Great Cities of Europe

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<F16>BERLIN</F> <F14><L7>BASIC INFORMATION</F> Documents Required: United States citizens need only a valid passport for stays less than three months. EC citizens need either a passport or national identity card. American Consulate: 4-5 Neustadtische Kirchstrasse, Mitte; 30/ 238- 5174 Currency: The unit of currency is the Deutschmark (DM). East German currency is no longer valid. Banks: Banks in Germany are open Monday to Friday 8:30A.M.-1P.M. and 2:30-4 P.M Customs: There are no limits on the import or export of currency. Items intended for personal use may be imported and exported freely. Climate: Northern Germany has a continental climate, with cold winters (average 35 degrees from November to February), hot summers (77 degrees in July). It rains throughout the year, but the best seasons to visit are spring and early summer. Tipping: In restaurants and cafes, service charges are usually included in the check, and the sum is rounded up to the nearest DM. Taxi drivers expect 10 percent of the fare. Getting Around: Public Transportation Office, BVG, 188 Potsdamerstrasse; 30/ 216-5088. By Air: Berlin-Schonefeld 30/ 6-0910 Formerly the airport of East Berlin. The Airport-Transfer bus, 30/ 216- 5088, runs between Tegel and Schonefeld airports, stopping at Bahnhof Zoo and other central locations. Berlin-Tegel 41/ 1-2306 Formerly the main airport of West Berlin. Most major international airlines use Tegel. Bus 109 links the airport with Budapester Strasse, stopping at Adenauerplatz, Uhlandstrasse, Kurfeurstendamm, and Zoologischer Garten station. Allow 30 minutes for the bus journey to central Berlin. Berlin-Tempelhof 30/ 6-9510 A small city airport. The U-Bahn station Platz der Luftbreucke is opposite the airport terminal. Allow 10-15 minutes for the U-Bahn journey to central Berlin. By U-Bahn: The U-Bahn (subway), founded in 1896, is the fastest means of getting around. Trains run from 4:30A.M.-1A.M., and lines U1 and U9 continue throughout the night. Stations are clean and well designed. By S-Bahn: The S-Bahn (Stadtbahn) elevated railway network was begun in 1875. The main routes are the Ost-West-Nord-Seud lines, which intersect at Friedrichstrasse station. The S-Bahn is useful for getting to outlying districts such as Wannsee, Potsdam, and Kopenick. Trains normally run at 10-minute intervals from 4:30A.M.-1A.M., and the S3 line from Charlottenburg to Friedrichstrasse continues throughout the night. By Bus: Buses are slower, but useful for reaching remote corners of the city. Night buses are indicated by a yellow number on a green background. By Rail: There are four major Berlin stations: Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten (known as Bahnhof Zoo). Linked to U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and bus routes. For destinations in the Tiergarten, Charlottenburg, and Kreuzberg districts. Bahnhof Friedrichstrasse. Linked to U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and bus routes. For Mitte or Prenzlauer Berg addresses. Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Linked to S-Bahn and bus routes, but not the U-Bahn. Bahnhof-Lichtenberg. Linked to U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and bus routes. Some services from Dresden and Leipzig end here. By Taxi: Taxis can be ordered by telephone or hailed at taxi stands. By Car: To drive in Germany, you must have a valid national driver's license. The legal minimum driving age is 18. Rent cars at Tegel and Schonefeld airports, and in central Berlin. Payment is almost always by credit card, and you must show a passport and current driver's license. Some rental agencies do not allow their cars in Eastern Europe; check with the rental company before a trip to Prague or Warsaw. Postal and Telephone Service: Post offices, labeled postamt, are open Monday to Friday 8A.M.-6P.M., Saturday 8A.M.