Home to the Berlin Symphony and National Symphony Orchestras, the Konzerthaus on Gendarmenmarkt plays host to some of the best in classical music. The original building was constructed at the request of King Friedrich II and later became the National Theater, following renovation by Carl Gotthard Langhans. After it was gutted by a fire, the theater was rebuilt by the Berlin architect, Karl Friedrich Schinkel and renamed Schauspielhaus. The building was badly damaged during World War II but was restored to its former glory and reopened in 1984. The building we see today is a perfect reconstruction of Schinkel's original plan.
While middle-aged, middle-class Berliners tend to head for the Wintergarten, the Chamäleon attracts a younger and more alternative crowd. Situated in the fashionable Hackesche Höfe, this popular variety theater has managed to preserve much of its original charm, even though the theater itself (plus the whole area around it) was modernized. The shows feature the likes of tap dancers, trapeze acts, magicians and clowns.
The Nikolaiviertel not only lies in the very heart of Berlin, it is the place where it all began. The first mention of Berlin in documents from 1251 referred to two settlements which are Berlin and Cölln. These are situated opposite each other on the banks of the River Spree. The settlement known as "Berlin" grew up around the market (now Molkenmarkt in the Nikolaiviertel) and the Nikolaikirche, named after Saint Nicholas, patron saint of merchants and fishermen. Destroyed during the War, many of the historic buildings were reconstructed for Berlin's 750th anniversary celebrations in 1987. The baroque Knoblauchhaus and Ephraim-Palais are two of the most striking edifices in the quarter.
Built for the 1936 Olympic Games, the Olympiastadion conjures up memories of excited fans and Jesse Owens sprinting and leaping for four gold medals. Today, the Olympiastadion is home to Berlin's premier soccer club, Hertha BSC, and hosts major sporting events like the ISTAF Athletics Meeting. International performers like Michael Jackson, Beyonce, The Rolling Stones and U2 have taken the crowds by storm with their dazzling concerts here. Designed to impress the world, this monumental multi-purpose arena has done just that since its reopening in 2004. Visitors can wander around the stadium on event-free days, or choose to go on a guided tour of the massive arena. The visitor's center is perfect to learn more about the fascinating history of this monumental structure.
Viktoriapark is a magnet for the local community in the warm summer months—guitar-wielding hippies jam under the trees, groups of young Turks kick a ball about on the lawn, sporty forty-somethings jog past a gaggle of young mothers nattering intently as they propel their prams along the path...this is one of the best places in Berlin for a spot of people-watching. Rising in the middle of the park is a steep hill, crowned on top by a neo-classical Cross designed by Schinkel to commemorate the Napoleonic Wars. And it is from this cross that Kreuzberg (literally, "Cross Hill") gets its name. Views from the top are awesome on a clear day, as too is the 60 metre waterfall which gushes tumultuously down the hill. The park is also home to one of the city's most popular beer gardens - Golgatha - which is always packed during the summer and transforms into a disco at night.
Berlin's most successful musical theater was opened in 1895 deep in the western part of town, hence the name "Theater des Westens". Considered one of the most beautiful theaters in Germany, the building was used by the Berlin Opera in the post-war years. When the Opera moved to a new purpose-built opera house in 1961, the Theater des Westens returned to its roots, running "My Fair Lady" to great popular acclaim. Since then the theater has cemented its reputation as Berlin's best venue for musical entertainment.