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The reunified capital stands out for its variety of atmospheres
| 2009-10-19 By Marie Hervé Friedrichshain, Charlottenburg ... Berlin’s various districts are constantly changing, yet its architecture acts as a record of a past steeped in history. Turn the corner of a Prenzlauer Berg street and it’s not unusual to find a building still scarred by war. Berlin guards the tangible and moving traces of its history. You can see the remains of the wall, the Holocaust memorial, or the Brandenburg Gate. The Fernsehturm TV Tower, a vestige of East /West opposition, is a beacon visible from almost any point of the capital. If Berlin is a city of memories, it’s also a city of serenity contrasted with cultural effervescence. Museumsinsel, near the Bundestag and in the heart of Mitte, will delight lovers of fine art. Contemporary art also holds an important place in the heart of the capital, for example in theHamburger Bahnhof, a now restored former train station. But far more than a city of museums, Berlin is a city in which art itself lives: Street art is everywhere with artistic squats flourishing and art galleries blooming throughout. The independent shops and cafes adjacent to these alternative artistic sites give the Berlin streets a stylishly and relaxed, multicoloured charm. It’s the very diversity of its surroundings then, that really distinguishes the reunified German capital. |
