1 Day in Berlin: A Journey Through History

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by Zoey

May 7, 2024 · 1 min read

Berlin 1 Day Itinerary

Embark on a poignant journey through Berlin's storied past with this one-day itinerary designed to immerse you in the city's historical tapestry. Begin your day at the solemn Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a powerful tribute to the victims of the Holocaust, where you'll spend an hour reflecting on history. A short stroll away, the iconic Brandenburg Gate awaits, offering half an hour of exploration at one of Berlin's most recognizable monuments and a symbol of unity. Next, delve into political history with a one-hour visit to the Reichstag Building, the seat of the German parliament, where architecture and democracy converge. Conclude your day at the Berlin Wall Memorial, spending an hour at this poignant site that once divided a city and now stands as a testament to resilience and remembrance. This compact itinerary ensures you experience the essential historical sites of Berlin, leaving you with a profound understanding of the city's legacy.

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1 Day in Berlin Itinerary: Day 1

1

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

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Kickstart your Berlin journey with a solemn visit to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a poignant reminder of the city's past. Located at Cora-Berliner-Straße 1, this expansive memorial is a maze of 2,711 concrete slabs, inviting reflection on the atrocities of the Holocaust. Spend an hour wandering through the stelae, each one representing a chapter of history and a life lost, making it a profound start to your day's exploration.

Attraction Info

  • Cora-Berliner-Straße 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
  • Suggested tour duration: 1-2 hour
  • Open 24 hours

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2

Brandenburg Gate

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A short stroll from the somber reflections at the Holocaust Memorial, the Brandenburg Gate awaits as your next stop. This neoclassical monument stands proudly at Pariser Platz, symbolizing unity and peace. With just half an hour at this iconic site, you'll have ample time to admire its grandeur and snap some memorable photos against the backdrop of one of Berlin's most significant historical landmarks.

Attraction Info

  • Pariser Platz, 10117 Berlin, Germany
  • Suggested tour duration: 0.5-1 hour
  • Open 24 hours
4 min,0.33 km
3

Reichstag Building

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Continuing the historical theme, the Reichstag Building is next on your itinerary. As the nation's town hall, located at Platz der Republik 1, it's not only a center of political action but also a symbol of Germany's tumultuous history and rebirth. Spend an hour here, perhaps climbing up to its famous glass dome for panoramic views of the city and a glimpse into the heart of German democracy.

Attraction Info

  • Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin, Germany
  • Suggested tour duration: 1-2 hour
  • Open from 8:00am-10:00pm
10 min,2.89 km
4

Berlin Wall Memorial

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Conclude your day with a visit to the Berlin Wall Memorial, situated at Bernauer Str. 111. This city park and museum complex offers a deep dive into the Cold War era, with remnants of the infamous Berlin Wall and stories of those who lived in its shadow. Dedicate an hour to explore the open-air exhibits and the Documentation Center, leaving you with a profound understanding of Berlin's resilience and the spirit of freedom that permeates the city today.

Attraction Info

  • Bernauer Str. 111, 13355 Berlin, Germany
  • Suggested tour duration: 1 hour
  • Open from 8:00am-10:00pm
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Top Things to Do in Berlin-2024

TOP 1
Museum Island
Museum Island
4.7/5 · 333 review
taCommentInfo-imageBased on 9,033 review
Highlights:

Museum Island is located in the center of Berlin, on the north side of Spree Island, where many of Germany's leading museums gather, headed by the Pergamon Museum. The five museums on the island are different in shape but harmoniously unified. Flowing from both sides makes them even more majestic. In 1992, Museum Island was included in the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. It may take several days to appreciate all the treasures on display on the museum island, and you can choose to visit the areas you are interested in. There are five museums on the Museum Island, which concentrate the best of German museums: next to the Palace Bridge and the Berlin Cathedral is the Alte Museum of Berlin, and in front of it stretches the Lustgarten. At the northern end are the Neues Museum and the Old National Art Gallery. On the west side is the Pergamon Museum, and on the outside is the Baud Museum.

