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What to See in Berlin and Potsdam
Überblick • Overview
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It may be called the Altes Museum (Old Museum), but it doesn’t act like it. The sign reads: “All art has been contemporary.” More photos. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo |
Berlin at a Glance
In this part of our Berlin guide you’ll find an alphabetical list of what to see in the German capital. Each sight or attraction has a link to more detailed information.
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BERLIN SIGHTS AT A GLANCE | ÜBERBLICK
- Alexanderplatz | The “Alex,” as Berliners call this square, is the former center of East Berlin. Today it is a booming attraction for Berlin locals and tourists, with shopping, entertainment, and the TV tower. More...
- Babelsberg | Discover German film history in this town next to Potsdam. More...
- Bauhaus-Archiv | This is a museum devoted to the Bauhaus school of architecture, art, and industrial design. It was built in 1979 based on a design by the Bauhaus architect Walter Gropius. More...
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| Berlin’s Top 10 Sights If your time is limited, here are 10 of the German capital’s must-see attractions (all with links on this page):
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- Bendlerblock | The former headquarters for the Nazi Wehrmacht (army) is where Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg was shot after his failed assassination attempt on Hitler on July 20, 1944. More...
- Berlin Airlift Memorial and Tempelhof Airport | One of the Cold War’s first scuffles happened in Berlin. More...
- Berlin Wall | See “Checkpoint Charlie” and “East Side Gallery” below.
- Brandenburg Gate | The number one icon and landmark of Berlin is das Brandenburger Tor. Designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans for King Friedrich Wilhelm II and completed in 1791, the Brandenburg Gate and the Quadriga horse-and-chariot sculpture atop it have shared the fate of the city it stands in. More...
- Charlottenburg Palace | This beautiful baroque palace and its French-style park suffered extensive damage during World War II, but they have been well restored and are a definite must-see. More...
- Checkpoint Charlie | The Allied checkpoint “C” on Friedrichstraße was the only one that non-Germans could use to cross between West and East Berlin. A nearby museum keeps its memory alive. More...
- East Side Gallery | An accident of history is the only reason the longest intact section of the Berlin Wall (almost a mile) is still standing relatively well preserved. More...
- Einstein Tower | Originally built in 1921 as a solar telescope to verify Albert Einstein’s Theory of Releativity, the Einsteinturm in Potsdam now functions as a working solar observatory. More...
- Fernsehturm | The giant Alexanderplatz TV tower was built as a symbol of socialism in 1969. The 1,198 ft (365 m) tall concrete structure features an observation deck and a revolving restaurant with great views of the city. More...
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The Weltzeituhr (World Time Clock) is a Berlin landmark found at Alexanderplatz, here seen with its Christmas market. > Alexanderplatz > Berlin Photos. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo |
- Filmpark Babelsberg | A theme park with stunts, exhibits, and film sets. I think it’s much more interesting to tour the actual Studio Babelsberg (film and TV) next door. More...
- Friedrichstraße | Running almost due north from Mehringplatz, crossing Unter den Linden, and over the Spree River to Oranienburger Tor, the avenue known as Friedrichstraße dates back to 1743. Trendy shopping and various Berlin landmarks are found on or near this thoroughfare. More...
- Funkturm and Messegelände | Berlin’s 500-foot Radio Tower dates back to 1924. It resembles an angular Eiffel Tower. More...
- Galeries Lafayette | This French department store on Friedrichstraße has a long history in Berlin. See “Friedrichstraße” above. (See photo.)
- Gendarmenmarkt | Over the centuries, Berlin has had a lot of French influence, and here you can see some tangible evidence. The Gendarmenmarkt square is only a few blocks south of Unter den Linden. More...
- Haus am Checkpoint Charlie | The “Mauermuseum” is devoted to the history of the Berlin Wall and the various attempts to escape from East Berlin. More...
- Holocaust Memorial | Opened to the public in May 2005, Berlin’s Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas is a collection of 2,711 stelae that covers an entire city block. More...
- Jewish Museum | Berlin’s Jüdisches Museum on Lindenstraße opened in 1989 in a striking building designed by Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind. More...
- KaDeWe | The Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) on Tauentzienstraße is the largest department store in continental Europe. (See Kurfürstendamm below.)
- Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church | Completed in 1895, the church was badly damaged by Allied bombs in 1943. The stone shell of the structure was left standing as a reminder of the horrors of war. More...
Where to Stay in Berlin
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- Köpenick | Once a separate town much older than Berlin, Köpenick is well worth a visit. More...
- Kulturforum | This area around Potsdamer Straße (close to Potsdamer Platz) has been developed as a museum and cultural center, beginning with the Philharmonie (Philharmonic concert hall) in 1961. More...
