Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Alexanderplatz
The vast, largely
desolate square in the
centre of East Berlin,
called “Alex” by Berliners,
was one of the most
vibrant places in Berlin
before World War II - and
no doubt it will be again
some day. Alfred
Döblin beautifully
captured the rhythm of the
city in his world-famous novel
Berlin Alexanderplatz
. Not much
remains today of the once fren-
zied atmosphere, although there
is plenty of hustle and bustle
around the Kaufhof Galleria
department store
(see p135)
.
Originally, Alex was a cattle
and wool market. Not many of
the prewar buildings survived -
only Berolinahaus and Alexander-
haus, next to the historic S-Bahn
station Alexanderplatz, remain,
both dating back to 1929. The
square was almost completely
laid to waste in World War II, and
most of the surrounding soulless
tower blocks were built in the
1960s. There are now plans to
build skyscrapers on Alexander-
platz.
d
Mitte
•
Map I6
Rathaus was built in
1861-9, according
to plans by Hermann
Friedrich Waesemann
on the site of an
older town hall. It was
designed to demonstrate
the power and the
glory of Berlin, and the
architect took his
inspiration for the
new governmental building from
Italian Renaissance
palazzi
.
The building is also known
as the “Red Town Hall” - not
a reminder of its Socialist past,
but a reference to the red bricks
from Brandenburg province from
which it is built
(see also p38).
d
Rathausstr. 15
•
Map K6
•
9am-6pm
Mon-Fri
•
(030) 90 26 0
Heraldic animal at the Rathaus
Berliner Fernsehturm
The 365-m (1,197-ft) high
TV tower is the tallest building
in Berlin, affording views of up
to 40 km (25 miles) in good
weather. There is a viewing
platform at 203 m (666 ft). The
Tele-Café above rotates once
around its own axis every 30
minutes. The tower, visible from
afar, was erected in 1965-9 by
the East German government
to signify the triumph of East
Berlin, their “capital .
d
Panoramastr. 1a
•
Map I6
•
Mar-Oct:
10am-1am, Nov-Feb: 10am-midnight
•
Tel. (030) 242 33 33
•
Admission charge
Berliner Rathaus
Berlin's proud town hall
is the office of the Governing
Mayor and is the political centre
of power in Greater Berlin. The
Left
Weltzeituhr (world time clock) on “Alex”
Right
Inside the Tele-Café of Fernsehturm
Fernsehturm:
www.berlinerfernsehturm.de
131
