Throughout the centuries, many churches have stood on the location of the current Berliner Dom. The first one was erected in 1465 for the reigning royal family, the Hohenzollerns, and was little more than a chapel at that time. In 1747, it was replaced by a Baroque cathedral designed by Johann Boumann, before being transformed once again in 1822 by Karl Friedrich Schinkel. Today's Dom was built between 1894 and 1905 during King Wilhelm II's reign. Almost completely destroyed in World War II, the Berliner Dom remained a ruin until restoration work finally began in 1973. Some of the cathedral's highlights include the mosaics covering the cupola, the crypt, the altar and the altar windows. The Dom also enshrines over 80 members of the Hohenzollern family. Those visiting must take a look at the Sauer organ within the cathedral, one of the largest in Germany, and take in the views from the roof promenade.
Museum Island is located on the northern half of a historically-significant island in the Spree River that runs through Berlin. The island takes its name from the five Berlin State Museums that reside in the area - the Altes Museum, the Bode Museum, the Alte Nationalgalerie, the Neues Museum, and the Pergamon Museum. Museum Island was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. The island's first museum was erected in 1797, and the whole area was designated specifically for art and science by King Frederick William IV of Prussia in 1841. An assemblage of spectacular historical monuments, the Museum Island is a stunning heritage hub.
Constructed between 1884 and 1894, the imposing Reichstag stands witness to Germany's past and present. It was established as a parliamentary house for the German Empire under Otto von Bismarck and has since seen more than a century of European history unfurl. After World War II, the Reichstag was neglected until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, at which time, work began on returning the building to its original purpose. This new attention led to such additions as the iconic glass dome, which was added by British architect Sir Norman Foster. Today, visitors can climb up to the dome and enjoy panoramic views of brilliant Berlin from the terrace.
When you think of Berlin, the first word that likely comes to mind is the Wall. After being torn down, there is not much of the Berlin Wall which remains intact. The longest section of the Wall to be spared, which is 1.3 kilometers (0.81 miles) runs parallel to the River Spree between Kreuzberg in the West and Friedrichshain in the East. In the months following the fall of the Wall in 1989, 118 artists from all over the world flocked here to pay their tributes. The result is an open-air gallery containing a host of colorful and imaginative images, some satirical, some shocking and others puzzling. An important part of Berlin's cultural heritage, this landmark is one of the largest open-air galleries in the entire world.
Set inside the Erholungspark Marzahn, Gärten der Welt is comprised of beautiful themed gardens. These lovely landscapes are predominantly inspired by the flora of Asia. The first garden to open in the park was Chinese-themed in the year 2000. Stroll through the Japanese, Korean, Balinese, Oriental and Italian gardens and you will be amazed by their unique beauty. From having unique structures using Chinese, Korean and Italian architecture depending on the respective themes, to astounding fountains and artistic statues, the park is an engineering marvel. Ideal for going on a picnic with family, the park has a strict no pets and bikes policy.
The botanical garden and botanic museum's large and sedate park in the southwest of Berlin provides the perfect respite to a hard day's slog through the hectic inner-city. One can admire the English gardens and a collection of flora from all over Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. The many greenhouses here are home to many rare plants from around the globe. Visitors shouldn't miss the unique Botanical Museum at the entrance.
Brauhaus Lemke is one of the oldest functioning microbreweries in Berlin; for a city that really loves beer, that's saying quite a lot. The brewery was started by Oli Lemke in 1998 when he put together his own brewing system in his garage. Friends helped him set up the brewing system in an old S-Bahn unit, and in 1999, the Brahaus Lemke served its first beer. Today, visitors can sample the brewery's excellent craft beers, and even take home some bottles of their very own. The brewery also serves up delicious traditional German fare to go with its brews.
Belonging to The Dungeons franchise by Merlin Entertainments, Berlin Dungeon is a popular tourist destination located on the Spandauerstraße. There are nine different stories, pertaining to darker aspects of Berlin's history, which are narrated by actors in both English and German.
The Berlin outpost of the popular Sea Life chain of aquariums is unlike any other, where visitors can spend hours perusing tank after tank of exotic fish, but the culminating attraction here is the AquaDom, a hulking cylindrical fish tank with a great glass elevator shaft in the center. Surrounded on all sides by sea creatures large and small, you will feel as though you have actually entered the ocean.
Built in the begining of the 19th Century, the Altes Stadthaus or the Old Town House of Berlin was designed by Ludwig Hoffmann. A major part of the building was destroyed during the World War II but it was later painstakingly conserved and rebuilt. After the construction of a New Town house, the Altes Stadthaus was less frequented by the city's residents as it could not accommodate the Berlin's growing population but it still stands proudly as an eminent attraction.
Built on the site of Berlin's oldest church, the Nikolaikirche today is still the site of regular services, but also houses a museum highlighting its rich history, a tower which boasts some spectacular views, and fantastic acoustics, which are a boon when it hosts musical acts. This attraction is also worth a visit for its Medieval architecture and twin green spires.
The Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) rises up over Museum Island like an ancient Greek temple. The imposing, neoclassical edifice was designed and built by architect F.A. Stüler between 1866-1876 and contains an extensive collection of works by both German and international artists from the 18th and 19th Centuries. Visitors can admire masterpieces by French impressionists such as Cezanne, Manet and Renoir, the surreal works of Van Gogh and Münch, and sculptures by the likes of Schadow and Rodin.