- Kurfürstendamm | The Ku’damm was West Berlin’s main shopping area when the Wall divided the city. Today the two-mile long tree-lined avenue is still a key shopping zone and an enjoyable place to stroll by shops, cafés, cinemas, and Berlin’s famous KaDeWe department store. More...
- Marlene Dietrich’s Grave | The German-American film star was born in Schöneberg in 1901 (before it was part of Berlin). Although she died in Paris in 1993, she asked to be buried in her hometown. More...
- Museuminsel | Museum Island lies at the eastern end of Unter den Linden (see below) and is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. On the island in the Spree, you will find five of Berlin’s top museums, including the Pergamon with its Greek altar and magnificent Ishtar Gate. More...
- Neue Synagoge | Located on Oranienburger Str., just a short walk from the Oranienburger Tor intersection at the north end of Friedrichstraße, Berlin’s New Synagogue is now a museum. More...
- O2 World Stadium | Opening ceremonies for this new arena in Berlin took place in September 2008. Up to 17,000 people can attend concerts and sporting events here. More...
- Oberbaumbrücke | Enjoy a walk (or run) across this beautiful red brick bridge which crosses the Spree between the Schlesisches Tor U-Bahn station and Warschauer Str. S-Bahn station. The bridge, near the East Side Gallery, was first completed in 1894. More...
- Olympic Stadium | The Olympia-Stadion in Berlin was built for the 1936 Olympic Games immortalized by Leni Riefenstahl in her groundbreaking documentary film Olympia. More...
- Potsdam and Sanssouci | This city of palaces southwest of Berlin is worth a visit. See our Potsdam Photo Gallery! More...
- Potsdamer Platz | A barren wasteland during the Cold War, this square has been rebuilt and is one of Berlin’s prime places to see. More...
- Reichstag | It is difficult to find a more historic building in Berlin than the German parliament — or one that better reflects today’s Germany. Originally completed in 1894, the Reichstag building was damaged by fire in 1933, almost destroyed in World War II, and renovated in the 1990s. You can visit the dome and the legislative chamber. More...
- Rotes Rathaus | Completed in 1869, the “Red City Hall” is named for the red bricks of its walls. Today Berlin’s mayor, Klaus Wowereit, has his office in the Rotes Rathaus. More...
- Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum | Most notorious for an April 1945 evacuation “death march” of 36,000 prisoners which killed thousands, the Sachsenhausen concentration camp was built in 1936 by the Nazis. More...
- Sanssouci Park | Once the private grounds of Brandenburg’s royalty, this large park in Potsdam containing several palaces and gardens is one of the most beautiful in all of Europe. More...
- Schloss Cecilienhof | Once home to the Hohenzollern royal family, this palace, built between 1914 and 1917, hosted the 1945 Potsdam Conference. More...
- Schöneberg Town Hall | From 1948 to 1990, the Rathaus Schöneberg was the main Berlin town hall. It is probably best known as the site of John F. Kennedy’s June 1963 speech. More...
- Sony Center | The top magnet spot within the Potsdamer Platz complex features shops, cinemas, restaurants, and other attractions. More...
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The Sony Center plaza is a key landmark in the Potsdamer Platz complex. It is home to many shops, restaurants, cinemas, and museums. > Sony Center > Berlin Photos. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo |
- Spandau Citadel | The 16th century Zitadelle Spandau lies in the far western part of Berlin at the confluence of the Spree and Havel rivers. More...
- Tiergarten | Literally, the “animal garden,” Berlin’s large Tiergarten park lies like a huge green patch right in the middle of the city. More...
- TV Tower | The giant Alexanderplatz Fernsehturm was built as an icon of socialism in 1969. The 1,198 ft (365 m) tall concrete structure features an observation deck and a revolving restaurant with great views of the city. More...
- Unter den Linden | The Berlin avenue known as “under the linden trees” stretches between the Brandenburg Gate to the west and Museum Island and the Spree River to the east. More...
- Weltzeituhr | The World Time Clock is a Berlin landmark found at Alexanderplatz. (See photo above.)
- Zoologischer Garten | Berlin has one of the world’s finest zoos. More...
- Travel guides | There’s much more to see and do! See our Bookstore for travel guides for Berlin and Potsdam.
More in Part 1 of our Berlin City Guide.
MORE > Berlin Sights - Part 1
MORE > Berlin Photo Gallery
Related Pages
- Berlin Photo Gallery
- Potsdam and Babelsberg
- Potsdam Photo Gallery
- Berlin Links - Berlin on the web
- City Guides - Germany
- Driving Tips for Germany
- Air Travel - Getting to Berlin
GERMANY > CITY GUIDES > BERLIN 1 > BERLIN 2 > BERLIN 3 >
BERLIN AT A GLANCE > POTSDAM and BABELSBERG > BERLIN PHOTOS
