TOP 9 PLACES YOU MUST SEE WHEN VISITING BERLIN
Berlin is the fastest-changing metropolis in Europe. Even the Berliners themselves try not to get used to their city for too long. Every now and then new buildings, hotels and museums are being built, nearby infrastructure is then changing, and popular areas are enchanting with newly created shiny buildings. Modern architecture easily fits into its postmodern remains. In Berlin, you wnn’tt see skyscrapers, and because of the lack of sufficient potential, its economic center can’t be compared with that, for. ex. in Frankfurt. On the other hand, German capital excels in the field of culture and history, being one of the most important art trade markets in the world. Cultural heritage is evident in a huge numbers and variety of exhibits. Information on all current cultural events and exhibitions taking place in Berlin can be found HERE. You have to reserve at least a few days to see everything, but it’s also possible to get out the most of Berlin’s atmosphere within just two days. So what’s worth seeing while in Berlin over the weekend? Please continue reading, the most important and the most interesting places that you simply MUST visit are listed below!
1. MUSEUM ISLAND
It is a complex of five buildings located on the island, visited annually by over one million tourists. It is not without reason that everyone who comes to Berlin wants to visit them. The collections gathered in them are equal to those of the Louvre in Paris!
The admission to each of the museum costs 10-19 euros, but with the Berlin Welcome Card some of them have a 25% discount, for example at the entrance to the Pergamon Museum (click HERE for a detailed list of discounted museums). There is also the option of buying a special Berlin Welcome Card Museumsinsel, which entitles you to a free tour of the Museum Island for three days and costs 46 euros. You can buy it at the airport, metro stations, in hotels, information points and online HERE.
The Museum Island includes:
The Old Museum - built in the 19th century, is a great example of classicist architecture, has an extensive collection of antique art and a copperplate gallery.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 (on Thursday until 20:00)
Admission: 10 Euro (regular ticket), 5 Euro (discount ticket)The New Museum - reconstructed by the British architect David Chipperfield in the late nineties of the twentieth century, presents chronologically and thematically exhibits of the Egyptian Museum, Museum of Prehistory and Antiquity and the Collection of Ancient Art.
Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 (on Thursdays until 20:00)
Admission: 12 Euro (regular ticket), 6 Euro (discount ticket)The Bode Museum - located directly on the banks of the Sprewa river to make the impression of "emerging" from the water, gathering, among others, works of Byzantine art and a collection of sculptures.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 (on Thursday until 20:00)
Admission: 12 Euro (regular ticket), 6 Euro (discount ticket)The Pergamon Museum - the name comes from the frieze plate of the altar in Pergamum, which dates from the 19th century excavations. In addition, the museum collects other antique collections and works of Islamic art. It also houses the Main Archive and the Main Library. Currently, the building is being renovated, therefore the room in which the fragment of the Pergamon altar is located will be available to visitors in 2023.
Open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 (on Thursdays until 20:00)
Admission: 19 Euro (regular ticket, 9.50 Euro (discount ticket)Berlin Cathedral - an Evangelical cathedral where church services take place, as well as many musical events such as choral music concerts. It is worth climbing the dome, because it offers a wonderful view of the city.
Open daily at different times (the current schedule can be found HERE)
Admission: 7 euro (regular ticket), 5 euro (discount ticket), tickets can be bought on the spot or online HERE
2. TELEVISION TOWER AND ALEXANDER SQUARE
The Television Tower is the most recognizable building in Berlin, except the Brandenburg Gate. This tall building, 365 meters high, crowned with a glass dome, is visible from almost every place in the city center. Tourists have the opportunity to reach the top by an express lift, where in good weather, a wonderful views of the city can be seen. Located a few meters higher, above the platform, the restaurant revolves around its own axis every half an hour. The tower is usually besieged by a crowd of tourists, but you don’t have to wait in the queue anymore, because the willing can receive a text message when it is their turn!
Opening hours: daily from 9:00 to 24:00 (from November to February from 10:00) Admission: 16.50 euro (standard ticket), 21.50 euro (ticket without a queue)
Alexander Square is now used as a meeting place for young people and a shopping district, additionally gathering crowds of tourists waiting to enter the Television Tower. The Fountain of National Friendship and the clock showing the time from different corners of the globe are the only eneride remnants indicating that once this place was the city market.
