Reichstag is one of Berlin’s most enduring symbols. Its stone walls have borne witness to the tides of history, mirroring Germany’s tumultuous political evolution: from imperial unification, through dictatorship and division, to a modern democratic republic.

Once referring to the legislative body of the German Empire, today, the word “Reichstag” more commonly denotes the iconic building housing the country's parliament, Bundestag.

Following the unification of Germany in 1871, plans were laid to construct a grand hall for the newly formed state (“Second Reich”). Completed in 1894, the Neo-Baroque structure was intended to reflect the strength and unity of the empire. In 1916, amidst a world at war and against the wishes of Emperor Wilhelm II, the inscription-"To the German People"-was carved into the frieze above the entrance. Just two years later, with the empire dissolved, it was within these very walls that the German Republic was proclaimed.

In 1933, a fire engulfed the Reichstag-a blaze which the Nazi regime would exploit to issue the infamous decree, suspending civil liberties and consolidating authoritarian power. Thereafter, the building was no longer used for parliamentary functions during the Nazi era and instead served various other roles throughout the war.

The Second World War left the Reichstag in ruins. During the Cold War, the fractured remains of the building stood on the western side of a divided Berlin. Though no longer a seat of government, it occasionally hosted exhibitions, ceremonies, and even concerts during the 1980s.

Then, on the historic night of October 3rd, 1990, the Reichstag reclaimed its national significance. Within its restored chamber, the ceremony marking the official reunification of Germany was held-attended by Chancellor Helmut Kohl and numerous statesmen.

In the mid-1990s, the British architect Sir Norman Foster was commissioned to redesign the building. His intervention preserved historical scars-including Soviet graffiti etched in 1945-while introducing a strikingly modern glass dome. Completed in 1999, the dome serves as a powerful architectural metaphor for democratic transparency. Open to the public, it allows visitors to peer down into the debating chamber below, while its 360-degree panorama reveals the vast expanse of the capital. A sun-tracking shield ensures natural light floods the space without overwhelming glare.

Tip:
Plan your visit in advance, as security measures require booking and a valid ID for entry.
For those wishing to skip the queue, reserving a table at the Käfer DACHGARTEN restaurant provides expedited access.
Dress warmly-while the dome offers breathtaking views, its open windows invite Berlin’s brisk winds.

The Brandenburg Gate is the last standing part of the western side of the Customs Wall that surrounded Berlin in the 18th century. It marks a monumental entry to Unter den Linden, the famed boulevard lined with lime trees that once led to the palace of the Prussian monarchs.

This neoclassical landmark was built between 1788 and 1791 during the reign of King Frederick William II of Prussia. Inspired by Roman triumphal arches and the classical Greek gateway to the Acropolis of Athens, the gate has twelve fluted Doric columns flanked by two pavilions originally occupied by guards, as well as five passageways, and reliefs depicting the Labors of Hercules. Its crowning glory is the bronze Quadriga sculpture – the goddess of victory atop a four-horsed chariot, originally regarded as a symbol of peace.

Throughout its history, the gate has played a crucial role in Germany's political narrative. In 1806, during the French occupation, Napoleon ordered its dismantling and transportation to Paris. However, upon its return in 1814, after Napolean's defeat, the gate was declared a symbol of victory, and the goddess was adorned with the Prussian eagle and iron cross, symbolizing triumph. The structure has stood witness to many pivotal events in Berlin's history, from military parades to the rise of the Third Reich and Hitler's ascent to power, upon which it was used as a Nazi propaganda symbol.

The Brandenburg Gate also holds memories of the Fall of Berlin and the Russian flag's raising in May 1945. After World War II, it stood damaged but intact and became part of the Soviet occupation zone. During the Cold War era, the gate – blocked by the Berlin Wall from 1961 until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 – remained in no-man's land between East and West Germany. Back then, it served as a defining symbol of Berlin's and Germany’s division and their eventual reunification.

