Berlin

Berlin was the city that housed Hitler. Hitler - A man whose name delivers crystalline chills to anyone that’s read his past. Berlin was where he placed his headquarters to fend off the world. At the end, he committed suicide as the Russians were encroaching - All 55’ beneath Berlin.

After the war, Berlin became the defacto fulcrum of a balancing act performed by the pressures of the East (Russia) and the West (America and Allies). The Berlin Wall was built in 1961. become the closest two world powers would become to a nuclear war. The wall that would come down 18 years later, 1989.

Berlin is an easy walk for people. No hills to speak of ,friendly pedestrian walking and plenty of things to look at.

If you’re thinking of taking a walk, start at the Reichstag Building and head east. Don’t forget the espresso.

West —> East

Get out early to enjoy a double espresso before you begin your walk. Berlin is packed with magnificent coffee shops. Find one along the way, or plan out a trip to stop at one you’ve researched.

Start your walk from the 1894 (1) Reichstag Building and pass through the (2) Bradenberg Gate. Grab a pretzel and keep going.

Somber moments come in to view when you pass through (3) The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Close by, the 4) Topography of Terror (SS Police exhibit). The fifth stop of this walk takes you to (5) Checkpoint Charlie. This was passport control to get from one side of the city, to the other. Armed soldiers took your papers to clear you.

As you work your way East, you can step in to the (6) Berlin Cathedral that was built back in 1854. Berlin certainly has it’s war scars and this is one of them; partially demolished by the Soviets when they took over their portion of Berlin. Further along, a symbol of Communist power rises into the horizon. The Soviets built (7) Berliner Fernsehturm as one of the tallest structures in Europe at the time.

(8) Alexanderplatz is a large public square with plenty of pretzels and beer. If you don’t have a smile on your face yet, go grab another stein. If you can walk after the steins, it’s worth taking a stroll down the (9) East Side Gallery to view some iconic art murals.

As much as it may seem like Berlin is a city that could just hang it up and walk away, they’re too proud for that. Berlin is a hot-spot for artistry and engineering and it will continue to be a leader for the world to respect.

Hope you enjoyed the walk!

Please share you stories of visiting Berlin below. I’d love to hear from you!