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European Vacations -
Germany Vacation Packages &
Travel Information |
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Overview |
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Berlin pulses with life; it is a
city that never sleeps. The capital
of Germany is paved with cobbled
streets dating back 750 years. At
the same time, it is gloriously
modern.
For nearly 30 years, Berlin was
really two cities: East and West
Berlin, with a wall in between that
was meant to be impenetrable. In
1989 all that changed. The wall came
down, and the two parts of the city
were reunited. In the years since
1989, Berlin has been not only
reborn, but reinvented.
The speed of change has been
astounding, with the city’s entire
center of gravity shifting from west
to east. The action ( sights,
restaurants and nightlife) is now
found in eastern Berlin. It’s an
exciting scene and, for anyone
familiar with the eastern streets of
a few years ago, a slightly
unbelievable one. Much of the new
city is already in place: parliament
sits in the renovated Reichstag;
Potsdamer Platz, once leveled to a
field in the Wall’s death zone, is
now a bustling quarter with 110 new
shops, 30 restaurants, a theater, a
film museum, and a casino; and the
city’s world-class collection of
European art has been reunited in
the Gemäldegalerie.
A fresh vibrancy is everywhere: on
the boulevards, in the art and flea
markets, in the 300 trendy
night-spots and the 7,000 pubs and
restaurants. Visitors can enjoy
three opera houses, two great
concert halls and 35 theatres, plus
cabarets, musicals and revues.
Art-lovers can tour 170 excellent
museums. this revitalized Berlin has
been called the “New York City” of
Europe.
One of the most popular activities
in Berlin is river cruising. Tourist
boats cruise the city's waterways,
stopping at picturesque parks and
castles.
The city of Berlin lies in the
middle of the state of Brandenburg,
just a few miles from countless
lakes, historical castles, stately
homes, abbeys, heaths, pine forests,
river valleys and tree-lined country
roads. Few cities have such a wealth
of unspoiled natural and cultural
attractions in the direct vicinity.
Berlin is linked to its surrounding
areas both by the Spree and Havel
rivers and by their common
historical heritage, reflected in
the many fascinating sights.
The reunited city of Berlin is once
again the capital of Germany. Berlin
was almost bombed out of existence
during World War II, its streets
reduced to piles of rubble, its
parks to muddy swampland. But the
optimistic spirit and strength of
will of the remarkable Berliners
enabled them to survive not only the
wartime destruction of their city,
but also its postwar division,
symbolized by the Berlin Wall.
Structures of steel and glass tower
over streets where before only piles
of rubble lay, and parks and gardens
are again lush. Even now, in the
daily whirl of working, shopping,
and dining along the Ku'damm,
Berliners encounter reminders of
less happy days. At the end of the
street stands the Kaiser Wilhelm
Memorial Church, with only the shell
of the old neo-Romanesque bell tower
remaining. In striking contrast is
the new church, constructed west of
the old tower in 1961, in a
futuristic design.
Before World War II, the section of
the city that became East Berlin was
the cultural and political heart of
Germany, where the best museums, the
finest churches, and the most
important boulevards lay. After the
wall came down, East Berliners
turned to restoring their important
museums, theaters, and landmarks
(especially in the Berlin-Mitte or
center section), while the West
Berliners built entirely new museums
and cultural Centers. This contrast
between the two parts of city is
still evident today, though east and
west are more and more coming
together within the immense,
fascinating whole that is Berlin.
It is a perfect time to join the
excitement, and to experience
Berlin. The city has succeeded in
moving forward, and while its entire
foundation has shifted in a new
direction, Berlin is again making
history. |
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Facts |
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Population: 3.4 million
Time Zone: Greenwich Mean Time plus
one hour (two hours in summer): Time
in Berlin is 6 hours ahead of
Eastern Standard Time in New York.
(7 hours ahead of central time in
Chicago, etc.) Berlin uses the 24
hour clock, so the numeral 1 on a US
watch would be read as 1in the early
morning or 13 in the afternoon, etc.
Transportation timetables and
schedules will use this method of
representation of time.
