Get to know 40+ top sights in Berlin

Experience the sights of Berlin: admire the Brandenburg Gate, store in the KaDeWe department store and visit the remains of the Berlin Wall.

The German capital Berlin will inspire you with places steeped in history, exciting museums and modern skyscrapers. The metropolis welcomes its visitors on the banks of the Spree in north-eastern Germany and offers countless Berlin sights and a diverse cultural and leisure program. Here you will not only find world-renowned universities such as the Humboldt University or famous landmarks such as the Reichstag, the Victory Column and the Brandenburg Gate, but also charming districts with small boutiques and cafés as well as inviting parks and gardens.

1. Alexanderplatz / Weltzeituhr

The Weltzeituhr (World Time Clock) on the lively Alexanderplatz in Berlin is one of the most unusual clock installations of all and therefore one of the most popular meeting places in the city. The Weltzeituhr is a very interesting relic from the GDR and offers an almost futuristic sight.

On a column is a cylindrical body with etched aluminum tiles. In the middle there is an enameled tile empire, on which 24 time zones are shown on colored enameled segments. An hour ring always shows the current time in each time zone. At the very top of the clock, the model of the solar system made of silver spheres and black metal struts shines. Take a journey through time!

2. Altes Museum

The Altes Museum is one of the most important buildings of classicism. It is located on Berlin's Museum Island. On display are imposing statues of warriors, delicate sculptures, vase paintings and impressive masterpieces of classical art. The highlight is the coin cabinet in a separate room with a blue canopy. Lovers of classical antiquity should not miss the impressive collection of antiquities on Berlin's Museum Island!

3. Berliner Dom

The Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) is a magnificent neo-Renaissance building located in the Lustgarten in the heart of the capital city of Berlin. The 100-meter-high dome with its golden cross alone is very impressive. When the weather is fine, visitors can enjoy a fantastic 360° panoramic view of Berlin from the breathtakingly beautiful, richly decorated dome. Inside, visitors can expect a colorful interior with impressive mosaics, religious images and stories.

The Hohenzollern crypt (Hohenzollerngruft), one of the most important dynastic burial grounds in Europe, is located beneath the Berliner Dom. Hundreds of concerts and events are also held in Berliner Dom every year.

4. Berliner Funkturm

In the mid-twenties, the Berliner Funkturm was intended to provide Berlin with nationwide radio coverage. Today, it is a coveted viewing platform on the ICC exhibition grounds and offers an attractive view of the whole of Berlin as far as the horizon from behind its generous glass cladding. This experience can be topped with a first-class culinary experience in an appealing interior in Art Nouveau design.

5. Berlin Wall / East Side Gallery

The Berlin Wall was a world-famous structure that separated West Berlin from the eastern part of the city and the German Democratic Republic for 28 years. Today, after reunification in 1989, few remnants still exist. The East Side Gallery is a 1.3-kilometer-long open-air gallery that displays 101 large-format pictures painted directly onto the former wall.

Artists from all over the world came after the fall of the Wall to paint the grey surface with their hopes, moods and impressions in bright colors and with interesting motifs. The East Side Gallery is definitely a special attraction that is well worth a visit. It is a monument to the fall of the Wall with more than three million visitors a year.

6. Bismarck Monument Berlin (Bismarck Denkmal Berlin)

Otto Prince von Bismarck was the first German Chancellor and determined the policy of the newly created empire. Until the middle of the 20th century, he was revered almost like a cult. An ambitious goal to secure Prussia's power brought him much attention and fame. For this reason, many monuments have been erected to Otto von Bismarck in Germany since 1868 as an expression of Bismarck worship or the Bismarck cult.

Some no longer exist, others are well preserved. One of these stands in Berlin at the Großer Stern, not far from the Victory Column. It is an approximately 6 1/2 meter high bronze figure of Otto von Bismarck, placed in uniform in the middle of a polished red granite pedestal.

7. Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden is a green oasis to relax, marvel and discover. Woods and meadows offer native and exotic plants and flowers that grow and bloom according to the season. The botanical garden is home to a total of 20,000 plant species that can be explored. Specially designed signs provide informative details. It is also worth visiting the show greenhouses and the tropical house with its 19th century glass and steel design.