The Pergamon Museum can be described as one of the most popular museums, and it is also one of the archaeological museums in the world. This gray building has a solemn appearance, which is easily reminiscent of various ancient buildings. After entering through the central gate, the left is the ancient Roman and Greek collection exhibition hall, the right is the ancient West exhibition hall, and the second floor is the Islamic culture exhibition area. Among them, the treasure of the town hall, the Pergamon-Altar, is not to be missed. The history of the altar can be traced back to the 2nd century BC. The height of the altar is 9.66 meters. In addition, the market gate of Millet in West Asia Minor around the second century BC and the city gate of Ishtar in Babylon are also worth seeing.

The classical building, the Altes Museum (Old Museum), designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in 1830 was the first museum building on the island. The museum inherits the neoclassical architectural style, the front is supported by 18 columns juxtaposed, the inner main hall is spherical, and the huge circular vault above is very eye-catching. The old museum displays art treasures of ancient Greece and Rome, and the exhibits are very rich.

In the Old National Art Gallery, you can admire masterpieces by Impressionist masters such as Manet, Monet and Renoir. It is considered to be one of the most comprehensive collections of art from the period between the French Revolution and the First World War.

The Bode Museum is located on the outside of the Museum Island. It was built between 1898 and 1904. This Baroque building adopts a triangular arrangement and contains 3 unique small museums: the Byzantine Art Museum in Germany, which gathers the Byzantine Empire period. A variety of fine art; the Currency Museum displays 500,000 ancient coins and exhibits, and the Sculpture Museum houses Germany's premier collection of medieval sculptures.

The Neues Museum (New Museum) was built by 1855. It was severely damaged by the bombing of World War II and became a ruin. After reopening in 2009, it was used as an Egyptian museum and a papyrus exhibition. The exhibits include the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep IV. Bust of wife Nefertiti, and other artworks from the time of Amenhotep IV. In addition, the new museum also exhibits unearthed artifacts from prehistory, ancient history and the Stone Age.

In addition to visiting museums, it is also a good choice to stroll and relax on Museum Island. Luster Garden is lined with trees and has a very beautiful environment. Street performers playing beautiful music are also a beautiful scenery.

