Hello and welcome to East Berlin, a city that will take your breathe away due to its deep and saturated history, numerous interesting sites and monuments. If this is your first time to visit the city, you will definitely find it challenging to move around the different area and plan your tours. But fret not! The following is intended to be a useful reference in terms of giving you general information and tips towards making a tour of east Berlin a more rewarding experience.
1. Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg gate is undoubtedly out of the most popular, if not the most famous landmark of Germany and Berlin in particular, every visitor to the city should endeavor to visit. This neoclassical giant is a symbol of the division of the city in two and its reunification after the Berlin Wall demolition. Walk through Pariser Platz and try to take some pictures of this place where history occurred.
2. Berlin Wall Memorial
For any individual to be convinced about the importance of the Berlin Wall a trip to the Berlin Wall Memorial is inevitable. Standing on Bernauer Strasse, this memorial allows its visitors to grasp the history of the Wall and see a lot of relics. Find out about personal journeys of passion, pain and suffering of people and see the parts of the wall that remain to this day.
2.1 East Side Gallery
Every visit to East Berlin requires a visit to the East Side Gallery. This site-specific gallery is over one kilometer long and is full of murals painted directly onto the remaining sections of the wall. My practice every Artwork has both meaning and share histories and offer a glimpse into a period of transformation. Oh and don’t forget to take glamorous pictures perfect for Instagram stories!
3. Museum Island
If you are an art history aficionado, then Museum Island is your home or better yet- history in your palm. Sited in the middle of East Berlin, this world heritage site is home to a number of fascinating international museums, of them being the Pergamon Museum and Neues Museum. Soak yourself in the historical items, sculpture, arts, and other big archaeological creations.
3.1 Pergamon Museum
One of the world’s best collections of the artifacts of ancient civilizations, particularly Greek, Romans, and Babylons are exposed in the Pergamon Museum. You should visit the Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate or the Market Gate of Miletus. It is time to behold stunning works of timeless art and outstanding architecture of these historic artifacts.
4. Alexanderplatz
Alexanderplatz is a square that is active and a busy commercial centre in East Berlin. This television tower boasting of an observation platform that provides great aerial shots of the city must be seen. Galeria Kaufhof is a large shopping mall located nearby – one can spend hours there shopping, while Nikolaiviertel is the oldest preserved residential neighborhood in Berlin, with beautiful narrow streets and unique shops.
4.1 Berlin Cathedral
Sitting on the Museum Island in Berlin is one of the most magnificent buildings in the city – the Berlin Cathedral. Its elaborated façade looks amazing but nothing compares to the breathtaking inside of the building. Go up to the dome’s top to have a good look at the city from a bird’s eye view perspective.
5. Checkpoint Charlie
Visit Checkpoint Charlie-a checkpoint in the Berlin Wall contraction which existed between East and West Berlin in the periods of Cold War. Walk around the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and, thereby, get to know more about escape activities and stories of people who fought for freedom.
6. Tiergarten
Take a relaxed walk around the Tiergarten if it calms and soothes only watching the green lawns and trees after a relatively tiring day sight seeing in the city. Either way you find this large open area ideal for a small picnic or a break from rigorous site seeing. Cycle within the park or go for a jog on its beautiful trails, or pay a visit to the Berlin Zoo, which is sited within the park’s compound.
7. Gendarmenmarkt
Engendermarkt is one of the most stunning city squares in Berlin and it is true. Visitors are enthralled by two large cathedrals, the French Cathedral, the German Cathedral right facing each other. Let’s take some time for the soul and body to enjoy the view of this wonderful piece of architectural history – the historic city square.
8. DDR Museum
For a look how the East Germans lead their everyday life, a visit to the DDR Museum is recommended. The interactive exhibits and display make this a somewhat thought provoking museum, which is quite a nice change. Learn about the way people used to live living under the concept of Iron curtain.
Conclusion
East Berlin makes for an inspiring city trip with lots of history, culture and architectural sights to see. Some of Berlin’s highlights include the ‘signatures’ such as the Brandenburg gate, or history sites like the Berlin Wall Memorial or fun places such as Alexander Platz. Permit this guide be your map as you venture out for your East Berlin sight seeing trip. Enjoy your trip!