Today, the Brandenburg Gate is a venue for commemorations and public events. Apart from being a photo-op, its historical importance is just as good a reason to visit.

Tip:
Consider visiting at night when the gate is beautifully illuminated and less crowded, allowing for contemplation of its storied past and symbolic value.

Unter den Linden, which means “Under the Lime Trees” in English, is a historic boulevard in the heart of Berlin, running east-west from the Berlin Palace to Paris Square and Brandenburg Gate.

The street was originally established as a bridle path, in the 16th century, by the Prince-Elector John George of Brandenburg to access his hunting grounds in the Tiergarten. It was later transformed into a tree-lined boulevard, in the 17th century, by Electress Dorothea Sophie, who initiated the development of a new suburb named in her honor.

Over time, Unter den Linden became a key part of Berlin’s urban expansion, connecting major streets, like Friedrich Street and Wilhelm Street, and serving as a central axis through the city. It was designed to resemble the grand boulevards of Paris and became known as Berlin's most renowned street by the 19th century.

During World War II, the lime trees along the boulevard were destroyed but then replanted in the 1950s.

Landmarks such as the Berlin Cathedral, Bebel Square, and Humboldt University line the Unter den Linden. Other notable sites include the Old Commandant's Office (at Number 1), the German Historical Museum (at Number 2), the Crown Prince's Palace (at Number 3), and the Berlin State Library (at Number 8). At the western end of the street are the Russian and Hungarian Embassies. Also, adorning the boulevard are a number of statues such as those of the Humboldt brothers, Alexander and Wilhelm, who were prominent scientists, and several Prussian generals.

You can also find multiple cafés, restaurants, upscale shops, and even luxury car dealerships like Bentley and Mercedes-Benz. Often teeming with tourists and students exploring the book stalls around Humboldt University and the State Library, Unter den Linden serves as the backdrop for many outdoor events.

Taking a leisurely stroll along this broad avenue is a fine pastime that offers a good feel of both German history and contemporary trends. So, lace up your walking shoes and immerse yourself!

Tip:
If you visit in September or October, be sure to catch the Festival of Lights, which transforms landmarks and buildings across the city through the use of illuminations, luministic projections, and 3D mapping.

Officially named The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, this solemn expanse of concrete, situated near Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, stands as a stark and enduring tribute to the millions of Jewish lives extinguished under the Nazi regime between the years 1933 and 1945.

Unveiled in 2005, the memorial was conceived by American architect Peter Eisenman. It spans nearly 19,000 square meters and consists of more than 2,700 concrete stelae-each of varying height and dimension-arranged in a strict grid across a subtly sloping field. The result is a landscape that is simultaneously orderly and disorienting.

Though the design is intentionally abstract and, according to its creator, devoid of explicit symbolism, its resemblance to a graveyard is unmistakable. Some interpret the sea of grey pillars as evoking unmarked graves or the cold efficiency of a bureaucratic system that facilitated mass murder. Others see in its rigid structure a metaphor for a state that lost its humanity behind walls of administration and ideology.

As one moves deeper into the memorial, the concrete blocks grow taller, eclipsing the cityscape and swallowing sound. The sensation is deliberate. It conveys isolation, loss of identity, and the disorienting fear that accompanied the systematic persecution of Jews under the Third Reich. The path dips downward, suggesting the slow descent into darkness that defined those years.

The unfinished quality of some surfaces serves as a quiet reminder: remembrance is not complete, and history’s wounds do not fully heal. The fragmentation of space may reflect the fragmented memories of survivors-and of those lost, whose stories were never told.

This memorial does not offer resolution or unity. It does not attempt to console. Instead, it confronts. It calls forth reflection-on individual memory, on collective guilt, and on the enduring responsibility to remember, in a world where forgetting is all too easy...

