BERLIN TRAVEL GUIDE

Berlin Travel Guide
journey through German history, from the Middle Ages
to the present day. Special exhibitions are devoted to
particular themes (see pp12–5).
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Dahlem Museums
The five museums based in southern Berlin are a
fantastic resource of exotic cultures. Four museums are
devoted to Far Eastern, Indian, North American and
African art, from prehistory to the present day. Among
the star exhibits are bronzes from Benin and Japanese
woodcuts. The Ethnologisches Museum (Museum of
Ethnology), devoted to the cultures of the Pacific area,
is equally impressive. Among its exhibits are gold
treasures of the Inca (see Grunewald & Dahlem) .
Jüdisches Museum
The new Jewish
Museum, housed in a
spectacular building
designed by Daniel
Libeskind, documents the
German–Jewish relationship
through the centuries. There
are special exhibitions on the
influence of Berlin Jews on
the town’s cultural life, and on the life of the
Enlightenment philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. An
empty room commemorates the loss of Jewish culture.
There is also an exciting programme of special events
(see Kreuzberg & Schöneberg) .
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Deutsches Technikmuseum
The fascinating Museum of Technology, on the site
of a former station, has fascinating hands-on displays on
the history of technology (see Kreuzberg & Schöneberg)
.
7 Kunstgewerbemuseum
European crafts from over five centuries are on
display at this museum. Its most valuable exhibits are
the treasure of the Guelphs from Braunschweig and the
silver treasure of the town council in Lüneburg. The
museum also holds valuable Italian tin-glazed
earthenware, Renaissance faïence and German Baroque
glass and ceramics. Popular displays show Neo-Classical
porcelain and furniture, Jugendstil art and Tiffany vases,
as well as 20th-century Art-Deco and modern designs.
➤ Matthäikirchplatz • Map L1/2 • 10am–6pm Tue-Fri,
11am–6pm Sat, Sun • (030) 266 2951 • Admission charge
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Museum für Naturkunde
With over 60 million exhibits, the Natural History
Museum is one of the largest of its kind. A star feature
is the world’s largest dinosaur skeleton, a brachiosaurus
found in Tanzania in 1909. Six further dinosaur skeletons
as well as many fossils of mussels, birds and mammals
take the visitor back to prehistoric times. A visit to the
glittering exhibition of meteorites and minerals is a
special treat for fans of gems and precious stones.
➤ Invalidenstr. 43 • Map F2 • 9:30am–5pm Tue–Sun •
Admission charge
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Haus am Checkpoint Charlie
The museum at the former Allied checkpoint
documents events at the Berlin Wall (see Kreuzberg &
Schöneberg) .
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5
10 Musikinstrumenten-museum
Some 750 musical instruments can be heard in this
museum, including such famous ones as Frederick the
Great’s harpsichord. Don’t miss the silent-film organ
which still works (first Sat in the month, noon).
➤ Tiergartenstr. 1 • Map L2 • 9am–5pm Tue–Fri,
10am–5pm Sat, Sun • Admission charge
Historic Buildings
1
Brandenburger Tor
More than a mere symbol, the Brandenburg Gate
is synonymous with Berlin (see Brandenburger Tor &
Pariser Platz) .
2
Schloss Charlottenburg
This palace boasts Baroque and Rococo splendours
and a beautiful park, making it one of the most attractive
in Germany (see Schloss Charlottenburg) .
3
Schloss Bellevue
Built according to plans by Philipp Daniel Boumann
in 1785–90, this palace was the residence of the
Hohenzollerns until 1861. Since 1994 the stately building
with its Neo-Classical façade has been the official
residence of the President of the Federal Republic. The
modern, egg-shaped Presidential Offices stand
immediately next to the old palace.
➤ Spreeweg 1 • Map E4 • Not open to the public
4 Reichstag
The seat of the Deutscher Bundestag, the German
parliament, with its spectacular cupola, is a magnet for
visitors (see Reichstag) .
5
Berliner Rathaus
Berlin’s Town Hall, also known as “Red Town Hall”
because of the red bricks from Brandenburg Province
with which it is built, harks back to the proud days when
Berlin became the capital of the new Empire. Built in
1861–9 according to designs by Hermann Friedrich
Waesemann, the town hall was one of Germany’s largest
and most magnificent buildings, built to promote the
splendour of Berlin. The structure was modelled on Italian
Renaissance palaces, and the tower is reminiscent of
Laon cathedral in France. The exterior was decorated
with Die steinerne Chronik (the stone chronicle) in 1879,
depicting scenes from the city’s history (see Central
Berlin: Around Alexanderplatz) .
➤ Rathausstraße 15 • Map G3, K6 • 8am–6pm daily
6 Konzerthaus
The Concert Hall, one of Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s
masterpieces, was until recently known as
Schauspielhaus (theatre). The building has a portico with
Ionic columns, and a large number of statues of
allegorical and historical personages, some riding lions
and panthers, as well as deities, muses and bacchants.
➤ Gendarmenmarkt 2 • Map L4 • 10am–8pm daily •
(030) 203 09 21 01
7
Hackesche Höfe
This complex of 19th-century warehouses consists
of nine interlinked courtyards, some of which are
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Top Ten