Image by Ciarán Fahey

More than 20 years after it was taken down, the Berlin Wall continues to be the city’s principal attraction for visitors.

The success of sights like Checkpoint Charlie and the recently repainted East Side Gallery has convinced the city powers to rebuild it – some of it at least – as a memorial on Bernauer Straße, where a section of the original Wall still stands.As expected, flocks of tourists eagerly make their way to the site, perhaps in their hurry overlooking a discreet installation in the former “ghost station” of Nordbahnhof.

Pictures and placards in German and English tell the incredible tales from the division of the city’s public transport system and the madness which ensued once the Wall went up in 1961. (The 50th anniversary of its construction took place on August 13th last.)

Barbed wire and bricked-up entrances were the order of the day, as the East German government sealed off all possible escape routes to the West, creating these ghost stations where trains passed through East Berlin on their way from one section of West Berlin to another. Passengers could only glimpse out at the dimly lit eeriness patrolled by border guards as they whizzed by.

Stories of courageous escapes, explanations, diagrams and multimedia all feature in this fascinating but small exhibition of the crazy realities of life in the shadow of the Wall. Best of all – it’s free!

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Nordbahnhof | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Gartenstraße | Mitte
24 hours daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Berlin

Image by Ciarán Fahey

As city squares go, they don’t come much uglier than Alexanderplatz. Surrounded by a rash of imposing GDR-style unimaginative blocks, with perhaps Berlin’s ugliest fountain plonked in the middle, this is not the place to come for a romantic stroll. Much like the “Friendship Between Peoples Fountain” in fact, Alex looks terrible but means well.

Its real beauty engages on a more personal level thanks to the excitement of people milling around, the tourists and punks, the trams trundling through, and the tempting (even for vegetarians!) smell of roast Bratwurst which emanates thanks to the sausage sellers scattered around. Effectively the centre of a decentralised city, Alexanderplatz changes to suit the seasons and the whims of the people at any given time.

In November 1989, the largest demonstration before the fall of the Berlin Wall took place here and was pivotal to the fall of the East German regime. Its biggest gatherings these days occur at the various fairs and markets which call it home throughout the year. Glühwein-swilling at Christmas, chocolate-swilling at Easter, and beer-swilling any other time, there’s always something for swillers to swill!

Overlooked by the Fernsehturn, Alexanderplatz is also home to the funky World Time Clock, erected in 1969 and a popular meeting place for Berliners since. I presume this is so they know exactly how many minutes late you are. Germans don’t like to be left waiting as I’ve found out on numerous occasions, but thankfully for latecomers, Alex has plenty of distractions.

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Alexanderplatz | Art & culture, Relaxing, Shopping | Free
Alexanderplatz | Mitte
24 hours daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Berlin

Image by Ciarán Fahey

Underground out of sight, in a place open until at least 6am – exactly where you want to do your drinking. Silberfisch has long been one of those bars which gives you the feeling Berlin wants you to become a vampire, sleeping all day, out all night. It’s an easy transformation. There’s something comforting in walking down the steps from Oranienburger Straße into this den to be greeted by the friendly bar staff like a long-lost Chilean miner.

DJs with remarkably good taste churn out the sounds seven days a week. Regulars sit at the bar exchanging ill-formed commentaries with whoever listens, consoling indignations with choices from the extensive drinks menu. Visitors are delighted to listen to commentary from knowledgeable locals, toasting their own diplomacy with choices from the extensive drinks menu.

It can be smoky, it can be loud, but there’s an extensive drinks menu. Specialties include Absinthe Sour (€8), Pina Colada (€7.50) and my favourite, Long Island Iced Tea (€9.50), all interspersed with Jägermeisters of course. Beer starts at €3. Exclusive to the Silberfisch however is its infamous Weltfrieden (World Peace) which is served in what can only be described a massive goblet for €15.

“After three double vodkas, bitter lemon and tonic, everyone is for world peace,” explained the barman. There are safer drinks of course, for those who want to make use of the dance floor.

The Silberfisch is best enjoyed after midnight when all the other vampires also come out to play.

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Silberfisch | Bars, Music, Relaxing | Beer from € 3.00
Oranienburger Str. 37 | Mitte | +493028387388
Sun – Thu 20:00 – 06:00, Fri – Sat 20:00 – 08:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Berlin

Image by Robby Block

The Neues Museum on Berlin’s Museum Island finally reopened in 2009 after having been closed for over 70 years. The museum was closed as a precaution in 1939, prior to WWII, and after suffering much damage during the war was left by the successive regimes as a ruin. Finally in the 1990s, a massive renovation project began, overseen by the British architect David Chipperfield. Finally Nefertiti, the famous bust of the erstwhile Egyptian Queen, whose ownership is still disputed by the Egyptian government, had a worthy resting place.