Beneath the once-imposing gardens of the New Reich Chancellery in Berlin lay a grim vestige of the Third Reich: Hitler's Bunker. This heavily fortified underground labyrinth of concrete chambers became the final command center of Adolf Hitler and the collapsing Nazi regime during the waning months of the Second World War.

On the 16th of January, 1945, Hitler withdrew into this subterranean stronghold. Within its confines, he marked his 56th birthday on April 20 and, in a final gesture of defiance or despair, wed Eva Braun on the night of April 29. Less than twenty-four hours later, on April 30, the couple ended their lives-Hitler with a pistol, Braun by cyanide.

According to accounts from those present, their corpses were swiftly carried out into the garden of the Chancellery, doused with approximately 200 liters of petrol, and set alight. Loyal followers stood watch as their remains were consumed by flame, offering Nazi salutes as the regime’s symbol was reduced to ash.

Outside, the Red Army had breached the city. The Soviet banner soon flew over the Reichstag. Inside the bunker, panic reigned. Of the roughly 800 individuals sheltering within, many attempted escape through the shattered rail tunnels of northern Berlin. Only around one hundred of them would evade death or capture.

In the aftermath of war, Soviet forces razed both the old and new Chancellery buildings. Yet this bunker, buried deep and defiant, resisted complete destruction. It remained largely intact until the late 1980s, when Berlin’s urban redevelopment exposed-and ultimately dismantled-much of the remaining structure.

For decades, the site was unmarked, quietly covered over by modern life. Not until 2006 did a modest plaque appear, offering visitors a schematic and somber description of what had once been. Today, the bunker's emergency exit-once a passage to the Chancellery gardens-rests beneath an ordinary parking lot, its history hidden in plain sight.

In the wake of Adolf Hitler’s appointment as Reich Chancellor in January of 1933, a new chapter in the orchestration of power began. Among those swiftly rewarded for their unwavering loyalty was Joseph Goebbels, the chief propagandist of the Nazi Party. For his instrumental role in securing Nazi control, Goebbels was named Reich Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda-a newly created position that placed him at the heart of the Third Reich’s inner circle.

His ministry took up residence in the stately Leopold Palace, an 18th-century edifice situated just opposite Hitler’s own offices in the Reich Chancellery. From this historic vantage, the Ministry assumed sweeping control over every aspect of German cultural and intellectual life. The press, literature, visual arts, theatre, cinema, music, and radio-all were brought under its strict dominion. The unspoken objective was as ambitious as it was insidious: to present an image, both at home and abroad, of a unified Germany rallying behind the Führer with unshakable devotion.

Central to this propaganda machine was the elevation of Hitler himself. He was portrayed not merely as a statesman but as a messianic figure-flawless, heroic, and destined to lead. While some of the public’s admiration was genuine, much was carefully cultivated. The 1934 Nuremberg Rally stands as an early example of such orchestration. This mass gathering, meticulously staged for cinematic effect, was immortalized in the film "Triumph of the Will", directed by Leni Riefenstahl-one of several productions that blended art with ideology to powerful effect.

The Ministry's growth mirrored the ambitions of the regime. From a modest beginning in 1933 with just five departments and 350 employees, it expanded rapidly. By the outbreak of war in 1939, it encompassed 17 departments and a workforce exceeding 2,000. As the Second World War unfolded, the intensity of propaganda surged. Emerging media-film, radio, and newsreels-became vital instruments in shaping opinion and morale. Drawing on both practical expertise and academic study from Europe and the United States, Nazi propagandists ushered in a grim new era of psychological warfare, where words, images, and sound were as potent as any weapon on the battlefield.

The Colorful Chocoworld is what truly solidifies Berlin as a chocolate haven. If you've ever dreamt of treating yourself or your children to a blend of sweet chocolate and entertainment, this is the ultimate destination! Even from an architectural standpoint, this three-story building with nearly 1,000 square meters of space is a sight to behold from afar. Once you step inside, the irresistible aroma of chocolate is hard to resist. However, like many things German, there is a well-defined order to follow while enjoying this place.