The botanical garden is a place of interest far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, where you can treat yourself to some time out in the green!

8. Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor)

The Brandenburg Gate is certainly the most famous building in the German capital. The sandstone gate was built at the end of the 18th century and was a symbol of the division of the city into East and West before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Today it is a symbol of German unity and one of Berlin's most important sights. Lovers of classicism in particular will get their money's worth when visiting this magnificent monument.

9. Federal Chancellery (Bundeskanzleramt)

The Federal Chancellery is a very imposing building in the government district, the largest government headquarters in the world. The postmodern-style building is the office of the Federal Chancellor, who holds her cabinet meetings here. The Federal Chancellery is also the central coordinating office for all government policy. The Federal Chancellery can be visited as part of a guided tour.

10. Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie is a former border crossing on the now well-known Friedrichstraße in Berlin. For tourists, a visit to the original site from the Cold War and the construction of the Wall is a must. In the open-air exhibition, visitors can travel back in time and admire the installation by artist Frank Thiel.

In the immediate vicinity of Checkpoint Charlie is the Wall Museum or the Trabi Museum - German history can be discovered up close here. The highlight is a view of Checkpoint Charlie from the air with the Hi-Flyer captive balloon.

11. DDR Museum

The popular and much-visited DDR Museum in Berlin's Mitte district conveys vivid impressions of the former German Democratic Republic. Visitors travel back in time and immerse themselves in the life and everyday culture of GDR citizens. The scenic arrangement of the exhibits and the imitation of the rooms create a particularly impressive experience.

The topics covered in the GDR Museum are very extensive, with information and exhibits on almost all areas of life. For example, aspects of life in childhood and youth are just as present as nutrition, literature and education, leisure activities and consumption.

There are also political exhibits: exhibits on the Wall, the Stasi, the army party and the state can be found here in relation to the political structures of the GDR. In any case, there are many interesting and iconic exhibits to touch. The museum has set itself the task of compiling and cataloging a collection of GDR cultural objects. There is also an original replica of a prefabricated apartment with five rooms and original furnishings as well as a Trabant to sit in.

12. Television tower (Fernsehturm)

The world-famous Berlin tv tower is a special historical building that was erected in the former GDR. The TV tower is known as the tallest building in Germany and offers a fantastic panoramic view of the whole of Berlin at a height of 368 meters. Visitors to the tower can enjoy the unique view with an excellent range of food and drinks in the revolving restaurant.

13. Friedrichstrasse

Friedrichstraße is now the hub of Berlin's city center and one of the city's most important historical streets. It offers many opportunities for shopping, strolling, theater, variety shows and restaurants. However, this was not the case during the Cold War - the street was divided by the Wall and controlled by a border crossing, today's Checkpoint Charlie. The Tränenpalast, a former departure hall from the GDR to the West, is also located here as an exhibition.

Today, Friedrichstraße has developed into a very well-known shopping and business street. Countless impressive new commercial buildings, luxurious department stores and quarters can be found here in the upmarket shopping street. Exquisite restaurants and a colorful cultural offering can also be discovered in Friedrichstraße.

14. Gendarmenmarkt

The Gendarmenmarkt is located near the famous Friedrichstraße and was built at the end of the 17th century. It was once a marketplace for French immigrants. Over time, the French Cathedral and the German Cathedral emerged from what were once simple church buildings; the concert hall was built later. Today, Gendarmenmarkt is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Berlin. In addition to the impressive domed buildings, the square is surrounded by numerous stores, cafés, restaurants and hotels. The annual Christmas market on the square is particularly popular.

15. Hackesche Höfe

The Hackesche Höfe are one of the most popular sights in Berlin and are always well visited by tourists. It is an extensive old town quarter of eight interconnected courtyards between Rosenthaler Straße and Sophienstraße. Following extensive refurbishment in the 1990s, they are now home to many stores, galleries, restaurants and clubs, making them lively places in Berlin both during the day and at night. Hackesche Höfe is a great place to spend time if you feel like shopping, strolling around and trying out some of the many cafés, bars and restaurants.

