Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral)

One of the city’s grandest attractions, Berlin Cathedral is a magnificent domed building located in the charming Spree Island area. The brainchild of King Frederick William IV, the cathedral was unveiled in 1905 only to sustain heavy damage soon after in WWII. Extensive restoration work was eventually completed in 1993 and today the cathedral is one of Berlin’s top sights. You can admire its architectural splendour from the park opposite or buy a ticket and wander around the museum, chapels and Hohenzollern crypt inside. Visitors can also go to the top of the dome for stunning views over Berlin.

Opening Times: Mon-Sat 0900-2000, Sun 1200-2000.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Am Lustgarten 1, Berlin, Germany
Telephone: (030) 2026 9136.
Website: http://www.berlinerdom.de


The Berlin Wall

Only a few sections of this most famous of cold war relics remain. The East Side Gallery (www.eastsidegallery.com), along Mühlen-Strasse (S-Bahn Ostbahnhof), emerged in the post-Wall years as a poignant symbol of new hope, as it was covered with inspiring artwork. But the best place to see the wall as it was is at the Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer, a small graffiti-free stretch of the Wall that has been preserved by the authorities. A visitor centre has information about the Wall years, while a chapel is dedicated to the 80 or so victims that died trying to cross it.

Opening Times: Tues-Sun 0930-1900 (Apr-Oct); Tues-Sun 0930-1800 (Nov-Mar) (visitors centre).
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Bernauer Strasse 119, Berlin, Germany
Telephone: (030) 4679 86666
Website: http://www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de


Checkpoint Charlie Museum

Checkpoint Charlie was the monitoring tower used to control the area around the Berlin Wall that divided the city during the Cold War. It was demolished soon after the 1989 revolution, but the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie museum that stands in its place is well worth a visit to discover the historic significance of this apparently unremarkable site. A cinema shows films on the Third Reich and the Cold War era, and the museum also details the history of the Berlin Wall, a piece of which still stands a short distance from the museum, complete with decorations on the western side.

Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Friedrich-Strasse 43-45, Berlin, Germany
Telephone: (030) 253 7250.
Website: http://www.mauer-museum.com


Reichstag

British architect Norman Foster has transformed Berlin’s Reichstag, which was built at the end of the 19th century and has long since been emblematic of the German State, but was left as a burned out husk at the end of the war. Foster’s dome is meant to symbolise the transparency of the democratic government and visitors can pass between its layers to witness the decision-making chamber of the government (advance online registration is required). The walk through the dome itself is stunning, culminating in sweeping views of the city. The rooftop restaurant provides a way to beat the queues.

Opening Times: Daily 0800-2400 (last admission 2200).
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Platz der Republik, Berlin, Germany
Telephone: (030) 2270.
Website: www.bundestag.de


Bode-Museum

Bode-Museum houses one of the best collections of antique and Byzantine sculptures in the world. Closed in 1939 and left to decay for over six decades, the museum reopened its doors in 2006 after a £102 million (US$203 million) renovation project. Boasting over 1,700 exhibits, the museum, now back to its former glory, is a must-see not just for sculpture fans, but for anyone with an interest in the arts.

Opening Times: Fri-Wed 1000-1800, Thurs 1000-2200.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Am Kupfergraben 1, Berlin, Germany
Telephone: (030) 2090 5577.
Website: http://www.smb.museum


DDR Museum

There was more to life in the German Democratic Republic than state surveillance, lousy cars and austere apartment blocks; what about the nudist holidays, eclectic cuisine and socialist fashion? Well, this fantastic museum forgets all about the politics to deliver a taste of everyday life in the GDR. Visitors to this hands-on museum can sit in communist cars, watch state-run TV in a socialist living room and experience the joys of GDR food in the neighbouring restaurant. Little wonder it was nominated for European Museum of the Year Award in 2008.

Opening Times: Sun-Fri 1000-2000, Sat 1000-2200.
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
Unesco: No
Address: Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 1, Berlin, Germany
Telephone: (030) 8471 2373.
Website: http://www.ddr-museum.de

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