My Visual Travel Experience: Berlin

Memories of Berlin takes me back to my teenage years. In 1988, as a 15 year old living in Vienna, I was allowed by my parents to travel by train to Berlin all by myself. My father's colleague was the Indian Ambassador there, and his son was my age, and someone I had gotten along with rather well when his family had visited us in Vienna earlier that year. I had a great time in Berlin, and enjoyed seeing the main sights of the then divided city. I enjoyed the freedom of going around the city independently, thanks to the city's great public transport system - it made me feel like quite an adult!

On my way back from Berlin, I had a real adventure. I had to change trains in the town of Regensburg. I missed my connecting train at around 4 pm, and the next train to Vienna wasn't till 1 am. I have an honest confession to make - I missed the train on purpose because I was very keen on visiting Regensburg Cathedral. I enjoyed my cathedral visit, and the McDonald's dinner I had after that, but subsequently, I had to go and wait at the station for several hours in the middle of the night, and I had less than wonderful experiences with drunk and homeless people, as well as drug peddlers, constantly accosting me - I eventually went and sat down next to a  police officer, and I didn't budge from him until my train finally arrived!!

I went and spent another few days in Berlin years later in 2007. By then I was quite a seasoned international traveler, and I visited the city rather extensively. I re-visited the sights I had seen earlier, plus I saw many more places I hadn't been to the first time round.

Berlin is the capital of Germany and has a population of over 3.7 million. The city’s history goes back to the 13th century. Through its history, it has been the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (1417 – 1701), the Kingdom of Prussia (1701 – 1918), the German Empire (1871 – 1918), the Weimar Republic (1919 – 1933), the Third Reich (1933 – 1945), East Germany (1945 – 1990) and a unified Germany (1990 onwards).

Frederich I became the Elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg in 1415. His successors in the Hohenzollern family ruled Berlin till 1918, first as electors of Brandenburg, then as kings of Prussia, then as German emperors. The city was damaged badly in the Thirty Years War between 1618 and 1648. Friedrich Wilhelm was instrumental in rebuilding the city. In 1701, Friedrich III, Elector of Brandenburg, crowned himself as King Friedrich I of Prussia. In 1740, Friedrich II, called Friedrich the Great, became king. Under him, Berlin became a centre of the Enlightenment. Napoleon took over the city in 1806 but granted it autonomy. In 1815, the city became a part of the new Province of Brandenburg. In 1871, Berlin became the capital of the German Empire.

In the years leading up to World War II, the Nazis under Adolf Hitler reduced the city’s Jewish population from 160,000 to 80,000 and thousands were sent to concentration camps. In World War II, the city saw huge destruction from 1943 to 1945, and 125,000 civilians were killed. The allies divided Berlin into four zones – West Berlin consisted of the sectors under the Western Allies (the US, the UK and France) and East Berlin consisted of the sector under the Soviet Union. In 1949, West Germany was formed with Bonn as its capital, and East Germany was formed with East Berlin as its capital. In 1961, the Berlin Wall was built, and it was prohibited for residents of East Berlin to travel to West Berlin. In 1989, the Cold War ended, and the Berlin Wall fell. In 1990, Germany was reunified - Berlin was made the capital of a unified Germany.

Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtnis Kirche is a Protestant church built in the 1890’s. It was badly damaged in 1943 during World War II. It was never restored fully. The spire is as it was after the bombing. The ground floor has been made into a memorial hall. The church now has a modern glass hexagonal tower. The glass is blue in colour. The church is dedicated to Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German Emperor, who reigned from 1888 till his abdication in 1918, just before Germany surrendered in World War I. He was the eldest grandchild of Queen Victoria of England.

Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtnis Kirche

Bas relief of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtnis Kirche

Mural of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtnis Kirche

Berliner Dom was completed in 1905. It has a large dome, and stands at a height of 116 meters. The church lies on Museum Island.  

Berliner Dom

Schloss Charlottenburg was built in the 17th century and was expanded later. The palace was commissioned by the Sophie Charlotte, wife of Friedrich I, Elector of Brandenburg (later King of Prussia). It is named after her. The large palace is built in baroque and rococo style. It was damaged in World War II and subsequently restored. The Schloss Charlottenburg complex has the Old Palace (with its Porcelain Chamber), the New Wing (with the opulent apartment of Friedrich the Great, the grandson of Friedrich I), the Mausoleum, the Orangerie (which now has a café) and an equestrian statue of Friedrich Wilhelm I, the son of Friedrich I.

Schloss Charlottenburg

Brandenburger Tor is an 18th century gate built by Friedrich William II. It was built on the road connecting the city to Brandenburg. The gate leads to the grand avenue, Under den Linden, lined with linden trees.