16. House of World Cultures (Haus der Kulturen der Welt)

The House of World Cultures is an interesting sight due to its extraordinary architecture. It is an exhibition venue for art of all kinds and a platform for the exchange of social and artistic topics as well as current discussions. The House of World Cultures hosts theater, dance and film performances. Visitors can also look forward to literary events, readings and exhibitions. Open-air events and concerts at the House of World Cultures are very popular.

17. Humboldt University

The Humboldt University of Berlin (HU Berlin) is a world-renowned university. The magnificent main building is located in the street "Unter den Linden" between the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Cathedral and right next to the Old Guard. Visitors to Berlin can take in the impressive architecture of this impressive building and then visit the entrance area and the foyer, which is well worth seeing. Pictures of former students and lecturers hang on the staircase. There is an antiquarian book market in front of Humboldt University from time to time; you can browse through former GDR literature or buy old comics.

18. Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church)

The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche is a ruined tower of a neo-Romanesque church destroyed in the Second World War, which today serves as a peace memorial, a striking landmark and a church. When visiting the world-famous landmark, visitors can take part in church services, concerts, guided tours and organ tours. In December, a large Christmas market is always held at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche.

19. Kaufhaus des Westens

The Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) in Berlin is the largest and best-known department store in Europe. Here you will find an exquisite range of luxury items of all kinds. The extensive range in the world's second largest gourmet department store also leaves nothing to be desired. Visitors can also indulge in cosmetic treatments in beauty rooms and spa lounges.

20. Kurfürstendamm

The Kurfürstendamm in Berlin is a well-known and lively shopping street in the western part of Berlin. In the 1920s, Kurfürstendamm was a meeting place for poets, journalists and intellectuals; in the later years of the Wall, the boulevard developed into the shop window of the West. The street is home to many sights and shopping opportunities. Legendary shopping centers such as the Europa Center, the oldest department store in Berlin, or the KaDeWe, the Kaufhaus des Westens, the largest department store in Europe, as well as the Memorial Church.

21. Mauerpark

Mauerpark was created from a former strip of the GDR border fortifications and is located between the districts of Prenzlauer Berg and Wedding. After the border was opened, local residents soon began to use it for recreation. Over the years, the park has been rebuilt several times and is now a popular meeting place, offering green spaces for relaxing as well as an amphitheater and a popular flea market. The "Moritzhof" children's farm is located nearby. Mauerpark has become a cult site, making it a popular destination for tourists too.

22. Museum Island (Museumsinsel)

The Museum Island is located on the Spree Island in the center of Berlin. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most outstanding museum complexes in Europe. The ensemble on Museum Island includes the Old and New Museums, the Old National Gallery, the Bode Museum and the Pergamon Museum. Over the years, further buildings, entrances and open spaces have been added to the Museum Island; the Archaeological Center was opened in 2012.

Guided tours of the Museum Island are offered. Included is a visit to the extensive collection of antiquities in the Altes Museum, the papyrus collection and the bust of Nefertiti in the Neues Museum and the Ishtar Gate in the Pergamon Museum.

23. Museum für Kommunikation

The Museum of Communication was originally founded at the end of the 19th century as a postal museum. Anyone interested in communication and information technology will find what they are looking for here. The museum offers an entertaining introduction to the origins, development and future prospects of the information society. The permanent exhibition is aimed at families with children, young people, school classes and also professionals. Visitors can discover and learn many new things in a playful way and through their own activities.

24. Neue Synagoge

The Neue Synagoge is a magnificent building in the famous Oranienburger Straße. In earlier times, the large synagogue was located here, but it was partially bombed towards the end of the Second World War. The front building was rebuilt true to the original in the 1990s. The dome is decorated with a gilded ribbed net and the façade is adorned with oriental motifs from the Alhambra. Interested visitors can find out more about the history of the building and Berlin Jewry by visiting the exhibition of the New Synagogue Berlin - Centrum Judaicum Foundation.

