Berlin is the capital of Germany that has been leading an active life boasting various cultural monuments and tolerant atmosphere. One must not be mistaken thinking that apart from the many attractions in Berlin, there are several places of interest that are listed under the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites. These sites are marked for their universal value and are preserved to always be around for human use. It’s time to explore the World Heritage sites in Berlin and determine the role of those places in history and culture.
1. Museum Island (Museumsinsel)
Situated on the Spree River, in the middle of Berlin, Museum Island is a group of five outstanding museums. It is simply mine of art, culture history so to speak of this island. Each museum specializes in different areas:
Altes Museum:
This is the location of the antiquities collection; Greek and Roman are part of its attractions.
Neues Museum:
Neues Museum, which holds ancient Egyptian and prehistoric objects, Nonne Dresden which was built Neoclassical style and is home to Egyptian and Classical art and sculptures as well as sculptures works, especially the bust of Queen Nefertiti.
Alte Nationalgalerie:
Housing some of the Europe’s largest collections of art dating from the 19th century, which features such famous Germans as Caspar David Friedrich or Adolph Menzel.
Bode Museum:
The Bode Museum’s primary areas of exhibition include sculptures, performing arts from Byzantine lands, and an extensive assembly of coins.
Pergamon Museum:
Perhaps the most visited museum in the island, the Pergamon Museum possesses such features as the Pergamon Altar and the Ishtar Gate of the Babylon.
Touring inside Museum Island offers you a time-traveling opportunity through the art and architecture of the world.
2. Die Berliner Moderne Wohngebäude.
Germany is home to self-explanatory architectural brilliance called the Berlin’s Modernism Housing Estates that came up in the beginning of the twentieth century. All these housing estates were constructed between 1910 and 1933 and are an example of the modernist style. Four of these estates are recognized as World Heritage Sites:
Weiße Stadt (White City):
One of the famous housing estates was designed by Bruno Taut built with white structures painted in colorful tone as well as greenery.
Siemensstadt:
This estate has been designed with functional architecture by a team of architects, under the direction of Hans Scharoun.
Britz:
The Eden area, a construction by Hugo Häring, is a modern housing with gardens and commons.
Hufeisensiedlung (Horseshoe Estate):
Bruno Taut and Martin Wagner’s estate is an exemplary model for rational architecture and offers affordable homes arranged in a horseshoe plan.
These estates demonstrated progressive thoughts on urban structures and represent the social and architectonic trends of the period.
3. Sanssouci Palace and Park
Again with an address in Potsdam though considered a city next to it, Sanssouci Palace and Park is not very far from Berlin and is worth a day trip to. This wonderful palace and the adjoining park were established in the eighteenth century as a summer palace for Frederick II, The Great, the King of Prussia.
The palace itself is a rococo masterpiece, marvelous gardens, fountains and terraces surround it. There is a large park, beautiful views, and a number of smaller buildings in the park including Orangery Palace and The Chinese House.
Thus, the visit to Sanssouci Palace and Park will glace into Prussian royal life and enjoy the beautiful trees and flowers.
Conclusion
Actually, the majority of the World Heritage Sites in Berlin are valuable historical and cultural places that are interesting to visit because they promise an incredible travel through time. Regardless of whether a tourist is interested in art, architecture, or history, each of these places will make him/her value the multicultural history of Berlin even more. Hence, it is advisable to include these following UNESCO World Heritage Sites in your list of place to visit in this amazing city.
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