Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [80]
The couple is buried in the adjacent Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof (Map; Chausseestrasse 126; 8am-dusk, 8pm latest), the cemetery with the greatest concentration of celebrity corpses in Berlin. Architect Friedrich Schinkel, writer Heinrich Mann and former German president Johannes Rau are among the famous 6ft-under residents.
North of here, you can meet dinosaurs and travel back to the beginning of time at the beautiful Museum für Naturkunde (Natural History Museum; Map; 2093 8591; Invalidenstrasse 43; adult/concession/family €3.50/2/7; 9.30am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun). Star of the show is the world’s largest mounted lizard, a 23m-long and 12m-high Brachiosaurus, who’s joined by a dozen other Jurassic buddies and an ultra-rare archaeopteryx. Other halls demystify the Big Bang or answer such age-old questions as why zebras are striped.
REICHSTAG & GOVERNMENT QUARTER
Germany’s federal government quarter snuggles into the Spreebogen, a horseshoe-shaped bend of the Spree River. A leisurely stroll along the river promenade takes you past beer gardens and beach bars and allows for interesting perspectives.
The quarter’s historical anchor is the 1894 Reichstag (Map; Platz der Republik 1), where the German parliament, the Bundestag, has been hammering out its policies since 1999. This followed a total makeover by Lord Norman Foster who preserved only the building’s historical shell while adding the striking glass dome. It’s well worth queuing for the lift ride (admission free; 8am-midnight, last entry 10pm) to the top to take in the knock-out panorama and close-ups of the dome and the mirror-clad funnel at its centre. Queues are shortest early morning and at night. You can skip ’em altogether if you’re disabled, happen to have a kid in a stroller, are on an organised tour or have reservations for the pricey restaurant on top. In these cases, proceed straight to the left entrance.
The Reichstag has been the setting of numerous milestones in German history. After WWI, Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed the German Republic from one of its windows. The Reichstag fire on the night of 27 February 1933 allowed Hitler to blame the communists and seize power. A dozen years later, the victorious Soviets nearly obliterated the building. Restoration – without the dome – wasn’t finished until 1972. At midnight on 2 October 1990 the reunification of Germany was enacted here. In summer 1995, the artist Christo and his wife, Jeanne-Claude, wrapped the edifice in fabric for two weeks. Lord Norman set to work shortly thereafter.
In the 1990s, several other government buildings sprouted around the Reichstag, most notably the Bundeskanzleramt (Federal Chancellery; Map; Willy-Brandt-Strasse 1), an unusual H-shaped compound where Germany’s chancellor keeps their office. From Moltkebrücke bridge or the northern river promenade you can best appreciate the circular openings that inspired the building’s nickname ‘washing machine’. Eduardo Chillida’s rusted-steel Berlin sculpture graces the forecourt.
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HIDDEN BERLIN: MY FAVOURITE SITES
Henrik Tidefjärd, creator of the Gastro-Rallye Click here and owner of Berlinagenten (www.berlinagenten.de), which specialises in customised lifestyle tours, reveals his favourite spots in his adopted home town:
Berlin is a truly electric city full of creative people, crazy parties and historical spots. It’s magnetic, alluring and filled with individual discoveries. I’m a true traveller and I think no other city has such a diversity of people, cultural life and environments. It’s hard to believe it all exists in one single city. Ah Berlin, you are my inspiration in life!
I love to eat in either hidden dining locations or in boho-trendy restaurants. Tartane and its show kitchen are a bit of both and fulfil most of my expectations. The quirky dining section upstairs reminds me of the