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Sightseeing

Berlin is a sightseeing nightmare. The vast sprawl of the city has no definite centre with pockets of attractions dotted all over the city. What is certain is that the city is changing at breakneck speed. The best place to take in the mad rush of construction is at the bright red Infobox at Potsdamer Platz, where visitors can watch as the city centre is reborn. Berlin may not be an easy city to walk around, but a large number of attractions are within walking distance of Potsdamer Platz. To the north of the Infobox lie the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) and the Reichstag, sporting Lord Foster's new glass dome. The Brandenburg Gate is situated on Berlin's main east-west axis. To the west lies the Siegessäule (Victory Column), which provides a view over the surrounding Tiergarten and the Western city centre, to the southwest of the column. West Berlin's centre has less to offer and is better for shopping and nightlife than for sightseeing, but it is worth taking a look at the broken shard of a church, the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche, which serves as a brutal reminder of World War II. The nearby Zoo and Aquarium also provide distraction.

The densest array of sights lies to the east of the Brandenburg Gate, on either side of Unter den Linden. Many buildings here date from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, except for the communist era Fernsehturm (television tower) at Alexanderplatz, which marks the centre of East Berlin.

Berlin is also a world centre for museums, with a myriad of museums and galleries sprawled out across the expansive city. Due to ongoing restoration work, many of Berlin's museums are prone to closures at present and some of the collections are being temporarily relocated.

Tourist Information

Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH
Tel: (0190) 754 040 (calls cost DM2.42 per minute; within Germany) or (0180) 575 4040 (outside Germany).
Fax: (030) 2500 2424.
E-mail: info@berlin.de
Website: www.berlin.de or www.btm.de
West Berlin: Europa-Center, Budapester Strasse 45
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0800-2030 and Sun 0900-1830.
East Berlin: Brandenburg Gate, South Wing, Pariser Platz
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1800.
Other tourist information offices are located at the airport, on the ground floor of KaDeWe, Tauentzienstrasse 21-24; and at Dresdner Bank, Unter den Linden 17.

Passes
Berlin Tourismus Marketing offers the WelcomeCard, which gives discounts of up to 50% on museums and attractions, guided tours, boat trips and performances in both Berlin and Potsdam. The pass costs DM32 and is valid for 72 hours for one adult and up to three children. Also included in the price is unlimited travel on all buses and trains in zones A, B and C. The card is available at tourist offices, transit ticket offices and some hotels.

There is also the Three-Day Tourist Ticket, which gives free admission to all state museums for DM15 and is available at the main tourist offices.

Visitors should also note that the DM8 admission to any of the State Museums is valid for the entire day at all of the other State Museums. All are free on the first Sunday of the month.



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