A Walk To Remember: Inside Berlin’s Tiergarten

The Großer Tiergarten park (2.5 sq. km or 1 sq. mile), is the prime attraction of the Tiergarten area, often referred to by locals as being the “green lungs of the city”. With over 23 km (14 miles) of pathways, it is the largest park in Berlin. Though it was originally purposed in the 16th century as the private hunting grounds of Friedrich Wilhelm I, the first Prussian king, it was redesigned in the early 19th century by renowned landscape architect Peter Joseph Lenné into the park we now see today. From former private hunting grounds to a beautiful public park, the Großer Tiergarten has become a popular place for many Berliners to enjoy a peaceful walk, relaxing picnic, scenic jog or even a tranquil canoe ride.

Located in the center of a large roundabout of the Tiergarten (known as the Großer Stern or Great Star) is the Siegessäule. This 69 meter (226 feet) high column (known as Victory Column) was built in 1873 by Johann Heinrich Stack, to celebrate the Prussian victory in the 1864 Prusso-Danish war. The 8.3 meter (26 feet) tall, 35 ton golden statue (known locally as the Golden Else, symbolizing the Goddess of Victory) was added later to commemorate Prussian victories over Austria and France. For a spectacular view of Berlin, have a climb up to the top of the column, a mere 285 steps away.

Just north of Victory Column is Bellevue Palace, the official residence of Germany’s Federal President. Bellevue Palace (French for beautiful view) was originally constructed in 1786 for the Prussian Prince August Ferdinand.

The Global Stone Project, created by Wolfgang Kraker von Schwarzenfeld, is a global initiative with the purpose of promoting peace and international unity. Ten stones (each weighing 30 tons) were selected from every continent, where five were left in their native soil and each of their “sister” stones were brought here to the Tiergarten. Sculpted and polished to have a mirrored surface, the stones situated on each continent are positioned in such a way that once a year (June 21), the light of the sun is reflected, seemingly drawing five invisible straight lines back to their “sister” stones. Each of the five stone pairs represents the five steps towards peace: Europe (Awakening), Africa (Hope), Asia (Forgiveness), America (Love), and Australia (Peace).

The Berlin Zoo, first opened to the public in 1844, was built by an endowment bestowed by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. Attracting more than 3 million visitors annually, the zoo covers 84 acres and is home to over 20,000 animals, about 1,500 species. Animals are rarely caged here, but instead are allowed to roam in re-created natural habitats specially made for them. Pandas tend to attract the most attention from visitors as well as polar bears, wolves, gorillas, elephants, seals, zebras, rhinoceros, lions, orangutans, and so forth. The Zoo’s birdhouse hosts more than 500 species inside, and the aquarium contains a large selection of insects, amphibians, and reptiles. The Children’s Zoo is especially popular, and kids can pet animals and enjoy the playground located inside.

This memorial statue to Prince Otto von Bismarck, Minister President of the Kingdom of Prussia and the first Chancellor of Germany, was originally located in front of the Reichstag building until 1938, when it was ordered to be moved to its current location by Adolf Hitler. Dressed in ceremonial garb, the chancellor is surrounded by many prominent statues of allegorical nature such as Atlas, Siegfried, Germania, and a sibyl.

The Tiergartengewässer is a meandering river that runs throughout the Großer Tiergarten Park. Calm and serene, the river offers an excellent place to picnic nearby, take a canoe ride, or just sit back on a bench and take in the scenery.

As a cultural center dedicated to the promotion and celebration of non-European arts, cultures and societies, the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (House of World Cultures) presents art exhibitions, theater, dance performances, concerts, author readings, films, and academic conferences. Colloquially known by many Berliners as the Schwangere Auster (“pregnant oyster”), the center also presents many prominent works of English sculptor Henry Moore, including his final major work Large Divided Oval: Butterfly (1985-6). Shortly after his death, this nine ton bronze statue was eventually bought by the city of Berlin for 4.5 million DEM ($2.58 million USD)

Located not far from the Haus der Kulturen der Welt is the Carillon. This 42 meter-tall tower contains 68 bells, collectively weighing more than 48 metric tons. A carillonneur uses his feet and hands to operate the baton-and-pedal keyboard, which can span over 5 ½ octaves. Every Sunday you can hear the carillonneur play, which happens to be the world’s fourth largest Carillon. Presented as a gift to the city by Daimler-Benz AG CEO Edzard Reuter in 1987, the Carillon helped commemorate Berlin’s 750th birthday.

Designed by Paul Wallot, the Reichstag building was completed in 1894 with wartime reparation money from France as a result from Prussia’s victory of France in 1871. Germany’s parliamentary building features unique neo-Renaissance architectural designs, measuring 137 meters (450 feet) long and 97 meters (318 feet) wide. In 1916, Emperor Wilhelm II had the bronze inscription “Dem Deutschen Volke” (To the German People) added to the building, using French cannons seized during the war. After reunification in 1990, the Bundestag (Germany’s Parliament) was moved from Bonn to Berlin, prompting a renovation of the Reichstag building. Sir Norman Foster designed the building’s famous glass dome, which is one of Berlin’s most recognized landmarks. Open to the public, visitors can board an elevator to the top of the building and walk along a spiral walkway to the top of the dome.

Located at the end of the Unter den Linden Boulevard, the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) is the last remaining remnant of a former city wall that once enclosed Berlin. At 65.5 meters (215 feet) wide and 28 meters (92 feet) tall, Carl Gotthard designed the gate based upon the Propylaea, the Athenian gateway to the Acropolis. With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990, people flocked to the Branderburg Gate to reunite with Berliners and celebrate a unified Germany, once again.

Dedicated to the memory of all the Jews who died before and during World War II, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is an unforgettable tribute and sober reminder of the lives lost due to war. Designed by American architect Peter Eisenmann and officially inaugurated on May 10, 2005 (the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II), the Memorial comprises of 2,711 nondescript gray slabs of stone, occupying about 19,000 sq. meters or about 200,000 sq. feet. Arranged in a grid-like formation of varying heights, the undulating, wave-like design of this stele Memorial from afar, belies the deceptive depths of the walkways found deep in the middle of the monument. The further you walk along the path, the lower the ground becomes making the slabs appear much higher, creating a sense of instability and disorientation, which, for many people, is a sober reminder of the terror and tragedy experienced by the many victims of the Holocaust. The Memorial is open throughout the day and night and an underground information center is located beneath the monument (open from 10 am to 8 pm).