(designations of am and pm are
unnecessary)
International Dialing Code: The
country code for Germany is 49.
There is no need to use this prefix
when calling within the country. To
call Germany from the United States
or Canada, omit the first 0 from the
German number and add the prefix 011
49.
Telephone area code in Berlin: 030
Weather: For a report on Berlin
weather, call 0190/270-641. (There
is a per minute charge).
The German climate is variable so it
is best to be prepared for all types
of weather throughout the year.
There is no special rainy season.
The most pleasant and predictable
weather is from May to October. This
coincides, of course, with the
standard tourist season (except for
skiing). The interim periods can
bring fewer tourists and
surprisingly pleasant weather. The
disadvantages of visiting
out-of-season, especially in winter,
are that some tourist attractions
are closed or have shorter hours.
Holidays
The following holidays are observed
in Berlin:
January 1 New Year’s Day
Good Friday. and Easter Monday.
(March or April)
May 1 (Workers' Day)
Late May (Ascension)
Pentecost Monday. (May or June)
October 3 (Reunification Day)
November 1 (All Saints' Day)
December 24-26 (Christmas).
Useful measurements
Equivalent Weights And Measures
1 cm 0.39 inches
1 meter 3.28 feet / 1.09 yards
1 km 0.62 miles
1 liter 0.26 gallons
1 inch 2.54 cm
1 foot 0.39 meters
1 yard 0.91 meters
1 mile 1.60 km
1 gallon 3.78 liters
Visas: US travelers just need a
valid passport (no visa).
Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz Electrical
sockets take plugs with two round
prongs or sometimes three. American
appliances will need a plug adapter
and will require a transformer if
they do not have a dual voltage
capability. Most hotels will supply
guests with an ironing board and
iron if requested.
Business Hours
Banks & Stores
Banks are usually open weekdays from
8:30 or 9 to 3 or 4 (5 or 6 on
Thurs.), sometimes with a lunch
break of about an hour at smaller
branches. Department stores and
larger stores are generally open
from 9 or 9:15 to 8 weekdays and
until 4 on Sat.
Museums & Sights
Most museums are open from Tues. to
Sun. 10-5. Some close for an hour or
more at lunch. Many stay open until
8 or 9 on Wed. or Thurs..
Embassies and Consulates
United States (Neustädtische
Kirchstr. 4-5, 030/238-5174).
Emergencies
Police 030/110). Ambulance 030/112).
Dentist 030/8900-4333).
Late-Night Pharmacies
Pharmacies in Berlin offer
late-night service on a rotating
basis. Every pharmacy displays a
notice indicating the location of
the nearest shop with evening hours.
For emergency pharmaceutical
assistance, call 030/01189.
Language
German is the primary language.
English is spoken and understood in
most hotels, restaurants, airports,
stations, museums, and other places
of interest.
Money
Currency : Since January 1, 1999,
Germany’s official currency has been
the European monetary unit, the
euro.
Taxes
Most prices you see on items already
have Germany’s 16% value- added tax
(VAT) included. When traveling to a
non-EU country, you are entitled to
a refund of the VAT you pay
(multiply the price of an item by
13.8% to find out how much VAT is
embedded in it). Some goods, like
books and antiquities, carry a 6.5%
VAT as a percentage of the purchase
price.
Global Refund is a VAT refund
service that makes getting your
money back hassle-free. In
participating stores, ask for the
Global Refund form (called a
Shopping Cheque). When you leave the
European Union, you must show your
purchases to customs officials
before they will stamp your refund
form. Before you check your luggage
at the airport, ask to be directed
to the customs desk. Once the form
is stamped, take it to one of the
more than 700 Global Refund counters
- located at every major airport and
border crossing - and your money
will be refunded on the spot in the
form of cash, check, or a refund to
your credit-card account (minus a
small percentage for processing).
Alternatively, you can mail your
validated form to Global Refund: 707
Summer St., Stamford, CT 06901,
800/566-9828.
Getting Around
The Berlin-Potsdam Welcome Card
gives you 72 hours of free transport
on all the buses and trams of the
VBB network. Also good for free
admission or up to 50% reductions
for sightseeing tours, museums and
many other tourist attractions.
