10 Historical German Landmarks: What to See in Berlin in One Day

 

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Only having one day in any location is hard because you want to see it all. You want to miss absolutely nothing. When I was on my Baltic Sea cruise with Princess, the cool part is that we got to visit 7 countries. The downside is that we only got one day in most of those countries. Berlin, Germany was one of our stops and I was very excited to get to visit a city with such an important world history. So, I’m sharing what to see in one day in Berlin!

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If you have more time check out this two-day Berlin itinerary with valuable tips!

Berlin Cathedral

Completed in 1905, the Berlin Cathedral is the easy way to pronounce this beautiful building. Its full name is the Evangelical Supreme Parish and Collegiate Church.

Domes in Europe are quite fascinating to me and this beautiful, green dome with a gold cross on top was no exception. An interesting fact is that it is not an actual cathedral as it isn’t and never has been the seat of a bishop.

Location: Am Lustgarten 10178 Berlin, Germany

Carillon in Berlin-Tiergarten

The Carillon in Berlin-Tiergarten is 137 feet (42 meters) tall and is located in the northeastern part of Tiergarten Park in Berlin.

A carillon-what IS a carillon anyway?

A carillon is a musical instrument consisting of at least 23 cup-shaped bells and is usually located in the bell tower of a church or government type building. Berlin-Tiergarten’s carillon consists of 68 bells weighing around 106,000 pounds! The largest bell weighs 7.8 tons or 17,200 pounds. The person playing the carillon is called a carillonneur and he or she plays the instrument from a room in the middle of the bells.

Location: John-Foster-Dulles-Allee, 10557 Berlin, Germany

Berlin Victory Column

Designed by Heinrich Strack in 1864, the Berlin Victory Column commemorates the Prussian victory in the Danish-Prussian War. The addition of the gold sculpture of Victoria was not in the original plans and was added at a later date after Prussia went on to defeat Austria and France in each of their respective wars.

In ancient Roman religion, Victoria is the goddess of victory. The sculpture was designed by Friedrich Drake, is 27 feet (8.3 meters) tall and weighs a whopping 35 tons! Although I did not, you can go to the top of the monument but it does require a ticket.

Location: Grober Stern, 10557 Berlin, Germany

Charlottenburg Town Hall

Be sure to see the clock tower of the Charlottenburg Town Hall. Built between 1899 and 1905, today it is an administrative building that is home to parts of the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf borough administration. It even has a community library!

Location: Otto-Suhr-Allee 100, 10585 Berlin, Germany

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Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie was one of the landmarks I was most excited about seeing. It was the most well-known border between what was East and West Germany during the Cold War.

I remember when the wall came down on November 9, 1989. I don’t remember where I was like I do with some other historical events, but I remember watching it on the news and watching all the cheering and excitement.

Today, cobblestones mark the exact spot of the former border crossing, although the original sign is housed in the museum, Haus am Checkpoint Charlie.

TIP: You can take photos of Checkpoint Charlie for free; however, you must pay to have your photo taken with the guards. Also, get your passport stamped with Checkpoint Charlie souvenir stamps. They have six different ones representing the four zones of Berlin during the time of its division (United States, French, British and Soviet Union) as well as two general stamps.

Location: Friedrichstrabe 43-45, 10117 Berlin, Germany

Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall. Arguably the city’s most famous landmark, this is what I came to Berlin to see. Now obviously, the wall came down in 1989, but there are several places to see remnants such as Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, various cobblestones marking the border here and there around the city and this section adjacent to the Topography of Terror.

The Topography of Terror is a history museum located on the site where the SS Reich Main Security Office was from 1933-1945. Here you can see the longest surviving segment of the outer wall. To say it was emotional to finally see this piece of history is an understatement.

Location: Niederkirchnerstrabe 8, 10963 Berlin, Germany

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Also known as the Holocaust Memorial, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe consists of 4.7 acres of 2,711 concrete slabs set up in a grid pattern.

There are 54 rows that run north-south and 87 rows that run east-west. The rows form right angles that are just slightly offset. The memorial took 2.5 years to build and was inaugurated on May 10, 2005, which is 60 years after World War II ended.

This memorial should never have had to exist. It brought tears to my eyes and was a very somber moment as reflected by how quiet all the visitors were.

Location: Cora-Berliner-Strabe 1, 10963 Berlin, Germany

Brandenburg Gate

Built in the 1730s on orders from Prussian King Frederick William II, the Brandenburg Gate is a historical site where many historical events took place and symbolizes not only the dark times of Germany and Europe but also the unity that now exists within Germany itself as well as Germany and Europe.

The neoclassical architecture of the gate is absolutely gorgeous and its design is based on the Propylaea which is the gateway to the Acropolis in Greece.

Location: Pariser Platz, 10117 Berlin, Germany

Reichstag

The Reichstag, meaning “parliament” in English, opened in 1894 and housed the German parliament (called the Imperial Diet of the German Empire) until it was set on fire in 1933. After WWII it was vacant and the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany met in separate locations. Only after the German reunification in October 1990 did it undergo a restoration. This restoration was completed in 1999 and the Reichstag once again housed the German parliament.

TIP: You can go to the top and look out from the beautiful dome!

Location: Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin, Germany

Fernsehturm

The Fernsehturm (meaning “television tower” in English), took 4 years to build and was completed in 1969. A symbol of Berlin, the tower stands 1,207 feet (368 meters) tall, is the tallest structure in Germany and one of the tallest in Europe.

The tower houses several radio and television stations, an observation viewing deck and a rotating restaurant. You can even book events here!

Location: Panoramastrabe 1A, 10178 Berlin, Germany

PIN IT!

One day is hard when visiting any city, but it can be done. Hopefully, these highlights help if you don’t have long in Berlin. Also, sometimes when you don’t have long in a city you might overlook important information such as things Berlin tourists should avoid. Please don’t be that person in Berlin! 😉

Have you been to Berlin? If so, what is your favorite historical landmark there?

‘Til next time…

Trimm Travels,

Heather