by the strict antireligious regime of GDR.

Reichstag. Reichstag is the local house of parliament, but at the same time this is one of the main attractions of Berlin. After the arson of 1933 and the bombing of 1945 the government had to move to Bonn. Reichstag was restored only in 1999. Since that time it has become a permanent place of parliament sessions. The huge glass cupola on the roof of the building keeps catching everyone's attention. Tourists are welcome to get upstairs by using a special staircase for visitors. From that place they will be able to see the hall for plenary sessions. The bottom of the cupola is the location of a cozy restaurant with a wonderful view.

The Brandenburg Gate. The Brandenburg Gate is often called the symbol of Berlin. The gate is the boundary between the ancient and modern parts of the city. During the Cold War it was the starting point from which the building of The Berlin Wall began. It was also the place, from which the first eastern Germans passed the frontier in 1989. The Gate is decorated with a sculpture composition - the quadriga, charioted by goddess Victoria.

The Egyptian Museum. The Egyptian Museum is one of the most popular museums in Berlin. It features a great collection of Egyptian works of art. The original bust of Nefertiti is one of the most famous exhibits of the museum. The bust was found during the archaeological excavations in 1900. The age of the bust is more than 3000 years old. The museum suffered much damage from the Second World War. A part of its collections was lost, but museum workers managed to save the bust of Nefertiti. When Germany was divided, the collection was also shared between the two parts. The collection, which was given to Eastern Berlin, was exhibited in the Bode Museum. Western Berlin, in its turn, decided to keep the collection in the building near the Charlottenburg Palace. After the unification of Germany it was decided to bring the parts of the collection together. The original building of The Egyptian Museum is under reconstruction now. In 2009 the collection will be placed there again and everyone will have an opportunity to enjoy its magnificence. However, tourists are welcome to visit the museum without waiting for this great day as nowadays it features rather interesting exhibitions. Besides the world-famous bust of Nefertiti one can see there, for example, Egyptian sarcophagi or mummies. More than that, the museum has a great collection of papyri.