Public Transportation: The Berlin
transport system consists of buses,
trams, and U-Bahn (underground) and
S-Bahn (elevated) trains. The
network is run by the BVG or Public
Transport Company
Berlin-Brandenburg. Public
transportation throughout the city
operates from about 4:30am to
12:30am daily (except for 62 night
buses and trams, and U-Bahn lines
U-9 and U-12). For information about
public transport, call tel.
030/29-71-9843 or 030/19-449.
The BVG standard ticket (Einzelfahrschein)
costs is valid for 2 hours of
transportation in all directions,
transfers included. There is also a
24-hour ticket for the whole city.
Only standard tickets are sold on
buses. Tram tickets must be
purchased in advance. Unless you buy
a day pass, don’t forget to
time-punch your ticket into one of
the small red boxes prominently
posted at the entrance to city buses
and underground stations.
If you’re going to be in Berlin for
3 days, you can purchase a
Berlin-Potsdam WelcomeCard, which
entitles holders to 72 free hours on
public transportation in Berlin and
Brandenburg. You’ll also get free
admission or a price reduction of up
to 50% on sightseeing tours,
museums, and other attractions, and
a 25% reduction at 10 theaters as
well. The card is sold at many
hotels, visitor information Centers,
and public-transportation sales
points. It is valid for one adult
and three children under the age of
14.
Getting There
There are hardly any direct flights
to Berlin from overseas and,
depending on the airline you use,
you’re likely to fly first into
another European city such as
Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris or
London and catch a connecting flight
from there. Berlin has three
airports:
You can reach all three airports by
calling the central service phone
number 0180/500-0186);
Tegel (TXL) primarily serves
destinations within Germany and
Europe.
Schönefeld (SXF) mostly operates
international flights to/from
Europe, Asia, Africa and Central
America.
Berlin-Tempelhof (THF) became famous
as the main landing hub for Allied
airlifts during the Berlin blockade
of 1948-49. Today it’s the main hub
for domestic departures and flights
to Central Europe.
Bus: Berlin is well-connected to the
rest of Europe by long-distance bus.
Most buses arrive at and depart from
the Zentraler Omnibus-bahnhof in
Charlottenburg, opposite the stately
Funkturm radio tower.
Train: Until the opening of the huge
new rail center (Lehrter Bahnhof) in
2002, train services to and from
Berlin will remain confusing because
of the extensive construction that
affects several stations. Trains
scheduled to leave from or arrive at
one station may be spontaneously
rerouted to another. Zoo Station is
the main station for long-distance
travelers going to and from the
west.
Bicycles: Berlin is very cycle
friendly, and it’s a good way to get
to know the city - there are
specially marked bike lanes
everywhere. There are also many bike
rental shops.
Transfers Between the Airport and
Town
Tegel Airport is only 6 km (4 mi)
from the downtown area. The No. 109
and X09 airport buses run at
10-minute intervals between Tegel
and downtown via Kurfürstendamm,
Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten, and
Budapester Strasse. The trip takes
30 minutes. If you rent a car at the
airport, follow the signs for the
Stadtautobahn into Berlin. The
Halensee exit leads to
Kurfürstendamm.
Tempelhof is linked directly to the
city center by the U-6 subway line.
From Schönefeld a shuttle bus leaves
every 10-15 minutes for the nearby
S-bahn station; S-bahn trains leave
every 20 minutes for the
Friedrichstrasse station, in
downtown eastern Berlin, and for the
Zoologischer Garten station, in
downtown western Berlin. Bus 171
also leaves every 10 or 15 minutes
for the western Berlin Rudow subway
station. A taxi ride from the
airport takes about 40 minutes. By
car, follow the signs for
Stadtzentrum Berlin.
By Bus
Buses are slightly cheaper than
trains. Berlin is linked by bus to
170 European cities. The
Omnibusbahnhof, the central bus
terminal, is at the corner of
Masurenallee 4-6 and Messedamm.
Reserve through DER (a state
agency), travel agencies, or the
station itself. For information call
030/301-8028 between 9 and 5:30.