Late last year as construction work got started on the extension of the subway U5 several pieces of “degenerate art” were uncovered in the basement of a private house near the Rotes Rathaus on Alexanderplatz. The eleven sculptures had been confiscated by the Nazis, as they were deemed too Jewish or un-German from museums and private collections. It is still unclear how the ended up in someone’s basement, perhaps a mystery for future historians to uncover.

The works include a bronze cubist sculpture of a female dancer by Marg Moll, “Hagar” by Karl Kanppe and “A Likeness of the Actress Anni Mewes” by Edwin Scharff. Although the works have been cleaned and preserved for the exhibition, they still show evidence of having been buried in the rubble of the city for the last 60+ years.

See them now as they are not part of the permanent collection!

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Entartete Kunst | Art & culture, Relaxing | Museum entrance € 10
Bodestraße 1 – 3 | Mitte
Sun – Wed 10:00 – 18:00, Thu – Sat 10:00 – 20:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Berlin

Image by Robby Block

In the western part of Berlin, near Bahnhof Zoo, is the famous Kaiser Wihelm Memorial Church, a partially restored bombed out ruin that today stands as a reminder of the horrors of war. In the eastern part of the city lies another ruin of a much older church that today remains largely forgotten. Just across a busy six lane thoroughfare from Alexanderplatz lies a leafy oasis, a quiet spot away from the crush of the city.

Construction on the original Fransican Abbey began in 1250 and it was a fine example of early gothic style until it was destroyed by Allied bombing on 3 April 1945. Today the ruin stands as another reminder of the war that left the city devastated. The space now stands as an open art exhibition space in a garden-like atmosphere. In summer theatre productions are also performed.

Nearby, you can also find two more reminders of Berlin’s history. The first, directly behind the church is the original Berlin Wall, which surrounded the old cities of Berlin and Cölln. Nearby, in a quiet stretch of residential housing, is Berlin’s oldest restaurant Zur Letzten Instanz. The restaurant dates to 1561, though the current building is a post-war reconstruction. The interior is also quaintly period, though I’d stick to the Biergarten outside. I can’t vouch for the menu personally, it tends towards typically Berlin cuisine. You’ll probably find delicacies like Eisbein, often translated as pig knuckle, and once eloquently described to me by a friend as a fatty, pink, meaty marshmallow.

Guten Appetit!

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Franziskaner Klosterkirche | Art & culture, Relaxing, Theaters, Restaurants
Klosterstraße 73A | Mitte
April – Nov, Tue – Sat 12:00 – 18:00

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Image by Ciarán Fahey

Ear-popping on the way up and eye-popping once you’re there, the Fernsehturm is quite literally Berlin’s most outstanding attraction! Towering majestically 368 meters above Alexanderplatz, it can be seen from almost anywhere in the city – a comforting beacon of hope for lost wandering souls trying to find their way home or to the next party.

The Fernsehturm (literally ‘TV Tower’ in German – it has been transmitting TV and radio signals since it opened in 1969) is the tallest free-standing structure in western Europe (positively dwarfing the “miserly” 324 metre Tour Eiffel).

Two lifts whisk visitors at a speed of six meters per second to the viewing platform 203.78 meters above the city in the time it took you to read that sentence. (Forty seconds in case you weren’t paying attention.) In any case, it sure is quicker than taking the 986 steps. The view all around Berlin is quite impressive, eye-popping as I mentioned before, and it can be enjoyed with a Cocktail 360˚ (vodka, gin, vanilla, lime and cranberry) for €7.50 at the Panorama Bar. Why not? It’s Germany’s highest bar! A modest bottle of beer is €3.60.

If you really want to go for a twirl however, reserve a table at the swish revolving restaurant a floor above. Diners complete a full rotation only once every half hour so you need not worry about returning your food after eating it.

Refurbishment is calling! The restaurant’s closed from February 13 to 26 and the observation deck from February 20 to 26.

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Fernsehturm | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Restaurants (German) | Adult € 11
Panoramastraße 1A | Mitte
Mar – Oct 09:00 – 00:00 daily, Nov – Feb 10:00 – 00:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Berlin

Image by Natalia Irina Roman

Subway platform. Crowded. Around seven pm, Tuesday. It seems that everybody is trying to squeeze in here. It might even be true, when one of those rainy Berlin days. We’re at the U2 station Stadtmitte. It’s a busy one, with two arteries – the U2 platform and the U6, bound together by a seemingly never ending tunnel.

