Living the Life
Berlin
We walked all over Berlin in the weekend we were there. We saw some of the most iconic spots in the city. I gave each landmark a corresponding number which you can find on the map to the right. The map with help you visualize locations and, if you click on the number, you will be able to find more information on the site.
1. The Victory Column
The Victory Column is a memorial to the wars fought to unite Germany. It is topped with a statue of Victoria, a representation of victory. The murals show the leaders of various Germanic states showing deference to Victoria. In total, we climbed 283 stairs to get to the top of the tower- I counted!
2. Bellevue Palace
The White House of Germany, Bellevue Palace has been the official residence of the president of Germany since 1994.
3. Bundestag
The Bundestag is the German capital building. The most interesting feature of this building is that the dome is clear. If you go into the dome and look down, you can actually see the politicians at work.
4. The Brandenburg Gate
Once again, the statue at the top of the gate depicts Victoria. The statue has been stolen and returned several times during several different wars, including by Napoleon. The one at the top of the gate right now is not the original, which was retired in the 1980's.
5. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Though it is a "memorial," this was by far the most moving experience I had while I was in Berlin. It was created to represent the experience of a country being taken over by a harmful ideology. It's difficult to describe this memorial without it turning into an academic analysis so I'll just leave it at this: if you ever get the chance, this one is a must visit.
6. Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie was one of the few gates between East and West Germany during the time that the Berlin Wall was in place.
7. Berlin Wall Memorial
There is a long stretch of land dedicated to a memorial to the Berlin Wall. Metal polls remain in some places and, in others, the parts of the actual wall. There are plaques showing the entrance, exit, and path of various escape tunnels. The museum had stories of people that died trying to escape to the western side of the wall. There were videos of people escaping, as well as documentaries about the various demonstrations and movements to bring the wall down. Another 100 stairs later and we could see across the street to an area set up to show what the various boundaries around the wall looked like.