By Car
The German autobahn system links
Berlin with the eastern German
cities of Magdeburg, Leipzig,
Rostock, Dresden, and Frankfurt an
der Oder. Speed restrictions of 130
kph (80 mph) still apply.
A car is really unnecessary in
Berlin and the surrounding area. The
transportation network is amazing in
its efficiency and extent. Public
transportation via bus, subway and
train is available throughout the
city and into all of the surrounding
area. There are numerous connections
to cities throughout Germany and the
rest of Europe.
By Train
There are six major rail routes to
Berlin from the western part of the
country (from Hamburg, Hannover,
Köln, Frankfurt, Munich, and
Nürnberg). Ask about reduced fares
within Germany. Some trains now stop
at and depart from more than one of
Berlin’s four main train stations,
but generally trains from the west
and north arrive at Friedrichstrasse
and Zoologischer Garten, and trains
from the east and south at
Hauptbahnhof or Lichtenberg. For
details on rates and information,
call Deutsche Bahn Information
030/19419).
Getting Around
By Subway
Berlin is too large to be explored
on foot. To compensate, the city has
one of the most efficient
public-transportation systems in
Europe, a smoothly integrated
network of subway (U-bahn) and
suburban (S-bahn) train lines,
buses, trams (in eastern Berlin
only), and even a ferry across the
Wannsee, making every part of the
city easily accessible. Get a map
from any information booth.
Extensive all-night bus and tram
service operates seven nights a week
(indicated by the letter N next to
route numbers).
Bicycle
Bicycling is popular in Berlin.
Although it’s not recommended in the
downtown area, it’s ideal in
outlying areas. Bike paths are
generally marked by red bricks on
the walkways;
The Berlin WelcomeCard entitles one
person or one adult and up to three
children to three days of unlimited
travel as well as free admission or
reductions of up to 50% for
sightseeing trips, museums,
theaters, and other events and
attractions.
All tickets are available from
vending machines at U-bahn and
S-bahn stations. Punch your ticket
into the red machine on the
platform. For information about
public transportation, call the
Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe 030/19449
or 030/752-7020) or go to the
BVG-information office on
Hardenbergplatz, directly in front
of the Bahnhof Zoo train station. If
you’re caught without a ticket,
there is a fine.
The U-Bahn
underground system is efficient and
extensive; trains run from 4am to
approximately 12.30am, an hour later
on Fri. and Sat..
The S-Bahn
is better for getting out to the
suburbs : Wannsee or Potsdam, for
instance. The city bus network – and
the tram system in eastern Berlin –
cover most of the gaps left by the
U-Bahn:
Night buses run at intervals of
around twenty minutes, although the
routes often differ from daytime
ones; agents in the U-Bahn stations
can usually provide a map.
Taxis are plentiful and can be
hailed from the street or picked up
at the taxi stands at major
intersections, by U-Bahn stations,
or in front of the larger hotels. |
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Attractions |
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Grunewald
Visitors are often surprised by the
extent of Grunewald’s 19 square
miles of secluded verdant forest,
lovely parks, and lakes. The area
serves as a green oasis for the
urban dwellers of Berlin.
Museumsinsel (Museum Island)
This island in the Spree River hosts
a complex of museums housed in
neoclassical buildings. Its most
famous museum, the Pergamon,
contains magnificent reconstructions
of ancient temples.
Potsdamer Platz
Before World War II, this was the
thriving heart of Berlin. Blasted
into rubble by wartime bombings, it
was bulldozed almost out of
existence when the Wall went up on
its western edge. After
reunification, it was transformed
into a glittering, ultra-modern
square dominated by such corporate
giants as Daimler-Chrysler. It
stands as a symbol of the corporate
culture of a reunited Germany.
Charlottenburg
This is the wealthiest and most
densely commercialized district of
western Berlin. Its Centerpiece is
Charlottenburg Palace.