First and foremost, every visitor, regardless of age, must embark on the Chocolate Path to gain insights into the Ritter Sport brand, spanning from raw materials to the finished chocolate bar. This newfound knowledge comes in handy during the subsequent Chocolate Workshop, where both kids and adults can craft their very own customized chocolate bars, using carefully selected ingredients, with the guidance of a skilled chocolatier to bring their ideas to life.

The whole process takes about 30 minutes. Before your chocolate creation is complete, you'll need to make a payment at a cash register located on the far side of the counter. Upon payment, you'll receive a white card for each ordered bar, which you'll present to the chocolatier. Crafting larger bars is also an option, but it does take more than 30 minutes, so it's advisable to place an advance order.

While you wait, you can unwind at the on-site ChocoCafé, sipping on coffee, tea, or delectable hot chocolate drinks, complemented by cakes and pastries-all crafted using Ritter Sport Chocolate Bars. Alternatively, you can explore the "History and Making of Chocolate" exhibit on the upper floor, or shop for an array of chocolate flavors (such as hazelnuts, smarties, gummy bears, chili, brownies, or strawberries, to name a few) that will surely captivate any sweet tooth. They also offer non-chocolate treats.

This place is an absolute paradise for children, especially when the weather is less than ideal, making it an excellent addition to your Berlin weekend getaway.

Tip:
The workshop lasts for an hour and 15 minutes, with a maximum of 16 participants allowed. Advance registration through the online portal is essential.

The Gendarmenmarkt is a square in one of the most beautiful parts of Berlin, showcasing the spectacular ensemble of three classical buildings: the so-called Fransözicher Dom (French Cathedral, named after the French Protestant community that sought refuge in Berlin from religious persecution in the late 17th century); the Deutsche Dom (German Cathedral, almost perfectly mirroring the first); and, in between, the Konzerthaus Berlin (Berlin Concert Hall).

Fabulously picturesque, the area looks much like part of the Imperial Capital and may even give Vienna a run for its money. A lovely fountain adorned with a monumental statue of Germany's renowned poet Friedrich Schiller graces the center of the square, often accompanied by musicians playing nearby. While many of the buildings in the area suffered extensive damage during World War II, they have since been meticulously restored, preserving numerous original elements.

Why You Should Visit:
There is quite a bit to take in, so you can wander around at your leisure. Luckily, there is no hard sell of tickets and touristy paraphernalia. While there are shops, bars and restaurants, they are discrete and upmarket, rather than tacky. A lovely place to sit and watch people for a while.

Tip:
Might be worth visiting at night when it's all lit up.

Formerly and colloquially still referred to as Opera Square, this spot in the central Mitte district of Berlin bears the name of August Bebel, a 19th-century founder of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. The square consists of a green area to the east and an open area to the west of the State Opera House, to which it owes its prewar name.

The square was originally laid out between 1741 and 1743 under King Frederick II of Prussia, as part of his so-called Frederick's Forum plan. Due to opposition from his cousin, Frederick William, the plan was scaled down, and the square ended up smaller than initially intended. Still, it was surrounded by notable buildings such as the State Opera, Saint Hedwig's Cathedral, and the Old Library. Originally named Opera Square, it was renamed Kaiser Franz Josef Square in 1910 in honor of the Austrian Emperor’s 80th birthday.

Unfortunately, in the 20th century, this square became eternally ill-famed as the site of one of the most infamous attempts to erase knowledge in the history of mankind. Here, on the evening of 10 May 1933, the nationalist German Student Association burned around 20,000 books that they deemed objectionable from the university library. Whipped up into a frenzy by the Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels' speech, members of the Nazi Students' League, SA, SS, and Hitler Youth set ablaze the works by renowned authors like Heinrich Mann, Erich Maria Remarque, Karl Marx, and Albert Einstein.