-noon. To call Germany from the United States, dial 011, 49 for Germany, and then local number, leaving off the initial 0 in the area code. Public telephones are marked fernsprecher. Public Holidays: January 1, Easter (Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday), May Day, Ascension (sixth Thursday after Easter), Whit Sunday (second Sunday after Ascension), Whit Monday (second Monday after Ascension), Corpus Christi (first Thursday after Whit Sunday), Gesetzlicher Feiertag (June 17), Day of German Unity (October 3), All Saints' Day (November 1), Day of National Repentance (third Wednesday in November), Christmas Day, and December 26. Electric Current: Plugs are standard European, with two round pins that carry 220V. <F14>Time Line</F> Beginnings of the City 1244 First mention of Berlin in an official document. 1440 Frederick II of the House of Hohenzollern reigns. Berlin is chosen as the seat of power. 1540 Hohenzollern Palace is built to signify Berlin's importance as a central court. Rise to Prominence 1740-1786 Rule of Frederick the Great. Berlin is the seat of Prussian power. Under Frederick's influence an emphasis is put on learning and enlightenment. 1756 Seven year war with Austria and Russia. Berlin is invaded. 1806 Napoleon occupies Berlin. 1813-1848 Biedermeier Era and the rise of industrialism. Berlin architecture is dominated by buildings of Karl Friedrich Schinkel. International Preeminence 1871 Unification of Germany under Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck. 1890 Berlin's population reaches 2 million. 1888-1918 Rule of Kaiser Wilhelm II. 1890-1914 Period of extreme growth and imperialism. By 1914, Berlin's population surpasses 4 million. 1914-1918 World War I. 1919-1933 Rule of the Weimar Republic. Sharp inflation caused by reparation payments. Nazi Rule 1933 Burning of the Reichstag in February. Nazis seize power. 1936 Berlin hosts the Olympics. 1939-1945 World War II. 1945 April: Hitler attempts to defend Berlin against invading Russian troops. Berlin surrenders; British, American, and French troops occupy the western part of the city. Cold War 1946-1947 Shortages of food and fuel. 1948 Russians cut off road, rail, and communication links to the western part of Berlin. Berlin Airlift begins, with food and supplies flown in by British and American planes. Russians abandon their claim to Berlin as capital of their sector. 1949 Founding of the Federal Republic of Germany. Capital is moved to Bonn. 1950-1960 Distinctions between West and East German economies are increasingly dramatic. 1961 Building of the Berlin Wall. Today 1989 Fall of communist East Germany. Berlin Wall is torn down, signifying the collapse of communism. 1990-1995 Reunification of West and East Germany. </L7> <F14><L6>Hotels</F> Schloss-hotel Vier Jahreszeiten $$$ 6-10 Brahmsstrasse 30/895-840 Designed by Karl Lagerfeld, who stays here when in Berlin. Bristol Kempinski $$$ 27 Kurfeurstendamm 30/ 884-340, fax 30/ 883-6075 Berlin's most famous hotel, located in the heart of the city. Charlot $$ 17 Giesebrechtstrasse 30/ 323-4051 A family-run establishment near trendy shops and cafes. Merkur $$ 17 Torstrasse 30/ 282-8297 Comfortable and close to many night spots. Berliner Bar $ 124 Freidrichstrasse 30/ 282-9352 Appealing and efficient. Kastanienhof $ 65-66 Kastanienalle 30/ 281-9246 Clean rooms and close to the nightlife at Kreuzberg. <F14>Restaurants</F> Bamberger Reiter $$$ 7 Regensburgerstrasse 30/ 244-282 Distinctive nouvelle German cuisine, jacket and tie required. Restauration 1900 $$$ 1 Husemannstrasse 30/ 442-2494 Mediterranean in East Berlin. Exil $$ 44 Paul-Linke-Ufer 30/ 612-7037 Authentic Viennese food at moderate prices. Merhaba $$ 39 Hasenheide 30/ 692-1713 Traditional Turkish, crowded with locals. Tiergarten Quelle $ 482 Stadtbahnbogen Hearty German fare in huge portions. </L6> <F14><L1>Sites</F> Botanischer Garten 6 Konigin-Luisestrasse Berlin's botanical gardens are among the most romantic spots in the city. Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) Pariser Platz, Tiergarten Built as an imposing entrance to the city. Gedenkstatte Plotzensee Heuttigpfad, Charlottenburg 30/ 344-3226 The infamous prison, where thousands were killed between 1933-45. A harrowing glimpse of the Nazi period. Haus Am Checkpoint Charlie Friedrichstrasse 44 30/ 251-1031 Checkpoint Charlie was the most volatile of the border posts during the Cold War. Museumsinsel Mitte Conceived as an island devoted to the arts and sciences. Occupying the western tip of the Spree island, the complex is comprised of five buildings, the Altes Museum among them. Reichstag Platz der Republik, Tiergarten 30/ 3-9770 Built in 1884-94 as a parliament for the second German Empire. Gutted by fire in 1933, it has been renovated and houses the reunited German parliament. Schloss Charlottenburg Luisenplatz, Charlottenburg The palace was built in 1695 as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte. </L1> <F14><L2>Museums and Culture</F> Museums in Germany are normally open Tuesday to Sunday 9A.M.- 5P.M. Agyptisches Museum (Egyptian Museum) 70 Schlossstrasse, Charlottenburg 30/ 320-91261 An exemplary collection of Egyptian art. Altes Museum Lustgarten, Mitte 30/ 203-550 Berlin's oldest museum, built in 1824 by Karl Friedrich Schinkel. The main attraction is a collection of postwar international art. Bauhaus-Archiv 13-14 Klingelhoferstrasse, Tiergarten Bauhaus teapots from the 1920s, sleek steel chairs, architectural plans, paintings, and models. Gemaldegalerie (Picture Gallery) 23 Arnimallee, Dahlem 30/ 8-3011 Included in the enviable collection are Medieval works by Holbein and Durer. Kultur-Forum south of Tiergarten The group of museums and concert halls on the southern edge of the Tiergarten was planned as a center of the arts. Among the most prominent is Philharmonie concert hall. Skulpturengalerie 23-27 Arnimallee, Dahlem 30/ 83011 Modern sculpture gallery at the Dahlem museum complex. Pergamon 1-3 Bodestrasse, Mitte 30/ 2035-5444 One of the world's most significant architecture archives. </L2> <F14><L5>SHOPPING</F> Stores are open Monday to Friday 9A.M.-6P.M., Saturday 9A.M.-1P.M. and, often, Thursday until 8.30P.M. Visitors are exempt from paying tax (mehrwertsteuer) on purchases of more than $400; present your passport at the store and fill out a simple form. To validate the refund, which is sent to your home address, you must present the paperwork and goods to customs. Shop the Kurfeurstendamm (Ku'damm) for a high concentration of designer boutiques, including Escada, Esprit, Jil Sander, and Gianni Versace. Berliner Antique and Flea Market Under the S-Bahn tracks of Friederichstrasse Everything is used, everything is a bargain, and everything, in its own way, is a work of art. Berlinner Zinnfiguren 88 Knesebeckstrasse Miniature toy soldiers. KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens) 21-24 Tauentienstrasse Berlin's largest and best department store. Staatliche Porzellan Manufaktur Berlin 26a Kurfurstendamm Beautiful, delicately designed china. Marga Scholler Beucherstube 33 Knesebeckstrasse, Charlottenburg 30/ 881-1112 General bookstore with English titles. </L5> <F14><L3>Children</F> Zoologischer Garten 8 Hardenbergplatz, or 26 Budapester Strasse, Tiergarten One of the world's biggest and best-kept zoos. Zitadelle Spandau Juliusturm, Spandau 30/ 3-3911 One of Berlin's Baroque moated palaces. Museum Feur Verkehr und Technik 9 Trebbinerstrasse, Kreuzberg 30/ 254-840 For older children on a rainy day. Hands-on exhibits. Museum Feur Naturkunde 34 Invalidenstrasse, Mitte 30/ 2897-2540 Dinosaur skeletons and precious minerals. Rent boats at the Tiergarten. Viktoria Park has a waterfall and a small zoo. <F14>Night Spots</F> Schwarzes Cafe 148 Kantstrasse See and be seen in this hip bar. Estoril 11 Vorbergstrasse A tapas bar. Metropol 5 Nollendorfplatz 30/ 216-4122 Contemporary music. Quasimodo 12a Kantstrasse 30/ 312-8086 International jazz talent. Hebbel Theater 29 Stresemanstrasse, Kreusberg 30/ 251-0144 Avant-garde theater and dance. </L4> <F14><L4>EXCURSIONS</F> Volkspark Gleinicke north of Konigstrasse, Zehlendorf 30/ 805-3041 On the old road from Berlin to Potsdam, the Volkspark at Schloss Glienicke is one of the most tranquil spots on the Havel