Mitte (Center)
Closed to western investors for
nearly 50 years, this district is at
the heart of Berlin. It was
originally conceived as the
architectural Centerpiece of the
Prussian Kaisers. Its fortunes
declined dramatically as the
Communist regime filled it with
starkly angular monuments and
buildings. Although some of Mitte’s
grand structures were destroyed by
wartime bombings, unification has
resulted in restoration of its
remaining artistic and architectural
treasures. The district’s most
famous boulevard is Unter den Linden
(Under the Lime Trees). Famous
squares within the district include
Pariser Platz (adjacent to the
Brandenburg Gate), Potsdamer Platz,
and Alexanderplatz.
Tiergarten
Tiergarten ( Animal Garden) refers
both to a massive urban park and, to
the park’s north boundary: a
residential district of the same
name. The park was originally
intended as a backdrop to the grand
avenues laid out for the German
Kaisers by a leading landscape
architect of the day, Peter Josef
Lenné. The neighborhood contains the
Brandenburg Gate, the German
Reichstag (Parliament), the Berlin
Zoo, and some of the city’s grandest
museums.
Attractions
Eastern Berlin
The broad, stately boulevard of
Unter den Linden starts at the
Brandenburg Gate.
Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin
Unter den Linden 13–15
daily 11am–8pm
Free admission on Mondays
take U-Bahn Französische St.
located just to the east of
Friedrichstrasse, the Guggenheim
contains an extensive collection of
contemporary art and hosts three to
four major exhibitions per year.
Lining the wide promenade beyond are
a host of historic buildings
restored from the rubble of the war
Neoclassical Humboldt University
Alte Bibliothek,
Deutsche Staatsoper
St Hedwig’s Cathedral, built for the
city’s Catholics in 1747.
Bebelplatz
U-Bahn Französische St.
Faces the Cathedral and is the site
of the infamous Nazi bookburning of
May 10, 1933; an underground room
visible through a glass panel set in
the center of the square.
Neue Wache, a former royal
guardhouse resembling a Roman temple
and now a memorial to victims of war
and tyranny. Next door, is one of
Berlin’s finest Baroque buildings,
the old Prussian Arsenal, which is
home to the Museum of German
History.
Museum of German History
10am–6pm; closed Wed
free
U-Bahn Friedrichstr.
currently closed for renovations
until the end of 2001; until then,
temporary exhibitions on historical
themes are being held in the
Kronprinzenpalais across the road.
Französische Kirche on the northern
side of the square. Built as a
church for Berlin’s influential
Huguenot community at the beginning
of the eighteenth century, it also
now houses the Hugenottenmuseum.
Hugenottenmuseum
Tues–Sat noon–5pm, Sun 11am–5pm
Contains exhibits documenting the
way of life of the Huggenotts.
Deutsche Kirche
Tues–Sun 10am–6pm
free admission
The church was built in the 18th
century for the city’s Reformed
community. It houses an historical
exhibition, “Questions of German
History”
Friedrichstrasse
an upscale shopping district with an
eclectic mix of modernist
architecture, lies a block west of
the Deutsche Kirche.
Schlossplatz
U-Bahn Alexanderplatz
At the eastern end of Unter den
Linden lies the former site of the
imperial palace and the current home
of the abandoned Palast der
Republik, the former GDR parliament
building. It stands at the midpoint
of a city-centre island whose
northwestern part, Museumsinsel, is
the location of some of the best of
Berlin’s museums. Reopening
following an extensive
reconstruction program:
The Alte Nationalgalerie (U-Bahn
Friedrichstr.), houses the city’s
collection of nineteenth-century
European art has been extensively
renovated and restored.
Altes Museum
Tues–Sun 10am–6pm
free first Sun on month
U-Bahn Friedrichstr.)
Perhaps Schinkel’s most impressive
surviving work is displayed in the
Alte Nationalgalerie’s collection.
In addition, it devotes a floor to
the city’s excellent collection of
Greek and Roman antiquities.
Alexanderplatz,
The commercial hub of eastern
Berlin.
Marienkirche,
The church is open Mon. to Thurs.
10am to noon and 1 to 4pm, Fri. to
Sun. noon to 4pm. Free tours are
offered Mon. to Thurs. at 1pm and
Sun. at 11:45am.