The "Empty Library" poignant memorial – consisting of a glass-enclosed view into an underground chamber with empty bookshelves – created by Micha Ullman, at the heart of the square, commemorates the event. Nearby, is a prophetic quote from Heinrich Heine, warning that where books are burned, people will eventually be burned too.

Heavily damaged during World War II, the square was renamed Bebel Square in 1947 and fully restored in the 1950s. Today, the layout of Bebel Square remains largely unchanged, with many of its historical buildings reconstructed, preserving the architectural legacy of the 18th century. These include the swanky Hotel de Rome.

Visiting in the evening or late afternoon is recommended, as the illumination enhances the visibility of the memorial on the ground, reminding of the profound consequences of intolerance and hatred.

Berlin Story is a bookstore, a publishing house and a kind of a museum wrapped into one. It is dedicated entirely, as the name suggests, to the city of Berlin. In business for ten years, the bookstore offers a vast selection of titles-more than 3,000 in twelve different languages, including some 300 titles in English-covering a broad range of topics, from Prussian kings to Third Reich history to the latest modern architecture to Berlin's famous citizens to party zones. On occasions, Berlin Story also hosts readings and theatrical performances. The venue is open Monday through Sunday, which means you can pop in any day of the week and pick up a nice Berlin souvenir to take home.

The Friedrichstadt Palace boasts a striking façade adorned with multicolored glass tiles and a distinctive pink, plume-shaped neon sign. This massive theater complex, constructed in the early 1980s, is renowned for its extravagant, Vegas-style shows that feature large casts and elaborate special effects. With nearly 2,000 seats arranged around a vast podium, the venue is versatile, serving as a circus arena, a swimming pool, and an ice rink at different times. Additionally, there is a second large stage equipped with advanced technical capabilities, as well as a smaller cabaret theater accommodating 240 spectators.

The original and beloved palace suffered bomb damage during World War II and was subsequently replaced by the current structure. The previous building, originally a market hall, later served as a circus ring. In 1918, it transformed into the Grand Playhouse ("Grosse Schauspielhaus") and opened in 1919 with a memorable production of Aeschylus's 'The Oresteia,' directed by Max Reinhardt. The former structure was truly extraordinary, featuring a central dome supported by a multitude of columns and adorned with Expressionist, stalactite-like decorations. Its interior was equally fantastical, offering seating for 5,000 spectators.

Why You Should Visit:
Wonderful venue for shows, with absolutely breathtaking interiors: red carpets, crystal chandeliers, and all that jazz! The temperature and seating arrangements are comfortable, and the enormous stage, along with the impressive sound and special effects, ensures a top-notch entertainment experience. The Grand Shows presented here are reminiscent of productions seen in Las Vegas and by Cirque du Soleil.

Tip:
To secure tickets, it's advisable to book online well in advance, as most shows tend to sell out quickly. For the best viewing experience, opt for seats in the middle of the auditorium to fully appreciate the fabulous stage.

Located a bit away from the tourist hubbub, allowing you to avoid the crowds at Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall Memorial offers a more scholarly perspective on Germany's division. More precisely, it focuses on a section of the former border strip, with an outdoor exhibition tracing the history of Bernauer Strasse and the Wall. This outdoor exhibit extends for 1.4 kilometers, reaching up to the Mauerpark, and includes remnants of border obstacles that preserve the appearance of the Wall as it stood in the past.

Across from the memorial, the museum expanded in 2014 and now houses a permanent exhibition titled "1961–1989: the Berlin Wall", which delves into the lives of those who tried to escape the dictatorship (notably, some of the most successful escape tunnels were dug nearby) and the resistance efforts, often deadly, organized by those living in the vicinity. Additionally, there is a separate exhibition within the adjacent Nordbahnhof station, detailing the division of the U-Bahn and S-Bahn lines (open during station hours). On weekdays at noon, the chapel hosts prayer services in memory of the Berlin Wall's victims.