Anyone who lives in Berlin will be able to confirm the very special flair that the city exudes. Life in the German capital brings with it peculiarities that residents quickly learn to love and that ensure that the city's sons and daughters are drawn back to the bosom of their homeland after a certain period of abstinence.

It is precisely the contrasts between historical buildings and contemporary architecture, between tradition and modernity, that distinguish the city. The history of an entire nation is told by Berlin's sights, from the Brandenburg Gate to the Federal Chancellery. The German capital is also home to all the major government buildings, including the historic Reichstag as the seat of the German parliament.

Places To Visit

Reichstag

Here you can climb on the politicians' heads: Visitors can get a view of the hustle and bustle of the city from the roof terrace and the imposing glass dome atop the Reichstag. Around the Reichstag you will also find many government buildings, such as the Federal Chancellery, and the Brandenburg Gate.

Brandenburger Tor

Without a doubt, it is the city's landmark and a symbol of reunification: the Brandenburg Gate. Completed in 1791, it was only one of many old city gates around Berlin, which was still manageable at the time. In front of the gate, an ornamental square was created - Pariser Platz - where many of the city's important buildings are still located today, such as the historic Hotel Adlon or the Academy of Arts.

Fernsehturm

Visible from afar and at 368 metres the tallest building in Berlin: the TV Tower. Built in the 1960s, it offers visitors a unique 360° panorama of the city. The TV Tower is located directly at Alexanderplatz, the centre of the old East Berlin.

Gendarmenmarkt

In the immediate vicinity of Friedrichstraße, the exclusive shopping street in Berlin-Mitte, is one of Berlin's most beautiful squares: Gendarmenmarkt. The concert hall designed by Schinkel, the German Cathedral and the French Cathedral are three architectural highlights of the capital.

Kurfürstendamm

Kurfürstendamm stretches from the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on Breitscheidtplatz to Berlin's posh residential area at Halensee: Berlin's most popular shopping mile, where the classiest brands and major fashion chains have set up shop. KaDeWe, the largest department stores' on the European mainland, is also located on the extension of Kurfürstendamm, the "Tauentzienstraße". And for little Berlin guests, the Berlin Zoo is exciting, Germany's oldest zoo.

Schloss Charlottenburg

Just outside the city centre lies the magnificent Charlottenburg Palace. Built by Prussian head of state Friedrich III around 1700 for his beloved and popularly adored wife Sophie-Charlotte, it lies in the middle of a picturesque palace park directly on the Spree. If you don't want to walk in the park, you can also further your education in the Charlottenburg museums directly opposite on Schloßstraße.

Museumsinsel

Berlin's Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the city's most important exhibition venues: the Altes Museum, the Neues Museum, the Bode Museum, the Pergamon Museum and the Alte Nationalgalerie. With their collections, the houses present over 6,000 years of art and cultural history.

On Museum Island, also visit the magnificent monumental Berlin Cathedral, an important landmark of Berlin whose history dates back to the 15th century.

Potsdamer Platz

Before the Second World War it was the bustling centre of the city, between 1945 and the fall of the Wall it was a no-man's land: Potsdamer Platz has lived through an eventful history. After 1989 it has changed completely. Today, the Sony Center, skyscrapers and countless shops dominate the scene. In addition, Potsdamer Platz is today above all the place of Berlin's stars and starlets - not only during the film festival.