Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
stronger democracy, you're exactly right. Germany knows (from its own troubled history)
that a dumbed-down electorate, manipulated by clever spin-meisters and sound-bite media
blitzes, is a dangerous thing (free, Tue-Sun May-Sept 10:00-19:00, Oct-April 10:00-18:00,
closed Mon year-round, tel. 030/2273-0431).
The
French Cathedral
(Französischer Dom), at the north end of the square, offers a
humble museum on the Huguenots (€2, Tue-Sat 12:00-17:00, Sun 11:00-17:00, closed Mon,
enter around the right side) and a viewpoint in the dome up top (€3, daily 10:30-19:00,
last entry at 18:00, 244 steps, enter through door facing square). Fun fact: Neither of these
churches is a true cathedral, as they never contained a bishop's throne; their German title of
Dom
(cathedral) is actually a mistranslation from the French word
dôme
(cupola).
Fassbender & Rausch,
on the corner near the German Cathedral, claims to be Europe's
biggest chocolate store. After 150 years of chocolate-making, this family-owned business
proudly displays its sweet delights—250 different kinds—on a 55-foot-long buffet. Truffles
are sold for about €0.60 each; it's fun to compose a fancy little eight-piece box of your own
for about €5. Upstairs is an elegant hot chocolate café with fine views. The window displays
feature giant chocolate models of Berlin landmarks—Reichstag, TV Tower, Kaiser Wilhelm
Memorial Church,andsoon.Ifall thisisn'tenoughtoentice you,Ihavethree words:erupt-
ing chocolate volcano (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 11:00-20:00, corner of Mohrenstrasse at
Charlottenstrasse 60, tel. 030/2045-8440).
Gendarmenmarkt is buried in what has recently emerged as Berlin's “Fifth Avenue”
shopping district. For the ultimate in top-end shops, find the corner of Jägerstrasse and
Friedrichstrasse and wander through the
Quartier 206
(Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00, Sat
10:00-18:00, closed Sun,
www.quartier206.com
). The adjacent, middlebrow
Quartier 205
has more affordable prices.
Surviving stretches of the Wall are virtually nonexistent in downtown Berlin. One of the
most convenient places to see a bit is at the intersection of Wilhelmstrasse and Zimmer-
strasse/Niederkirchnerstrasse, a few blocks southwest of Gendarmenmarkt. Many visitors
make the short walk over here from the Checkpoint Charlie sights (described later), then
drop into the museum listed next.
Coincidentally, the patch of land behind the surviving stretch of Wall was closely associated
with a different regime: It was once the nerve center for the most despicable elements of
the Nazi government, the Gestapo and the SS. This stark-gray, boxy building is one of the