Between the U2 platform and the tunnel there is an in situ stage, created by musicians who stop there from time to time. Accordion. Saxophone. Electric Piano. Violin. Or three guitars. The great acoustic embraces the distracted passer byes and sometimes, awakens them from their daily routine. Not sure what makes the acoustic so great – the walls or the need for this embrace.

This article is not meant to bring you to Stadtmitte. It’s meant to be remembered when one happens to be there spontaneously. And when you do remember it, smile and stop for six minutes. To listen.

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Stadtmitte Subway | Art & culture, Music, Relaxing | Free
Friedrichstr. 193A | Mitte
Irregular

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Berlin

Image by Sharon Mertins

When one of my best friends came to visit a few weeks ago from Amsterdam, he had a whole itinerary planned for us for the weekend. He had lived here for four years before moving away, and he was determined to do his favorite ‘Berlin things’ throughout the few days he would be here. One of them was watching the sunset at Nola’s.

Nola’s restaurant is no big secret around Berlin. But despite it’s popularity, it’s still worth a visit. It’s a lovely place to watch the sunset while you sip on a cold drink while sitting on one of the sun-chairs during the summer, or nursing a hot cup of chocolate with a blanket wrapped around you during the colder months.

Nola’s has a wonderful terrace with a fantastic view of the Volkspark am Weinberg, and an inside area with an elegant 1950′s sort of decoration that gives you the feeling of being….in a classic 1950′s movie set. The Swiss cross is always present along with ‘Rivella’ ads but this is all very subtle and done with good taste.

On Sundays they offer a fabulous brunch with an absolutely delicious variety of Swiss cheese, eggs, sausages, salmon, homemade marmalade……you get the idea. And for those winter cravings………..Fondue and a variety of Swiss dishes.

The atmosphere is always relaxed and more of a family environment depending on the time of day… But the sunsets…..!!

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Nola’s | Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Restaurants (Swiss) | Brunch € 11.50
Veteranenstr. 9 | Mitte | +493044040766
10:00 – 01:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Berlin

Image by Herrmann Koenigs

Located next to the New Jewish Synagogue, the trio of backyards (see the Backyard article) “Heckmannhoefe” are really worth discovering.

Entering from Oranienburger Strasse, the first backyard contains a little bookshop and a candy-making shop in the basement, the “Bonbonmacherei” where you can watch Katja and Hjalmar produce traditional sweets with antique equipments.

In the second backyard, the main one of the three, you’ll see why this is certainly one of the nicest backyards complexes in Scheunenviertel. It houses a little theater, boutiques, cafes, restaurants and even a hairdresser’s shop. The surrounding ivy clad buildings invite you to take a seat on a bench next to a lovely little fountain.

In the third backyard which you can also enter from Auguststrasse there isn’t that much special stuff going on – except for the impression you’ll get when you see how residents have improved their homes with a nice little gazebo structure in their own backyard – that is the real Berliner backyard culture (see the Backyard article)!

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Heckmannhoefe | Art & culture, Relaxing, Shopping, Theaters
Oranienburger Strasse 32 | Mitte
Daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Berlin

Image by Sarah Curth

Many times I passed by this building which fascinated me at first sight. Generally I am not that interested in churches but this one is not a common church: no spire, no nave and no bell.

The story of St. Elisabeth-Kirche, built in 1835, is a long one. The famous Prussian architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel designed the church which is a special example of neo-classical architecture.

Until 1945 it played an important role in church and urban history. But then it was destroyed in World War II except the perimeter walls. So the church was a ruin for more than 40 years. Only 1991 it was possible to protect the building by specialists. Until today they were able to rebuild the structure with the help of Berlin’s government and different organizations. But they still need financial support for the interior.

The church is currently used for cultural events, especially concerts and exhibitions. But his winter they will do more interior work so that the church can be opened for public soon. Sometimes the door just stands open so try your luck to catch a glimpse of the inside. (There is also a rotating view online)

The German Federal President Horst Koehler paid tribute to this place when he held his second “Berliner Rede” (Berlin speech) on the 24th of March 2009 at the Elisabeth-Kirche.

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St. Elisabeth-Kirche | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Invalidenstraße 3 | Mitte | +493031808770
Open during events

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Berlin