World Cup 2006
Site Sponsored by William Hill
City Guides
BERLIN - The capital city
The Berlin Wall
- Probably the most famous remnant of the troubled past in Berlin is the Wall. Whilst the majority of the wall that ran through the area we now call “Mitte” was demolished soon after re-unification in 1989, there are a couple of places where you can see the original barrier. This 10 metre stretch of wall has been kept intact, with the original murals in an area best known for its amazing redevelopments. You can trace the original route of the wall by the double row of bricks that are built into the road throughout the city. There is also another section of the wall still visible around 50 yards north of Checkpoint Charlie.
The Reichstag – Platz der Republik
The Reichstag is the home to the German Bundestag – the Parliament. It is also one of the biggest visitor draws in the city, primarily due to the stunning Norman Foster designed spectacular glass dome. After exiting the lifts from the entrance, you are then able to walk to the top of the dome via a double helix of ramps and enjoy some of the best free views of the city. In the centre of the dome there is a column of mirrors that enhances the natural light coming into the building. It mustn’t be forgotten that this building was originally destroyed by a mysterious fire in 1933, an event the Nazi’s blamed on Communists and allowed them to bring in further restrictions on the citizens.
Zoologischer Garten and Aquarium
– Hardenbergplatz 8, Berlin 10787 (+49 30 25 4010)Berlin zoo is the oldest in the country, dating back to 1841, and still remains today one of the biggest and best in Europe. Allow yourself at least 3 hours to see everything and a further hour for the excellent Aquarium. The notable highlights of the zoo are the Orang-utans, Elephants and the Polar Bears.
The Brandenburg Gate
– Pariser Platz, BerlinAt the end of the tree lined Unter den Linden is another iconic monument of Berlin, the Brandenburg Tor. Construction in the late 18th Century as a triumphal arch commemorating the status of Berlin as Prussia’s capital city. Originally it was called the Gate of Peace, and was one of 18 such gates around the city. Today, this is the only gate left and played a prominent part as a focus for the world’s media when the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989.
Shopping
Berlin is well represented by the four main department stores, with each of them having branches in both the east and the west of the city. Karstadt, probably the biggest and best stocked of the four has a huge branch at Wilmersdorfer Strasse 118 in the Charlottenburg area, whilst branch of KaDeWe in Schöneberg is Europe’s biggest department store.
The other notable place to visit is the Arkaden shopping mall that sits above Potsdamer Platz S-Bahn station. This offers an excellent food court area, some good shopping plus hosts of bars and cafes around the outside.
For more in-depth information, check out Stuart Fuller’s Fans Guide To German Stadiums 2005/06
