Fernsehturm Berlin #
One of the most prominent symbols of Berlin is the Fernsehturm Berlin
Berliner Fernsehturm, Berlin, Deutschland
near Alexanderplatz, which easily can be seen throughout the central and some suburban districts of the city. The Socialist Unity Party, which governed East Germany, ordered the construction of the tower, which started in 1965 and ended in 1969. Originally the total height of the tower was 365m, but later on, in the 1990s a new antenna was installed which is 3m higher than the old one. With its total height of 368m the TV tower is the fourth highest free standing structure in Europe. In the middle of the sphere a visitor platform and a revolving restaurant are located. A peculiarity of the tower is the so called "Pop's Revenge", a reflection of the sunshine on the tiled stainless steel dome in the form of a cross.
Bellevue Palace#
Since 1994 the official residence of the President of Germany is the Bellevue Palace
Schloss Bellevue (Berlin), Tiergarten, Deutschland
in the Tiergarten district at the banks of the river Spree. The name derives from the French term for "beautiful view" and means the scenic perspective over the course of the Spree. At the palace the presidential standard is flown even when the president is not in residence, it is only lowered when the president takes up official residence elsewhere, for example at his second residence, the villa Hammerschmidt, or on the occasion of a state visit.
Reichstag building#
In 1894 the Reichstag building
Reichstagsgebäude, Berlin, Deutschland
was opened in Berlin. Originally it was constructed to house the Imperial Diet of the German Empire, which it did up to 1933 when a fire severely damaged the edifice. The building fell into disuse and was only made safe against the elements after World War II until after the reunification in 1990 when the Reichstag building underwent a reconstruction and a full restoration. Nine years later, in 1999, the building process was completed and once again it became the meeting point of the German parliament, the Bundestag.
Brandenburg Gate#
One of the best known monuments of Berlin is a neoclassical triumphal arch, the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor)
Brandenburger Tor, Pariser Platz, Berlin, Deutschland
. It was commissioned by King Frederick William II of Prussia and built in the 18th century at the site of a former city gate, where the road passing through led to the town of Brandenburg an der Havel. The gate is the monumental entry to "Unter den Linden", the renowned boulevard of lime trees, which formerly led directly to the city palace of the Prussian monarchs. The Brandenburg Gate is located one block south of the Reichstag building.
Some more pictures of Berlin