3. THE RED TOWN HALL
Located at Alexander Square, the town hall is a building built of characteristic red brick, mostly in the style of the Italian Renaissance. The panels placed at the height of the first floor show the history of Berlin. The building also looks impressive at night when it is effectively illuminated. Currently, various events and exhibitions are organized in the town hall. Most often, however, visitors just need to admire it from the outside.
Open from Mon. to Fri. in hours 9:00-18:00
4. THE GOVERNMENT DISTRICT WITH THE REICHSTAG BUILDING
The Government District is a complex of modern parliamentary buildings known as the Federation Facility. Among others, the Chamber of Deputies and the third largest parliamentary library in the world were located there. It is worth taking a stroll through the Ministers' Gardens, which constitute an architectural curiosity.
For security reasons, entrance to the Reichstag building is possible only after sending a request to the Bundenstag to reserve a visit and/or place in the restaurant Beetle, from which you can climb a spiral platform to the top of the glass dome designed by Norman Foster, from where there’s a wonderful view of the entire Government District, Main Railway Station and other parts of the city. Visiting the building is free, and the reservation can be made HERE or in a nearby ticket shed (there may be queues). You should arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled time to go through the check.
Open daily from 8:00-24:00
5. BRANDENBURG GATE
Designed by the architect Carl Gotthard Langhans, the gate is modeled on Propyleys from the Athenian Acropolis, and the sculpture placed on top of the goddess, symbolized by four horses, symbolizes peace. The gate is located at the entrance to the Paris Square and since 2002 you can admire its restored version. The gate is one of the most recognizable buildings in Berlin, which is why it is a key point for anyone planning a tour of the city. However, to get around crowds of tourists, you have to come to the square very early in the morning.
6. THE MEMORIAL OF MURDERED JEWS OF EUROPE
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe consists of 2711 concrete cuboids of various heights commemorating the victims of the Holocaust in Germany. The project of the New York architect Peter Eisenman was unveiled to the public in 2005. The wavy shape of the structure looks different from anywhere, depending on which side it enters. Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00-19:00 (in the summer season until 8 pm) Admission: free
7. FILM AND TELEVISION MUSEUM
This interesting and interactive museum shows the history of German cinema from its beginnings to modern times. In addition, it has an educational function in the field of modern animation, visualization and special effects. The museum has in its collection many exhibits belonging to Marlene Dietrich and other German artists forced to emigrate.
Open from Wednesday to Monday from 10:00-18:00 (on Thursdays until 20:00)
Admission: 8 Euro (regular ticket), 5 Euro (discount ticket)
8. MAIN RAILWAY STATION
The Main Railway Station is the largest railway station in Europe, built according to the design of the Gerkan & Partner architectural office, which focused on the practical use of steel and glass, creating a multi-storey, impressive building with numerous shopping arcades and underground railway tracks. The easiest way to get here is via the S-Bahn: Hauptbahnhof.
9. POTSDAM SQUARE
Its western part is a modern district with numerous shopping centers, musical theaters and the Film and Television Museum. The greatest attention is paid to the Sony-Center building, whose roof-like roof protects the square from adverse weather conditions. Even in the rain you can walk around the square, relax by the fountain or drink a coffee in one of the many cafés there. Take the ultra-fast elevator to the viewing platform at Kollhoff-Tower to enjoy the beautiful view of the city from the place where the Berlin Wall once stood.
Open daily from 10:00 to 20:00 (in winter until 18:00)
Admission: 7.50 euro (regular ticket), 6 euro (concessionary ticket)
The above list presents the most important, most frequently visited places in Berlin, but you shouldn’t really limit yourself only to them. The greatest pleasure can be found in discovering new places that may turn out to be equally fascinating. Traditional sightseeing is worth starting from Alexander Platz with the famous Television Tower, which can be easily reached, f. ex. by metro. Further on, you can walk to the Red Town Hall or the Museum Island. The easiest way to get around Berlin is by public transport. A favorable solution is to buy a Berlin Welcome Card, which I wrote about in an earlier post HERE. You will also find other practical information useful when planning a trip.