July 4, 2012 Berlin Germany

Today we decided to go into town just for half a day and not do too much this afternoon.

Got the train into Alenander Platz and then took a transfer to Potsdamer Platz as we had only driven through this area and we needed time to see it thoroughly. 

Entered the Sony building to look up at the structure of it all including its big dome on top. 

Then across the road to one of Berlins highest buildings and took the lift to the top big viewing deck.

We also looked at viewing a Lego Museum but the costs of E16 each was unjustified. Different if we had the boys with us.

After a wander around we caught the train to the Oberbaum Brucke near Warschauer Station as we had been told of a beautiful old bridge there. It was built in 1894. All brick and the trains still use it. 

Also at this place there was a good portion of The Wall still standing.

We then caught the train back to the hotel and returned about 1pm as we are buggered. Also finished with a small walk around our area. More of a relaxing day today as we leave tomorrow for Genthin. Really looking forward in seeing Steffi and Torsten and of cause the big day on Saturday 7th.

Potsdamerplatz

In Potsdamer Platz not a single building had survived damage after the  bombings. We saw photos of the area after the attack. To see it now the very old area all gone and transformed into the very modern today......wow. In October 1993 work began on the Potsdamer Platz.

It was the largest construction site in any European city. More than 6000 labourers worked here on site at the same time.

The first generation of The Wall began at Potsdamer Platz. The initial walls had barbed wire on top and were just taller than the average adult.

The last generation of The Wall was 4 metres high, made of concrete slabs and was capped with rounded cement tops and were thus difficult to grab hold onto.

The Wall divided East and West for 28 years.

This is the building that we caught the lift to the top viewing deck. The Kollhoff-Haus Building. The lift  travelled the  90.15 metres in only 20 seconds. It is Europe's fastest elevator.You can imagine Petes face. In fact the lift was so quick that your ears didnt have time to pop. This view point was easy going by lift, all others we have had to climb stairs! Pete reckoned he could feel movement in the building. Could all be in the mind. You know him with his heights.

The very top point (of the building) you can see in the photo above this one, is where I was leaning against as far out as possible to take this photo of PT.....he wouldnt come any closer. I tried to make him come stand in the corner.

Top left of above photo is the dome of the Reichstadt (Parliament) and middle right is the Holocaust Memorial which you saw in yesterdays photos.

Looking down on the Sony building.

 Another view from the top.

From the street looking towards the Sony building with its amazing roof line.

Inside the Sony complex with all its cafes and eating houses.

Above and below looking up through the roof. Fascinating roof line and complex.

I've made a few new friends today. The first being Spiderman which is all the rage here as the film is being highly promoted here for the school holidays.

Second friend is Lego Giraffe. All made of Lego blocks and boys, look at Nana compared with the size of the giraffe. And Jen, as soon as Dad saw this he said "must take a photo of this for Jen". You will understand the reason why Jen.

Third friend is a bear which was at the top of the high building.

Now out at the Oberbaum Brucke to see this great old bridge. Today used just for the trains over the top as you can see, but would have been used for cars on the underneath which is only for pedestrians now. There is a newer bridge adjacent to it on the other side which the cars now use.  

This is the old road on the lower level of the bridge. There is a passing bay.

In the same area is remnants of the longest part of The Wall we have seen. We could see for at least 5/600 metres before it went round the corner out of sight.

Above and below shows a bit of the local artist talents.

To summerise a little history of Berlin.

Today Berlin is the Capital city of Germany, one of the 16th states  of Germany. with a population of 3.5 million people.

The Thirty Years War between 1618-1648 devastated Berlin. One third of the houses were destroyed and the city lost half of its population.

On 30th January 1933 Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power. Nazi rule destroyed Berlins Jewish community after Kristallnacht 1938 thousands of the city's Jews were imprisoned in the nearby Sachsenhausen Concentration camps . In early 1943 they where shipped to death camps such as Auschwitz.

During the 2nd World War large parts of Berlin where destroyed in the 1943-1945 air raids.

After the war the city became divided into East and West  by the Berlin Wall. 1961-1989.

The Berlin Wall was a barrier, between the East and West constructed by the East German Democratic Republic, starting on 13th August 1961. The barrier included guard towers placed along the large concrete walls (later known as the death strip) to stop people crossing.  The wall came down in1989.

On 3rd October 1990 the two parts of Germany were reunified as the Federal Republic of Germany, and Berlin again became the official German capital in June 1991.