Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate is built on the site that marked the beginning of the road from Berlin to the town of Brandenburg an der Havel. During the Cold War years, the Berlin Wall ran just to the west of the gate, leaving it standing in the “no man’s land” between the double concrete walls. Isolated … Read more
Berlin’s Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is also known as the Holocaust Memorial. Designed by architect Peter Eisenman and engineer Buro Happoldt, it features 2711 granite stelae of varying sizes and heights. On the day I visited, our guide let each of us make our way through the memorial alone, then asked us … Read more
The Berlin Konzerthaus (right) and German Cathedral (left) dominate the Gendarmenmarkt, a popular public square near the city’s historic center. Not shown in this photo is the French Cathedral, which stands on the right hand of the Konzerthaus and is a near-twin to the German Cathedral. The square is named for the Gens d’Armes mounted … Read more
The Neoclassical Neue Wache, (New Guardhouse) was originally built as a guardhouse for the troops of the crown prince of Prussia. Following the reunification of Germany, at the suggestion of Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the building was rededicated as the “Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Victims of War and Dictatorship.” An … Read more
People visit Berlin for the history of the Berlin Wall, to stand in front of the historic Brandenburg Gate and walk down the Unter den Linden, and for its constantly evolving gallery and clubbing scene. So much has been written on these attributes that there is little to add. But beyond these well-know attractions lies … Read more
