DK Travel : Berlin

Berlin is Germany’s liveliest city and one of the most fascinating capitals in the world. You’ll find no other place where art and culture, museums and theatres, entertainment and nightlife are more diverse and exciting than on the banks of the Spree River. Once reunited, Berlin quickly developed into a cosmopolitan city, and today there is an air of energy and vibrancy about it.

Multi-lingual tourist information: www.berlin.de or: www.btm.de

Nikolaikirche

Potsdam’s most attractive church was designed by Schinkel in 1830 in an early Neo-Classical style. Its giant dome is particularly striking.
Nikolaiviertel

Around the medieval Nikolaikirche (see Churches & Synagogues) , the small Nikolaiviertel with its narrow nooks and crannies, Old Berlin restaurants and souvenir shops is one of the most charming parts of the city. The area extending between the banks of the Spree River and Mühlendamm was razed to the ground in World War II. The East German authorities restored it after the war – unfortunately not always successfully: some houses were covered in prefabricated façades.
Knoblauchhaus was one of few to escape destruction. Dating from 1835, it was the former home of the Knoblauch family (Neue Synagoge was designed by architect Eduard Knoblauch). Today it houses a museum depicting everyday life in Berlin, and includes a fully furnished apartment in the Biedermeier style.
Nollendorfplatz

Nollendorfplatz and neighbouring Winterfeldtplatz are right in the centre of Schöneberg. The former square has always been a focal point for the gay scene in Berlin, and a plaque at U-Bahn station Nollendorfplatz commemorates approximately 5,000 homosexuals killed in concentration camps by the Nazis. Today, gay life is concentrated more in the surrounding streets. Before World War II, Nollendorfplatz was also a centre of entertainment. The Metropol-Theater, today a discotheque, then boasted Erwin Piscator as its innovative director. And next door lived the writer Christopher Isherwood, whose novel formed the basis of the famous musical “Cabaret”.
Nordische Botschaften

No other new embassy building has caused as much of a stir as the five embassies of the Scandinavian countries: the green shutters open and close depending on the amount of available light.
O & G

In a former socialist fruit store, O & G’s DJs create a flirtatious atmosphere for young Mitte lovers.
Oberbaumbrücke

Pedestrians and cyclists can cross to the other side of the Spree River from Kreuzberg to Friedrichshain on this red-brick bridge, one of Berlin’s loveliest, which was erected in 1894–6.
Oderberger Straße

This tree-lined street has remain almost completely unchanged. The old municipal swimming baths of Prenzlauer Berg are also located in this road, at No. 84.
Olympiastadion

The Olympic Stadium is worth a visit even if no particular sports events are scheduled. The giant edifice, constructed by Werner Mach for the Olympic Games in 1936, reflects the architectural style typical of the Nazi period. Two statues by Arno Breker flank the main entrance. Opposite the 80,000-seater stadium are the Maifeld, inspired by the architecture of ancient Rome, and a belltower from where you have fantastic views of Berlin. The stadium itself was renovated and partially covered in 2000–4. Berlin’s premier-league football club, Hertha BSC, plays its home games here. An exhibition documents the history of the stadium (see Best of the Rest) .
Olympiastadion

Built for the 1936 Olympic Games, the stadium is an example of Fascist architecture (see Sport & Fitness Venues) .
Onkel-Tom-Siedlung

The “Uncle Tom’s Hut” settlement, developed in 1926–32 according to designs by Bruno Taut and others, was intended to create a modern housing estate for workers, unlike their old narrow, dark tenement blocks.