This is Berlin’s second opldest
parish church, dating from the 15th
century. Inside is the 1475 wall
painting Der Totentanz (The Dance of
Death), discovered in 1860 beneath a
layer of whitewash in the church’s
entrance hall. Also worth seeing is
the marble baroque pulpit carved by
Andreas Schlüter (1703). The cross
on the top of the church annoyed the
Communist rulers of the former East
Germany--its golden form was always
reflected in the windows of the
Fernsehturm.
Fernsehturm or TV tower
March–Oct daily 9am–1am;Nov-–Feb
10am–midnight;
U-Bahn Alexanderplatz
The observation platform offers
unbeatable views of the whole city
on rare clear days.
Nikolaiviertel
Take U-Bahn Klosterstr.
A modern development that attempts
to recreate the winding streets and
small houses of this part of old
prewar Berlin, which was razed
overnight on June 16, 1944.
Nikolaikirche
Tues–Sun 10am–6pm;
Free
Take U-Bahn Klosterstr.,
a rebuilt thirteenth-century
structure that is Berlin’s oldest
parish church. Not far away on
Mühlendamm is the rebuilt Rococo
Ephraim-Palais
Tues-Sun. 10-6.
U-Bahn Klosterstr.
housing a collection of Berlin art
from the reign of Frederick the
Great to 1945.
Western Berlin
Altes Museum
Bodestrasse 1-3, Museumsinsel
030/20-99-55-55
Tues-Sun 10am-6pm U-Bahn/S-Bahn:
Friedrichstrasse. Bus 100 to
Lustgarten Admission charged.
Karl Friedrich Schinkel, the city’s
greatest architect, designed this
structure, which resembles a Greek
Corinthian temple, in 1822. On its
main floor is the
This is a large collection of
world-famous antique decorative art.
Some of the finest Greek vases of
the black-and-red-figures style,
from the 6th to the 4th century
B.C., are here. The best-known vase
is a large Athenian amphora (wine
jar) found in Vulci, Etruria.
Pergamon Museum
Kupfergraben, Museumsinsel
030/20-90-5555
Tues-Sun 10am-6pm
U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse.
Tram: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 15, or 53
Admission charged.
The Pergamon Museum houses several
departments, but if you have time
for only one exhibit, go to the
Department of Greek and Roman
Antiquities, housed in the north and
east wings of the museum, and enter
the central hall to see the Pergamon
Altar, (180-160 B.C.), so large that
it has a huge room all to itself.
The Near East Museum, in the south
wing, contains one of the largest
collections anywhere of antiquities
from ancient Babylonia, Persia, and
Assyria.
Ägyptisches Museum
Schloss-strasse 70
030/32-09-11
Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm
U-Bahn: Sophie-Charlotte-Platz or
Richard-Wagner-Platz.
Admission charged except: free
admission 1st Sun of each month
The western Berlin branch of the
Egyptian Museum is housed in the
palace’s east guardhouse. It’s worth
the trip just to see the famous
colored bust of Queen Nefertiti,
which dates from about 1360 B.C. and
was discovered in 1912Other displays
feature jewelry, papyrus, tools, and
weapons, as well as objects relating
to the Egyptian belief in the
afterlife.
Bröhan Museum
Schlossstrasse 1A
32-69-06-00
Tues-Sun 10am-6pm (until 8pm on Wed)
U-Bahn: Sophie-Charlotte-Platz or
Richard-Wagner-Platz
Admission charged; 11 and under Free
Berlin’s finest collection of
Jugendstil (German art nouveau) is
found here. When Professor Bröhan
started the collection, Jugendstil
was viewed as having little merit.
It’s a different story today. The
objects include glass, furnishings,
silver and gold, paintings, and
vases.
Museum für Vor und Frühgeschichte
Langhansbau
030/32-09-11
Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm
U-Bahn: Sophie-Charlotte-Platz or
Richard-Wagner-Platz
Admission charged.
This museum of prehistory and early
history is in the western extension
of the palace, facing Klausener
Platz.