River. Glienicke is landscaped with English gardens and vast lawns. Wannsee Zehlendorf An inlet of the Havel river, the Wannsee was famous as a resort area in the 1800s. Berliners flock to the Wannsee to sun on the longest inland beach in Europe, the Strandbad Wannsee. Meuggelsee Kopenick, southeast Berlin Lakes and forests lie just beyond the old town of Kopenick. East Berlin's answer to the Wannsee in the west. Pfaueninsel Wannsee 30/ 805-3042 A ferry will take you across the narrow strait to Pfaueninsel (Peacock Island), where English landscapes by Peter Joseph Lenne and mock ruins are set among wandering peacocks and sheep. Potsdam Park Sanssouci (331/ 969-4202) is this suburb's main attraction. Take a guided tour of the palace and adjoining follies built for Berlin's royalty, or wander the French-style gardens. Also visit Schinkel's St. Nikolaikirche and the Filmmuseum, which documents German cinema from 1895 to the present. </L3> <F14><L8>Sunshine Guide to Berlin, Germany</F> Seasons: Berlin has the same four-season year that most of us are familiar with. Spring (April and May) is the season when the annual plants start to sprout and the deciduous trees leaf out. Spring weather alternates between wintry conditions and promises of warmth. Summer (June through mid-September) is the season of long warm days and full vegetative growth. Autumn (mid-September through mid-November) is the season when the annuals die, the deciduous trees drop their leaves, and the first frosts appear. Winter (mid- November through March) is the season of vegetative rest, snow, and cold. Sunniest Months: May through August. This is when you can expect to get the sunniest weather of the year. In general, only 38% of the year's daylight hours will be sunny--from a high of 49% in June, to a low of 14% in December. Spring and Autumn get the most clear days, about one day in six or seven. More than half the days in December and January never see the sun at all. The long summer days are made even longer by about fifty minutes of twilight before sunrise and the same after sunset. Warmest Months: Early June through August. Berlin summers usually feature warm days (rather than hot) and cool nights. The hottest actual temperature of the year will be around 91, and will probably occur in July. Only occasionally during this period will the nights be hot enough that you will sleep better with some sort of room-cooling. Coolest Months: January and February. At this time of year, you can expect frosty mornings on about two-thirds of the days. On two days out of five, be ready for afternoon temperatures to remain below freezing the whole day. The coldest temperature of the year will be around 4°, and will probably occur in February. Snowfalls will usually total about twenty inches for the season, and the ground is often snow-covered for days at a time. Driest Months: March and September. Some 44% of the year's days will get no measurable precipitation; that is, they will get less than a hundredth of an inch. March and September will have 63% such days, whereas November and January will get only 48%. A "dry day" in the table, however, is one with less than a tenth of an inch--a more useful measure. It takes at least that much to wet the ground under the trees. The summer thundershowers seem to prefer the late afternoon and early evening, but the rest of the precipitation seems to have no preferred time of day. In addition, most summer rainstorms are brief. In contrast, many winter storms--both snow and rain--may persist for several days. THINGS TO KNOW: Berlin will often have a distinct "urban heat island" effect. Under windless and rainless conditions (or near), the city center will be many degrees warmer than the outlying suburbs. This is especially noticeable at night and in the winter. Precipitation of any kind diminishes this effect, and a strong wind will eliminate it completely. Snow is typically much lighter in the city center, and melts more quickly. Weather Copyright 1995 by Patrick J. Tyson, Box 492787, Redding CA 96049. All rights reserved. </L8>