Home >
Germany >
Car Hire in Berlin
Berlin
As well as being the country's capital, Berlin is certainly the most fascinating city in Germany. It has been estimated that 80% of the city was destroyed during the Second World War, so Berlin is in some respects a modern city, with many parks, lakes and wooded areas throughout its 341 square miles. Separated at the beginning of the Cold War by the 100-mile long Berlin Wall, the city was reunited in 1989, although there are still significant differences between East and West. The Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie evokes the tragic events related to the Wall. Here you can see the instruments of escape used by East Germans, including false passports and hot-air balloons, as well as documents and photographs about the separation of the city. After the Wall, the other most famous landmark in Berlin is the Brandenburg Gate, now restored, which was once the symbol of the divided city. Designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans in 1789, the Gate was taken to Paris on the orders of Napoleon, but was returned in 1814. The Reichstag on Platz der Republik, is the most important building in Germany's history. Once the home of the German parliament, it became the centre of Hitler's government and is now home to the Bundestag (the lower parliament). Beyond Berlin, a day trip to Potsdam, often called "Germany's Versailles", or a summertime trip to the forest of Spreewald are recommended.