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TOP 2
Brandenburg Gate
Brandenburg Gate
4.6/5 · 574 review
taCommentInfo-imageBased on 46,528 review
Highlights:
The Place de Paris has been a popular tourist destination since the 18th century, and was once known as "The King's Reception Room". It is a square in the center of Berlin, inside the Brandenburg Gate. The war leveled most of the square in Paris, only the Brandenburg Gate survived. After continuous capital investment, the square slowly returned to its former glory. Beginning Brandenburg Gate is a gate in the Berlin city wall, named after the entrance to Brandenburg. The reconstructed Brandenburg Gate, a symbol of the Cold War, is now a testimony to the reunification of Germany. The Brandenburg Gate is 26 meters high and is a neoclassical sandstone building modeled after the gates of the Acropolis. The flat roof is supported by 12 pillars, 6 on each side of the east and west. There is a wall between the front and rear pillars, which divides the gatehouse into 5 gates. The passage in the middle is slightly wider. It is designed for the passage of royal family members. Only the royal family and guests invited by the royal family can pass. The inner wall of the gate is painted with reliefs of Hercules, the great hero of Roman mythology, Mars, the god of war, and Minova, the protector of artists and craftsmen. In addition, the north and south wing houses connected to the Brandenburg Gate gatehouse were used for guards and checkpoints. After the Berlin City Wall was demolished, it was converted into an open column hall to match the style of the Brandenburg Gate. Today's Brandenburg Gate and Paris Square have become Berlin's city symbols and are visited by tourists from all over the world every day. There are many street performers performing here every day in the square. You can take a photo with the "big soldier" who is covered in copper paint, and let the street artist paint a portrait for you. Or you can take a horse-drawn carriage to tour the whole square. Of course these all require additional fees. Due to its special status in Berlin and even Germany, the Brandenburg Gate has become the venue for many celebrations in Germany. Every year on December 31st, an open-air New Year's party will be held here. When the square and the street are full of people, a grand live performance will be held on the stage to add to the fun, and people will welcome the New Year together in the fireworks tour at midnight. . In addition, the world's largest electronic music festival is held in front of the Brandenburg Gate every July, if you happen to be traveling at this time, you can join it.
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TOP 3
Berlin Cathedral
Berlin Cathedral
4.7/5 · 476 review
taCommentInfo-imageBased on 10,675 review
Highlights:
The Berlin Cathedral is located on the east side of the Museum Island in downtown Berlin, with the Spree River as its back. The Berlin Cathedral was built from 1895 to 1905. It was destroyed in World War II. The repair work continues to this day, but it is still an eye-catching landmark in Berlin, known as the "Museum Island entrance": three large Baroque domes The four-story building facing the Spree River is decorated in the style of a Baroque palace and is brilliant; the bell tower on the west side has been in service so far, and the bells of prayer are long and long; after climbing 260 steps, you can admire the city of Berlin at the top of the cathedral. Stunning views of the area. The steps on the front facade of the church are paved with granite, and the curved arches are quite striking, supported by Greek-style Koslin stone columns on both sides, and the doors are decorated with bronze reliefs and mosaic frescoes. The altar is set on a high platform that is seven steps higher than the mission hall. The altar is made of white marble and onyx, surrounded by a gilded fence, overflowing with golden light. The 72-meter-high dome is the most essential part of the Berlin Cathedral. The dome is decorated with gold-encrusted mosaic paintings, also by Wiener, depicting the scene of the saints' cloths. Each painting is 39 square meters. More than 2,000 colors are shared, which is very shocking. The dome is surrounded by glass windows, and the holy light is poured through the windows, as if the Holy Spirit descended. Next, you can move to the baptistery to visit, on both sides of the entrance are the coffins carved by the German sculptor Andreas Schlüter for the king. The second floor is the Cathedral Museum, which displays models, historical drawings, designs, original parts and carvings of Berlin Cathedral buildings. The photos on the walls record the bombing and damage of the church during World War II. There is also an interesting multimedia "simulation table" in the museum, where you can lean in and feel the charm of the dome of Berlin Cathedral up close. Going up the stairs and crossing the 270th steps, you will come to the vaulted corridor at the top of the church. Standing here, you can clearly see the angel statue at the top of the church, the icon and the cross at the top of the main entrance. The view of the cloister is very broad, with beautiful landscapes such as the Spree River, the German History Museum, the Humboldt University of Berlin, and the Old Museum of Berlin. Before leaving, don't forget to visit the underground Hohenzollern tomb, where 94 members of the Hohenzollern royal family from the 16th century to the early 20th century were buried, Friedrich III. , Elector John Cicero, Elector Elector, etc. are all buried here. After the visit, you can take a break in the square in front of the church and feel the leisurely pace of life in Berlin.
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TOP 4
Berlin Wall Memorial
Berlin Wall Memorial
4.7/5 · 228 review
taCommentInfo-imageBased on 18,155 review
Highlights:
The Berlin Wall was built on August 12, 1961 and collapsed on November 9, 1989, with a total length of 176.8 kilometers. At present, most of the Berlin Wall has been pushed, and only this monumental park shows visitors the original structure and history of the Berlin Wall. The memorial site is located between the Nordbahnhof and the Bernauer Straße subway station. A section of the Berlin Wall with a partition and guard boxes is preserved here, allowing visitors to touch the historical objects on the spot.
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TOP 5
Reichstag Building
Reichstag Building
4.6/5 · 447 review
taCommentInfo-imageBased on 35,595 review
Highlights:
Not only is the Reichstag now the seat of the Bundestag, the dome on its roof is also a popular place to visit, and its ever-renewed history mirrors all aspects of German history since the nineteenth century. The Reichstag was built between 1884 and 1894 as a symbolic building by Paul Vallot for the Reichstag. Due to the opposition of William II at the time, the inscription on the building was inlaid during the First World War. The exterior walls of the Capitol are in old classicism, but the buildings inside are full of modern features. On the ground floor and several floors on both sides of the Capitol are the offices of the Council of Elders' administrative agency, the parliamentary caucus hall and the press hall, with a two-storey oval plenary hall in the middle. The upper floor of the plenary hall is surrounded by a large number of auditoriums, and ordinary people can watch the debate of the Bundestag in the auditorium. The glass dome in the middle is the larger attraction of the Reichstag. Inside it are two spiral passages staggered in a staggered direction, supported by an exposed all-steel structure, through which visitors can reach the 50-meter-high observation platform and overlook the scenery of Berlin. At night, the dome is illuminated from within, thus creating a new urban icon for the German capital. The glass dome currently houses a documentary exhibition about the Berlin Reichstag. Go up the escalator to the top of the dome, from where you can access the terrace with unobstructed views of Berlin.
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Berlin 1 Day Itinerary