Jewish history is an important part of Berlin and is a topic which attracts a great number of tourists. For anyone who loves history or is interested in a less obvious part of Berlin’s history, the Jewish heritage walking tour is an absolutely must do activity. Welcome to the blog post where you will find not only some general information about Berlin’s Jewish history but also recommendations on what to see and what to expect.
Understanding Berlin’s Jewish Heritage
If you plan to start your walking tour without any knowledge about the Jewish background of Berlin, then you better know the most basic historical frame. There was once a large a historic Jewish community in Berlin, with a rich culture and history within the area. Nonetheless, a Jewish community existed in the city that suffered from persecution during the regime of the Nazis, and many cultural monuments were wrecked during the world war II. Nowadays it is possible to consider the Jewish monuments, museums and memorials, which represent the Jewish culture and traditions in Berlin.
Top Sites to Explore
When planning your walking tour, make sure to include these significant sites:
1. Jewish Museum Berlin
The Jewish Museum Berlin is also well known for it interesting and detailed exhibitions about Jewish people and their history. The museum can be highly recommended to those who want to see really interesting exhibition dedicated to the history of Jewish people in Berlin from the Middle Ages till the present days. There are many attractions in the camp, but the most solemn are the Holocaust Tower and the Garden of Exile.
2. Holocaust Memorial
Close to the Brandenburg Gate, you can find a heart touching and a sacred place of genocide victims’ commemoration — the Holocaust Memorial. Currently comprising of 2700 concrete blocks of different height where visitors can get lost and find themselves reflecting with their lost ones.
3. Old Jewish Cemetery
The old Jewish Cemetery or in terms translated as Jüdischer Friedhof, is a marvelous cemetery patch with graves that date back to the 17th century. It is indeed interesting and packs rather surprising attractions, as well as well-maintained tombstone and lots of history.
Tips for Your Walking Tour
Here are some helpful tips to enhance your experience:
- Plan your route in advance: Examine a map and decide which places you might want to go and which places are easy to get to.
- Consider a guided tour: If one wants to dive a bit more into the history of Jewish Berlin, it can prove to be worth to have a look for guided group walking tours led by specialized guides.
- Wear comfortable shoes: Since the tours involve so much walking, comfortable footwear and sticking to the appropriate dress for the climate are recommended.
- Take your time: Make sure that you spend some adequate time in each site to get the historical observations of the places.
- Be respectful: Please recall that all these sites are sacred and significant to many individuals. Be polite and do not run or shout.
- Bring a guidebook or audio guide: The sites do offer the information one can look at the situation from different angle and get more information using a guidebook or an audio guide.
In Conclusion
Visiting Berlin and joining the Jewish museum to be taken through a walking tour is one of the best things that one can engage in as you stand to have the best moment ever in the city, you also get to know more about the atrocities of Jewish people during the Second World War. This tour will give you insights into the historical Jewish sites when you visit Jewish Museum Berlin, Holocaust Memorial, Old Jewish Cemetery, and more. Always be sure to look at the map, to be prepared for some kind of emotional reaction and finally always respect each place. Jewish heritage is a telling part of Berlin’s history and going on a walking tour which I recommend is an effective way of interacting with history.
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