Brandenburg Tor

Unter Den Linden

When the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, Brandenburg Gate was closed, separating West Berlin and East Berlin. It was opened in 1989 when the Berlin Wall was demolished, leading to the reunification of Germany. Checkpoint Charlie was one of the main checkpoints between East and West Berlin.

Berlin Wall

Checkpoint Charlie

The Deutscher Dom, also called the Neuer Kirche, dates back to 1882. It was almost totally destroyed in World War II and had to be restored.  

Deutscher Dom

The Franzosischer Dom lies opposite the Deutscher Dom on Gendarmenmarkt. It was built in 1817, destroyed in World War II and then restored only in 1981. The church was built for Berlin’s Calvinist community, modelled after the Huguenot Temple in France.

Franzosischer Dom

Alexanderplatz is a large square named after Tsar Alexander I of Russia. The square is full of shops, and landmarks like the Fernsehturm and Rotes Rathaus lie close by. The square also has a large fountain, and a World Time Clock.

Fountain, Alexanderplatz

World Time Clock, Alexanderplatz

Fernsehturm is located near Alexanderplatz and was completed by East Germany in 1969. It stands at a height of 368 meters and is Germany’s tallest structure. It serves as a radio and TV broadcasting tower and also has an observation deck and a rotating restaurant.  

Fernsehturm

Rotes Rathaus is the town hall completed in 1869. It is made of red bricks, and hence the name.

Rotes Rathaus

The Neptune Fountain was built in 1891. The fountain has the Roman God Neptune in the centre, surrounded by the allegorical figures of four women who represent the four major rivers of Prussia – the Elbe (woman holding fruits with ears of corn), the Rhine (woman with fishnet and grapes), the Vistula (woman with wooden blocks) and the Oder (woman with goat skin).

Allegorical Figure of the Oder, Neptune Fountain

Allegorical Figure of the Rhine, Neptune Fountain

Marienkirche is situated near Alexanderplatz. The original church was built in the 13th century but the present structure largely dates back to the 19th century. 

Marienkirche

Nikolaikirche is Berlin’s oldest church and was completed in 1230. It was destroyed in World War II and restored only in 1981. The church serves largely as a museum and a concert hall.

Nikolaikirche

Reichstag opened in 1894 to house the German Parliament. It caught fire in 1933, and though it was restored, it wasn’t used as the German Parliament again. In 1990, after reunification, it was restored fully and became the venue of the German parliament again. In 1999, reconstruction was completed, and the building was given a glass dome, symbolic of the original cupola.

Reichstag

Siegessaule is a Victory Monument, designed in 1864 to commemorate Prussian victory in the Prussian – Danish War. The column is 67 meters tall, and at the summit, there is a golden statue of Victoria, that is over 8 meters tall and weighs 35 tons.

Siegessaule

Neue Wache is a memorial for the victims of war and dictatorship. It is situated along Unter den Linden, was built in 1816, and has been a war memorial since 1931. It was originally built as a guardhouse by King Wilhelm Friedrich III.

Neue Wache

Gemaldegalerie is an art museum with an impressive collection of European art from the 13th century to the 18th century. Artists featured include Durer, Cranach, Holbein, Raphael, Botticelli, Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer. The museum first opened in 1830. The present building is from 1998.

Durer’s Portrait of  Hieronymous 
Holzschuher, Gemaldegalerie

Raphael’s Madonna and Child and 
St John the Baptist, Gemaldegalerie

Kunstgewerbe Museum is a museum of decorative arts. It was founded in 1868. In 1985, the collection moved to the Kulturforum. The museum’s collections include gold, silver, glass and enamel items, porcelain, furniture and costumes. 

Candlebra,
Kunstgewerbe Museum

Pergamon Museum lies on Museum Island and was completed in 1930. Its highlights include the Pergamon Altar, the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, the Market Gate of Miletus and the Mshatta Façade.

Sculpture of a Lion, Pergamon Museum

Potsdamer Platz is a large square close to Brandenburg Gate. Post German reunification, the square has been the site of major modern architectural projects.

Potsdamer Platz

The New Synagogue was built in 1886. It has a Moorish architectural style.

New Synagogue

Berlin Zoo is Germany’s oldest zoo. It opened in 1844 and is spread over 86 acres. It has a wide selection of animals and birds from across the continents.

Brown Bears, Berlin Zoo

Lioness, Berlin Zoo

I found Berlin very impressive. It is one of Europe's grandest capitals, and one with a tremendous amount of history. Big incidents in the city's history, like the demolition of the Berlin Wall, are very much in living memory. I'm quite ready for yet another visit to this beautiful city!