Sightseeing

Some good chunks are still standing, particularly at Niederkirchner Strasse, the corner of Bernauer Str./Ackerstrasse (Mitte, U-Bhf Bernauer Str) and the East Side Gallery at Mühlenstr. (Friedrichshain, S+U-Bhf Warschauer Str.)

Site of the most famous former border crossing better East and West Berlin . Nothing much to see here except for the Mauermuseum, a private museum primarily dedicated to documenting attempts to escape communist East Germany . Friedrichstr. 43-45, Kreuzberg, U-Bhf Kochstr., Tel 030 30 25 37 25-0, www.mauermuseum.de

A 365-metre television tower built by the East German Government and now the city’s most retro symbol offering splendid views from a restaurant 200m up. Panoramastr. 1A. Alexanderplatz, Mitte, S+U-Bhf Alexanderplatz, www.berlinerfernsehturm.de , open 9:00 till midnight. Entry 7.50 euros.

Fascinating cemetery-like field of grey concrete slabs commemorating the Jews murdered by the Nazis. Just a block south of the Brandenburg Gate. A must see. www.holocaust-denkmal-berlin.de

This zinc-clad zig-zag of a building (designed by star architect Daniel Libeskind) houses an exhaustive “fun and interactive” exhibition on the history of Jews in Germany and is one of Berlin ’s most popular museums – considered a “must see” for first-time Berlin visitors. Lindenstraße 9-14, Kreuzberg, U-Bhf Hallesches Tor, Tel 030 25993 300, www.juedisches-museum-berlin.de

the remaining shell of a massive six-tower church destroyed during WW2. Small museum open 9am-7pm with fascinating photography of the church’s troubled history inside the ruins. Modern replacement church with wonderful blue glass windows next door is also worth a look. Breitscheidplatz near Zoo station, Tiergarten.

Oddly, this late-classical 19th century building was named after its architect, uncle of the famous Walter Groupius. Located next to where the Wall once ran and opposite the Berlin Sate Parliament, the new building now houses new (mostly) art exhibitions every few months. Check EXBERLINER art listings for what’s showing. Niederkirchnerstr. 7, Tel 25 48 60, Wed-Mon 10-20, closed Tues. www.gropiusbau.de

perhaps the most appealing collection on Museum Island, it is packed with antiquities including spectacular reconstructions of the 2 nd century BC Pergamon Altar and the 6 th century BC Ishtar Gate. Open Tues-Sun 10am-6pm, Thurs until 10pm.

the German Parliament building which has survived fire and bombs and now boasts a fabulous glass dome with walkways on top thanks to Norman Foster. The dome is open 8am until midnight so go early or late to avoid humungous summer queues. A stone’s throw from the Brandenburg Gate and Unter den Linden , Berlin ’s central boulevard.

Discover Berlin while running or riding a bike. Tours through the Tiergarten Park, new government quarter, Unter den Linden including the ‘Forum Fridericianum’, Third Reich-Tour with Holocaust memorial, Hitler’s bunker and Wilhelmstrasse. Daily between 7:00 and 20:00, throughout the year. Prices from €15 per hour. Advance booking required. For more info visit: www.sightjogging-berlin.de