A CITY REBORN
Berlin rises from the ashes of war to stake its claim for a place among the leading cultural hubs of Europe
Few cities in Germany carry the weight of history like Berlin.
From the time the city was capital of Prussia to the rise and fall of Hitler and his Third Reich, its break-up after World War II and building of the Berlin Wall that ironically ushered in the Cold War during which it found itself and its residents split right down the middle, and until the reunification of East and West Germany, the German capital has been witness to remarkable upheaval and social change.
But like the mythical Phoenix, Berlin has risen from its ashes and once again is staking claim to be a centre of arts and science, and among the leading capitals of Europe that it used to be, before it was consumed by fires of the Second World War.
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Since the Berlin Wall came crumbling down in 1989, following the demise of the Soviet empire, that triggered the collapse of similar socialist regimes in Eastern Europe, the city administration has tried to reconcile a society fractured by the presence and domination of foreign powers on its soil and recreate the vibrancy Berlin bubbled with in the years preceding WWII.
One of the biggest obstacles facing city planners after reunification was how to integrate citizens of Berlin's eastern and western sectors, given the disparity in work ethos and salary, not to mention political ideology.
This it has achieved by giving back citizens their long suppressed voices. Freedom of expression and flexibility of movement have provided them a chance to heal their war-scarred memories and restore the city back to its former glory.
Two decades of efforts have witnessed the resurrection of Berlin and the German identity reflected in renewed creativity through works of art and construction of new buildings that are architectural masterpieces in their own right.
The Berlin of today is a cultural hub strewn with sites of historical significance as well as diverse architectural landmarks. Prominently preserved areas with museum clusters serve as repositories of invaluable ancient heritages, while memorial sites stand as a symbol of the city's unique architecture and its bitter past.
Countless exhibitions, art galleries, neo-classical boulevards and towering modern structures are concrete proof of the city coming to terms with the torment and trauma it had to endure during Cold War years.
In Berlin you often see big replicas of bears in colourful shades on street corners. The funny-looking creatures visible all over the city are regarded as a symbol of Berlin, ever since the animal first appeared on the seal of an official correspondence in 1280.
This eye-catching spiral glass architecture on avenue Unter den Linden is an extension of the German Historical Museum, locally called Deutsches Historisches Museum, designed by I. M. Pei, the master architect who created the world-famous Louvre Pyramid in Paris.
The Museum Island is a cluster of historic world-class art galleries on the northern half of the Spree Island which Unesco declared a World Heritage site in 1999. The first of five to be built on this island was the Altes Museum designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel between 1823-30. Fashioned in traditional Greek style, the grand front of this rectangular-shaped structure is graced by 18 indented ionic columns, wide foyer and an outdoor staircase flanked by two elegant statues, as well as a rotunda that reflects the architecture of the Roman Pantheon.
Severely damaged during the World War II, the reconstructed building houses a priceless collection of classical antiques on its main floor, while a variety of ancient Egyptian artefacts are displayed on its upper floor. At the heart of the Egyptian exhibition is the bust of Queen Nefertiti, the chief consort of Pharaoh Akhenaten who ruled Egypt over 3,000 years ago, which serves as a major attraction at the museum.This well-preserved artwork, now lacking one eye, represented the epitome of beauty back in 1340 BC, with its harmoniously proportioned facial features and beautifully sculpted figure.
The Pergamon Museum was constructed between 1910-30 by Ludwig Hoffman and designed by Alfred Messel. This latest highlight of Museum Island is renowned for its architecturally impressive reconstruction of ancient monuments, icons and statues that have been restored to make them look as close to their original form and size as possible. The complex is subdivided into three departments. The Collection of Classical Antiquities focuses on reconstruction of monuments as well as artworks from the once mighty Greek and Roman empires, its highlight being the 40-feet Pergamon Altar whose strikingly life-like frieze around the base depicts battling gods and giants.
This amazing section also contains a Roman-era gateway or the Market Gate of Miletus. Embellished with an ornate facade which has been reassembled using original pieces with a few new additions, the dainty structure has become a landmark of Roman archaeological treasures inside the museum.
Adjacent to the Altes Museum is the Berlin Cathedral, a majestic religious landmark built on the orders of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1894 to replace an old church that stood on the site. The emperor didn’t only want this grandiose structure to function as his main Protestant church, but also to convey his political power and Germany’s rising clout in international affairs. The cathedral was greatly damaged by a direct hit during the Second World War and it was not until 1975 that the East German government approved a major reconstruction that took 18 years to complete.
The Museum of the Ancient Near East documents more than 6,000 years of longgone civilisations in Mesopotamia, Syria, Babylonia and Anatolia, dazzling visitors with exquisite architectural reconstruction of the colourful Ishtar Gate dating from 580 BC which was rebuilt from glazed fragments of baked bricks.
Set in the southern wing of the museum is the Museum of Islamic Art where many distinctive pieces from the 8th to 19th century are safely kept. The highlight of this section is the Mshatta facade, a huge elaborately adorned portion of an early Islamic desert palace that was a gift from the Ottoman Sultan, Abdul Hamid II, to Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany.
Standing inside the church, one is amazed by its rich interior decoration. Notable items inside this towering dome range from the large, splendid Sauer Organ and the fine pulpit to the main altar whose beautifully painted windows and glistening gilt screen showcasing the 12 apostles are stunningly illuminated by natural sunlight piercing through the picturesque stained-glass ceiling.
This familiar tourist icon at the western end of avenue Unter den Linden is the Brandenburg Gate, the only remaining town gate in the city of Berlin. The entire arch was destroyed during World War II and subsequently restored in the late 1950s. From 1961-89, the Berlin Wall blocked access to the gate to both East and West German citizens wanting to cross to the other side. The gate, or Arch of Triumph, opened to public again on December 22 following the reunification of East and West Berlin.
The sheet of glass flush at the Bebelplatz is a truly unique memorial constructed in the late 1990s as a reminder of the traumatic event of May 10, 1933 when Germany’s socialist movement gathered here and put to torch over 20,000 books penned by 400 authors. The objective was to destroy source of knowledge and ideas that, according to the extreme belief of these revolutionaries, did not fit their concept of an utopian state they had envisioned for Germany. The empty white shelves in the underground library symbolise the irreplaceable loss of intellectual heritage that day.
This talented man spotted in front of the Pergamon Museum captured the attention of every passer-by with melodious sound emanating as he rubbed and massaged the rims of crystal glasses with his fingers.
Every Saturday and Sunday from around 10am to 4pm, this spacious area next to the German Historical Museum turns into an exciting shopping hub featuring chic craftworks ranging from vivid paintings, charming home decors, stylish accessories and creative 3D postcards to magnificent stained-glass artworks and screen printed T-shirts. If you’re looking for some quaint souvenirs to remind you of Berlin, this Art & Handicraft Market is definitely worth a stroll.
One of Berlin’s most iconic architectures, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and its prominent additions sit in the heart of the Breitscheidplatz. The original church was hit by Allied raid in 1943. Parties involved in its redevelopment agreed to leave the damaged spire as a painful memorial to the bloody war. The new buildings comprising of octagonal blue church and soaring hexagonal tower constructed in contemporary glass-and-concrete design were later incorporated into the old wrecked structure.
A warm and clear spring day in the bustling German capital also has its moment of peace that is relaxing indeed as you wind down in corners lush as such, reinforced by the magnificence of grand architectural backdrops.
