Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
NORMANNENSTRASSE
The eastern suburbs
Berlin's eastern suburbs have changed significantly since reunification.
Projects designed to iron out the differences between the two sides of the
city have resulted in a strange mixture of past and present: old GDR-style
socialist architecture sits alongside the clean-cut lines and flashy design of
new buildings, and they don't quite gel. Visiting these primarily residential
areas moulded by almost fifty years of communist rule, unpleasant as it
sometimes is, is an important part of getting a complete picture of Berlin -
and on their southern fringes some genuine rural breathers offer a break
from the city. All of the places described here are easily reached on public
transport by S- or U-Bahn, though a slower tram or bus journey will allow
you to get more of a feel for this part of the city.
