Historic Mitte - Berlin - page 159

The first building to be reconstructed on Pariser Platz was a near-replica of the 1907
Hotel Adlon, Berlin's poshest caravanserai, which allegedly inspired the 1932 movie Grand
Hotel, starring Greta Garbo. Now called Hotel Adlon Kempinski , it's still a celebrity fa-
vourite. Remember Michael Jackson dangling his baby over a hotel balcony? It happened at
the Adlon.
If the doors are open, pop into the Frank Gehry-designed DZ Bank ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ;
Pariser Platz 3; Brandenburger Tor, Brandenburger Tor) on the square's south side to catch a
glimpse of the glass-roofed atrium with its bizarre free-form sculpture that's actually a con-
ference room.
The only building on Pariser Platz with a glass facade is the Akademie der Künste
(Academy of Arts; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 200 571 000; www.adk.de ; Pariser Platz 4; varies, free
3-7pm Tue; exhibits 11am-7pm Tue-Sun; Brandenburger Tor, Brandenburger Tor) at No 4, de-
signed by Günter Behnisch. This is one of Berlin's oldest cultural institutions, founded by
King Friedrich I in 1696 as the Prussian Academy of Arts. Come here for readings, lectures,
workshops and exhibits, many of them free.

DON'T MISS…

Quadriga
Hotel Adlon Kempinski

PRACTICALITIES

MAP GOOGLE MAP

Pariser Platz

24hr

Brandenburger Tor, Brandenburger Tor