Schloss Charlottenburg
Luisenplatz
030/32-09-11
Guided tours of the Historical Rooms
(in German)
Tues-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm
(last tour at 4pm)
U-Bahn: Sophie-Charlotte-Platz or
Richard-Wagner-Platz
Combination ticket for all buildings
and historical rooms
English translation of guide’s
lecture on sale at the ticket
counter
Schloss Charlottenburg, one of the
finest examples of baroque
architecture in Germany, was built
by Sophie Charlotte, a patron of
philosophy and the arts, and the
wife of Friedrich I, crowned as the
first king in Prussia in 1701.
The residence was begun as a summer
palace, but grew into the massive
structure seen today.
At the far end of Schlossgarten
Charlottenburg is the Belvedere,
close to the River Spree. This
former royal teahouse contains
exquisite Berlin porcelain, much of
it from the 1700s.
Gemäldegalerie (Picture Gallery)
Mattäiskirchplatz 4
030/20-90-55-55
Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm
U-Bahn: Kurfürstenstrasse, then bus
148. Bus 129 from Ku’damm (plus a
4-min. walk) Admission charged.
This is one of Germany’s greatest
art museums. Several rooms are
devoted to early German masters,
with panels from altarpieces dating
from the 13th to 15th centuries.
Most of the great European masters
are represented.
Kunstgewerbemuseum
Matthäikirchplatz, Tiergartenstrasse
6
Opposite the Philharmonie
030/2-66-29-02
Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm
U-Bahn: Kurfürstenstrasse; S-Bahn:
Potsdamer Platz
Admission charged.
This museum displays applied arts
and crafts from the Middle Ages
through the 20th century. Its
outstanding exhibition is the Guelph
Treasure, a collection of medieval
church articles in gold and silver.
Neue Nationalgalerie (Staatliche
Museum zu Berlin)
Potsdamerstrasse 50 Just south of
the Tiergarten
030/2-66-26-62
Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm
Closed Jan 1, Dec 24-25 and 31, and
the Tues after Easter and Whitsunday
U-Bahn: Kurfürstenstrasse; S-Bahn:
Potsdamer Platz
This modern glass-and-steel
structure designed by Ludwig Mies
van der Rohe (1886-1969) contains a
continually growing collection of
modern European and American art.
Included are works of 19th-century
artists, with a concentration on
French impressionists.
Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin
Unter den Linden 13-15 At the
intersection with Charlottenstrasse
030/2020930
Daily 11am-8pm
U-Bahn: Französische Strasse
Admission charged
This state-of-the-art museum is
devoted to modern and contemporary
art. The exhibition space is on the
ground floor of the newly restored
Berlin branch of Deutsche Bank. The
Guggenheim Foundation presents
several exhibitions at this site
annually, and also displays newly
commissioned works created
specifically for this space by
world-renowned artists.
Die Sammlung Berggruen: Picasso und
Seine Zeit (The Berggruen
Collection: Picasso and His Era)
Schlosstrasse 1
Entrance across from the Egyptian
Museum, in Charlottenburg
030/830-1466
Tues-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm
Closed Mon
U-Bahn: Sophie-Charlotte-Platz,
followed by a 10-min. walk
Admission charged.
This unusual private museum displays
the extensive collection of
respected art and antiques dealer
Heinz Berggruen. A native of Berlin
who fled the Nazis in 1936,
Berggruen later established a
miniempire of antique dealerships in
Paris and California before
returning, with his collection, to
his native home in 1996.
Friedrichswerdersche
Kirche-Schinkelmuseum
Werderstrasse At the corner of
Niederlagstrasse
030/2-08-13-23
Tues-Sun 10am-6pm
U-Bahn: Hausvogteiplatz
Admission charged.
This annex of the Nationalgalerie is
located in the deconsecrated
Friedrichswerdersche Kirche, which
was designed in 1828 by Karl
Friedrich Schinkel (1781-1841). It
lies close to Unter den Linden, not
far from the State Opera House. The
twin Gothic portals of the old
church shelter a bronze of St.
Michael slaying a dragon. Inside,
the museum is devoted to the memory
of Schinkel, who designed many of
Berlin’s great palaces, churches,
and monuments. |
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