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As one of Europe's leading cultural cities Berlin offers many museums, historic sites and other places for a memorable visit. Many landmarks remind us of the long history of Berlin, the remains of the destruction during World War II and its history when it was divided between East and West.
Even though Berlin is a large metropolis, orientating yourself in Berlin isn't hard at all. There are three prominent landmarks: the Church of Remembrance (the Gedächtniskirche), located in the West on the Kurfürstendamm, the Brandenburger Tor in the city district of Mitte, and the Fernsehturm (TV-tower) at Alexanderplatz in the East. Round and about these three points of interest lie the inner districts of Berlin.
The 365-meter high Fernsehturm was built between 1965 and 1969 and is located in East Berlin. It reminds us of the time when Berlin was divided. Now it's a symbol of a united city. And as one of the highest buildings in Europe it offers a marvellous view of the city both during the day and night. You can visit the observation platform located at a height of 203 meters or dine at the restaurant while enjoying the view.
The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin's only remaining city gate, is the most well known town landmark and also symbolic of the division and reunion of the city. It was situated in the no-man's-land just behind the wall and reopened after the fall of the Wall on December 22, 1989. The sandstone construction, built from 1788-91 to plans by C.G. Langhans, has 12 Doric columns and is based on the propylaeum of the Acropolis in Athens.
In 1891-95, in a new-Romanesque style, the original Gedächtniskirche was built to honour the memory of Kaiser Wilhelm I and represented a symbol of the era of the German Empire. During the Second World War, the church was heavily damaged but not completely destroyed. The remaining ruins reminded the local population about the bombings of the war and were transformed into a small museum and a memorial. In 1961-63, next to the church, the high six-sided bell tower and the flat eight-sided main building were built. The old tower ruins serve today as a church museum and a remembrance hall for peace and reconciliation.
The Reichstag is a very important site in German history - its colourful past reflects the turbulence of German history since the 19th century. The Reichstag was constructed from 1884-94 by Paul Wallot, since a representative building was needed to house the parliament of the newly-founded German state. On 9 November 1918, the politician Philipp Scheidemann announced the establishment of the Republic from one of its windows.
After the war, the devastated building was rebuilt in a simplified form from 1961-1971, but it was not used for parliamentary functions. After reunification, the German Federal Government decided to use the building as a Parliament once again. From 1994-1999 the Reichstag was reconstructed and extended by the Architect Sir Norman Forster. Since 1999 the Reichstag has been home to the Bundestag (the lower Parliament).
The Berlin Wall was originally one hundred miles long and was constructed by the Communist government of the former East. All that is left today are a few sections of the wall near the Ostbahnhof and the Reichstag. These sections have been preserved to remind Berliners of the 28-year division of their city. The remnants of the Berlin Wall now serve as an outdoor gallery of art from local and city artists.
| ©2007 Kim D. All rights reserved. |
The author only once experienced the Hajj at "first hand" so to speak, although as a non-Muslim he was not allowed to enter Mecca.
The occasion was the early 1990s when doing some work for a Saudia Airlines related to the catering requirements for, on that occasion, some 1.75 million hajji, as the pilgrims are called.
My journey to Saudi Arabia was circuitous for business purposes – UK to Turkey - Istanbul, then to Ankara, then back to Istanbul before finally taking a flight to Jeddah on Saudia.""I was the only non-Hajji on board (I think) and my recollection is that it
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Whilst much of England and Wales has been battered by torrential rains causing wave upon wave of flooding, Scotland - not normally renowned for great weather - has completely escaped the severe downpours and has been enjoying a notably drier summer than its Southern counterparts.
Each year between July and September, Edinburgh plays host to the largest arts festival in the world, drawing crowds from all over the world to indulge in an eclectic collection of culture, music, films, books and comedy on show across various venues within the city. Commonly referred to as the Edinburgh Festival, the event is
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This is Paris and it is raining, which is as it should be. Paris rain is not as the rain of other cities. It is softer, benevolent. It caresses, rather than soaks.
First let us nail a lie. Parisians are haughty, stand-offish, have no time for people who do not speak perfect French. This may have been true when Jacques Tati starred in M Hulot's Holiday and the Beatles
were appearing in Paris as a support group for the main star Johnny Halliday. It might have been true then. It is certainly not true now. Parisians are not stand-offish. Certainly not
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When people ask about the top sights to see in the south Florida
area including Fort Lauderdale and Miami, I always advise them to
try and make some time to go down to the Florida Keys. The
Florida Keys are the string of islands just south of the Florida
mainland and runs 120 miles from end to end. Fort Lauderdale and
Miami are fun but for a relaxing change of pace, the Florida Keys
is the place to be. For snorkellers and scuba divers going to
south Florida, I would consider Florida Keys a must. The waters
around Key Largo are a protected marine park with a very
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If you love sealife, fast rides and beautiful scenery, then SeaWorld is for you. This is one place that is a “must visit” for us on every single trip to Orlando. From the minute you enter the park and you have your photo taken by one of the official photographers, you just know you are in for a fun packed day. There are plenty of ticket variations available including the Orlando Flexticket avaialble from this site, just follow one of the links above to see what options are available to you and your family.
We usually pick up a park map,
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