Berlin, Germany

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the reunification of East and West Germany, the former Soviet-controlled east has experienced a remarkable revival economically and culturally. Buildings which were destroyed in WW II have been rebuilt and tourism is rebounding. We enjoyed seeing the formerly off-limit cities of Berlin, Potsdam, Dresden, Leipzig and Wittenberg.
 

The Reichstag (German Parliament Building) was totally destroyed  in 1945. The West Germans established Bonn as their capital until 1999. After last meeting here in 1933, Germany's federal parliament returned to the rebuilt Reichstag  in 1999.

A glass cupola added to the rebuilt Reichstag is a tourist attraction. Visitors can circle up a ramp while viewing the rooftops of Berlin and the parliamentary chambers below.

Since the fall of the Iron Curtain,  probably no city in Europe has seen more development and change as Berlin. Re-united East and West Berlin have undergone massive construction and restoration projects, as seen by the main train station.

The Sony Center is one of Berlin's most striking new buildings. It is surrounded by an entertainment center, and lies close to the Kulturforum, a complex for art and music.

While we were there, Germany was hosting a FIFA championship, and had decorated the city with soccer-themed installations, here an observation area near the famous 16th Century Brandenburg Gate.

In Alexanderplatz, the Tiergarten, Gleisdreieck and other public parks and plazas, art installations are continually added to commemorate and celebrate events and themes, particularly of friendship and reunification.

   

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is a 200,000 square foot area covered with 2711 concrete slabs (stelae), meant to be a place of symbolism and thoughtful reflection.
 

   

The Topography of Terror exhibit is located in the barren bombed out landscape where the Nazi's SS headquarters stood. Its stark displays outline the history of the Holocaust.

 Museum Island, a World Heritage Site, is a complex of 6 buildings which include the Pergamon Museum, The Egyptian Museum, the Altes Museum The Bode Museum, and  Classical and Modern art galleries.
 

The Egyptian and Pergamon Museums hold impressive collections of antiquities including items from Egypt, Greece, Assyria, Sumeria, and Babylon.

Not much is left of the former border crossing, Checkpoint Charlie, except a small booth, remnants of warning signs, large images of American and Soviet soldiers and photo ops for selfies.  

   

Graffiti on the last remaining stretches of the Berlin Wall are poignant messages of unification.

Potsdam is the capital city of Brandenburg, situated on the Havel river, southwest of Berlin. It is well known for its historical sites, especially the parks and castles of Sanssouci, a World Heritage site.   

Sanssouci was the summer home of Frederick the Great, Prussian king. The complex consists of several palaces, a landscaped park, greenhouses, the Neptune Grotto, and stylized structures such as The Chinese House, the Dragon House and the Antique Temple.
 

Wittenberg/ Lutherstadt is the centerpiece of the sites associated with the Protestant Reformation, including the Wittenberg University and the homes of Luther and Melanchthon. The 15th Century Stadtkirche towers over the central Market Square of Wittenberg.
 

Die Schlosskirche (Castle Church) is where Luther posted his 95 theses in 1517 marking the beginning of the Reformation.

Buildings representing several centuries of architecture are found in the old town area of Dresden. A terrace above the Elbe River provides a breathtaking view of the skyline.
 

The Semperoper, one of Europe's finest opera houses where Wagner's work premiered, is lavish and architecturally stunning.

The recently restored Frauenkirche in Dresden, Germany's greatest baroque Protestant (Lutheran) church, is a symbol of reconciliation, as donations for its reconstruction came mainly from British and American donors.
 

The uniquely painted Thomaskirche in Leipzig is associated with several well-known composers such as Wagner, Mendelssohn, and Bach.

Taking a side-trip to one of the Nazi concentration camps is a reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust and a deeply moving experience.

This mosaic on the wall of the flat roofed, communist style post office is a reminder of the Soviet influence in the former cities of East Germany.