1 – Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) can be found resting at Pariser Platz. This gate was constructed during the time period spanning 1788-1791. During World War II the Gate sustained heavy damages and had to be reconstructed. In December 1989 it opened and there were over 100,000 people cheering as the landmark became a symbol for unity between Berlin and Germany.
2 – Fernsehtum (TV Tower) stands 1,207’ and can be seen at PanoramastraBe 1. There are 147 floors and it first opened up in 1969 on October 3rd. Enjoy the beautiful lay out of the city at 203 meters above the ground. After having worked up an appetite slip into the Sphere restaurant and enjoy the culinary aspect of Berlin. For variety there is international cuisine on the offer too.
3 – Checkpoint Charlie, FriedrichstraBe 43-45, was known as the border crossing in the days of the Cold War. It served the role of a crossing line between confinement and freedom depending upon which part you resided in – West or East Berlin. This is one of the few remnants that are still around after the Berlin Wall came crumbling down in 1989.
4 – Zoologischer Garten (Zoological Garden), Riehler StraBe 173, has over 10,000 animals waiting to greet visitors on any given day. The zoo opened in 1844 and has been growing ever since. Watch the elephants walking around lazily, apes swinging around in the jungle, or crocodiles opening their mouths wide as visitors stroll by.
5 – Reichstag building (Parliament), Platz der Republik, opened in 1894 and after a fire damaged it in 1933 it was reconstructed in 1990. A building that used to house the Diet is renowned for all the history it contains. There is a glass dome on top that lets visitors look all around the city, but it takes prior reservations before being permitted to enter the glass dome on top.
6 – East Side Gallery is located at MuhlenstraBe. This gallery is a section that measures 1.3 km long and is actually a part of what is left of the famous Berlin Wall. During 1990 artists from around the world came and painted on the wall. There are 105 paintings for everyone to admire and enjoy.
7 – Museumsinsel (all important musea), BodestraBe, was built to house five museums in 1824 until completion in 1930. Atles Museum is where the royal family Prussian has their private collection. The prehistoric collection of the Egyptians is waiting in the Neues Museum while Alte Nationalgalerie holds a painting collection from German and Europe from the 19th century. Baroque Bode Museum has Byzantine Art and sculptures and Alfred Mussel’s Pergamon Museum houses artifacts from the 19th century.
8 – Panoramapunkt, Potsdamer Platz 1, lets you appreciate just how big Berlin is when looking at the city from 100m in the air. Make sure and jump on the fastest Elevator in Europe. In a mere 20 seconds it goes from the bottom to the 24th floor and you barely realize that it took off.
9 – Olympiastadion is located at Olympischer Platz 3. In 1936 the Olympics were held here and it could seat 74,000 people with ease. It went under construction so the World Cup of 2006 could be held there. Today there are concerts, sporting events, and even the German Cup Final can be found adorning the interiors.
10 – Topography of Terror is lingering around Niederkirchnerstrasse 8. The Nazi police state apparatus centered here. At this exact location the Holocaust was actually planned and directed. The open air exhibition is paired with a documentation center for visitors to take a peek into the history of that time.