25. Olympic Stadium (Olympiastadion)

The Olympic Stadium in the Westend district was originally built for the 1936 Summer Olympics during the National Socialist era. After the end of the modernization in 2004, the impressive stadium offers around 74,000 seats and is part of the Olympic Park, which includes the German Sports Forum, the Olympic Swimming Stadium and the Waldbühne. Today, major sporting events, open-air concerts and other major events are held on the huge site. The historic site can be explored on its own or as part of a guided tour on event-free days.

26. Oranienburger Straße

Oranienburger Straße is a famous promenade and offers many interesting highlights. In addition to many sights such as the New Synagogue and the Postfuhramt, there are many great stores and a variety of cafés, bars and restaurants. Side streets and courtyards offer interesting insights. The nearby Hackescher Markt also offers many culinary and cultural opportunities. Oranienburger Straße is therefore a popular destination for tourists.

27. Pergamon Museum

The Pergamon Museum is a cultural specialty and actually consists of three museums: the Collection of Classical Antiquities, the Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Museum of Islamic Art. The impressive archaeological reconstructions are a real attraction: The Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus and the Ishtar Gate with the Processional Way of Babylon and the Mshatta Facade. A new highlight is the Pergamon Panorama of the ancient Greek metropolis of the city of Pergamon, in which original parts of the Pergamon Altar are exhibited. A video installation can also be viewed.

28. Potsdamer Platz

Potsdamer Platz is historically a special place. While it was a meeting place for all kinds of artists and individualists before the end of the Second World War, after the war it bordered the British, Soviet and American sectors as a border triangle. Later, it served as a border area between the former East and West parts of Berlin.

In the 1990s, it was developed with imposing residential and office buildings. Today, the Daimler Chrysler Quartier, the Bahn Tower and the Sony Center are located here. Potsdamer Platz has developed into a popular and much-visited tourist attraction. In addition to the buildings worth seeing, there are also many restaurants and cafés here.

29. Prager Platz

Prague Square is a great place if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the capital. You can go for a walk in a beautiful park or go shopping in the area. Prager Platz was important in the 1920s because famous artists and intellectuals lived in the area, for example the physicist and inventor of the theory of relativity Albert Einstein, the journalist and writer Egon Erwin Kisch and the writer, screenwriter and cabaret artist Emil Erich Kästner.

30. Rathaus Schöneberg

The Rathaus Schöneberg is a politically significant place. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was a rally and meeting place. Until reunification, it was the political center of West Berlin, which was governed by the then mayors Ernst Reuter and Willy Brandt. US President John F. Kennedy gave his famous speech in front of Schöneberg Town Hall with the legendary sentence"Ich bin ein Berliner".

If you go to Schöneberg Town Hall, you can experience a special attraction: an original paternoster elevator that has been in use for fifty years. There is also a permanent exhibition entitled "We were neighbors - biographies of Jewish contemporary witnesses" and the Liberty Bell rings daily at 12 noon. For current guided tours of the town hall, it is best to enquire directly on site or by telephone in advance.

The foyer, old paintings, the Golden Hall, the John F. Kennedy Hall, the administration library, the Willy Brandt Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Theodor Heuss Hall are all open to visitors. Today, administrative matters of the Tempelhof-Schöneberg district are handled in the town hall.

31. Reichstag

The Reichstag is probably the most famous building in Berlin and is the tourist attraction par excellence. The German federal government has its seat here. Various guided tours of the building are offered for interested visitors, each with a special focus. Visitors can take part in tours dedicated to the history and architecture of the Reichstag building or specifically to the history of parliament with interesting details about the history of the building and the development of parliamentarianism in Germany.

Guided tours are also offered for families with children. An individual visit to the dome is possible depending on the work situation in Parliament and the weather or security situation. Various art exhibitions round off the offer in the Reichstag building. Even a live visit to a plenary session is possible - albeit with very early registration, which can take weeks.

32. Rotes Rathaus

The Rotes Rathaus is one of Berlin's most famous landmarks and the seat of the governing mayor and the Senate of Berlin. The building, which is well worth seeing, was named after its red brick façade. The neo-Renaissance building consists of several wings, three inner courtyards and a tower almost 74 meters high. It is possible to visit the Red Town Hall. In addition to some interesting rooms, such as the Coat of Arms Hall, the Festival Hall and the Hall of Columns, you can also visit the gallery with the portraits of Berlin's honorary citizens.

33. Schloss Bellevue

Schloss Bellevue is the residence of the current Federal President. It is located on the edge of the Tiergarten park, surrounded by a beautiful, spacious park, close to the River Spree. Because of the fantastic view of the surrounding parkland, the palace was given the name "Bellevue", which means "beautiful view".

The palace itself is also a remarkable sight. It was designed in a transitional style between Baroque and Classicism and consists of a main wing and two side wings. However, the castle can only be visited after a registration period of currently nine months. The park is also only open to the public on special occasions.

34. Schloss Charlottenburg

Charlottenburg Palace was once built as a small garden and pleasure palace towards the end of the 17th century and was then a favorite place of electors, kings and emperors in Berlin. In later years, the palace and gardens were rebuilt and extended several times. Today, Charlottenburg Palace is the largest palace complex in the city and is also a special kind of museum. Visitors can see rooms furnished true to the original, exquisite art collections, a porcelain cabinet, the palace chapel and Frederick I's bedroom.

35. Siegessäule

The Siegessäule is one of the most famous buildings in Berlin and was built at the end of 1873 to commemorate Prussia's victories against Denmark, Austria and France in 1864, 1866 and 1870/71. The gilded sculpture of the winged goddess of victory, Victoria, at the top of the approximately 67-metre-high column depicts the victory in a heroic pose. Today, you can visit the listed building and enjoy the view over Berlin from a 51-metre-high viewing platform and get a bird's eye view of Potsdamer Platz and the Brandenburg Gate, for example.

36. Sony Center

The Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin is a modern living, working and entertainment center. Here you can go to the cinema or a restaurant, go shopping, linger in the light-flooded forum of the Sony Center, relax or surf the Internet wirelessly. The Sony Center is also home to the Legoland Discovery Center. Here, children can immerse themselves in an interactive world of Lego bricks.

37. Tauentzienstrasse

Today, Tauentzienstrasse is one of the most expensive and busiest shopping streets in Germany. It is actually an extension of Kurfürstendamm and runs between Breitscheidplatz and Wittenbergplatz. It is home to the famous KaDeWe department store, the Broken Chain sculpture and the Europa-Center, as well as many restaurants and cafés.

38. Teufelsberg

Until the fall of the Berlin Wall, Berlin's Teufelsberg was actually a spy site used by the Western Allies to intercept radio communications from the Warsaw Pact, the GDR and the USSR. Today, the 48,000 square meter site can be visited and explored. Historical guided tours or silent tours are currently offered (except in summer).

When visiting the Teufelsberg, interested visitors can learn a lot about the history of the Teufelsberg and view photographs from the Cold War. In the Disintegration Center you can get an impression of the enormous amount of information that has been processed on the site.

39. Theater des Westens

The Theater des Westens is considered one of the most renowned and beautiful theaters not only in Berlin, but also in Germany. It is also Berlin's oldest musical theater, located in Kantstraße near the Zoological Garden. The theater was opened in 1896. While operettas and operas were mainly performed in the 1920s, today it is primarily musicals. Since 2003, the Stage Entertainment company has been running the theater as a private stage, and it is now known as the Stage Theater des Westens.

40. Unter den Linden

Unter den Linden is a spacious boulevard in Berlin's Mitte district that runs from the Brandenburg Gate to the Schlossbrücke bridge and Berliner Dom. It is home to the State Opera House, St. Hedwig's Cathedral, Humboldt University and the New Guardhouse, as well as the Palace Bridge and the Crown Prince's Palace. Other sights include the State Library and the Russian Embassy, a magnificent building from the post-war period.

41. Zoological Garden (Zoologischer Garten)

The Berlin Zoological Garden is located in the Mitte district and is considered to be the oldest and most species-rich zoo in the world. There are many animal enclosures that can be visited, for example the elephant house, the seal rock, the penguin world, the antelope house, the predator house, the deer enclosure and many more. An animal children's zoo invites younger guests in particular to stroke Shetland ponies and pot-bellied pigs, for example. The species-rich Aquarium Berlin is attached to the zoo and is home to marine animals as well as reptiles, amphibians and insects.