Berlin IV

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The last day in Berlin! 😞


So today's target is: shopping!!


We decided to head first for Potsdamer Platz and see this new financial and business district of Berlin. The Sony Tower is the most modern building in Potsdamer Platz. The building is curved on one side and flat on the other. The Sony Center has, of course, a Sony store in the first floor but holds also cinemas, hotels and restaurants. There is a huge shopping center called the Arkaden in the area. It was opened in 1998 and immediately became one of the city's favourite shopping centers. It has multiple shops in several floors and is easily reached by Berlin S-bahn.


From Potsdamer Platz we walked to Tiergarten and from Brandenburg gate we took a train to the area called Kurfurstendamm. Kurfurstendamm is the eastern area of the Charlottenburg region. It has several historical buildings, KaDeWe shopping center and Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche being the most famous ones.

KaDeWe (KAufhaus DEs WEstens) is located near Wittenergplatz metro station. It is the largest department store in Europe. It was built in 1907 but it has been extended several times from the original building. KaDeWe is the most exclusive shopping places in Berlin and, in our opinion, its main attraction is the gourmet's paradise in the top two floors! The food paradise has the largest collection of foodstuffs in the whole of Europe. There are exotic fruits and vegetables, live fish and seafood, 100 varietes of tea, more than 2400 wines, large collection of sweets and cakes and many other gastronomic delights.

Visitin KaDeWe took us quite a long time. Outside the department store there is one of the most important streets for trade and commerce in this part of Berlin, the Tauentzienstrasse. The shops along this road are not as expensive or as elegant as on Kurfürstendamm. On this road there is a central bed of colorful flowers and an interesting sculpture entitled Berlin. It symbolizes the former divided Berlin and was erected in 1987 on the occation of the 750th anniversary of Berlin.


Tauentzienstrasse takes us to the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche. This church monument is one of Berlin's most famous landmarks. The church was consecrated in 1895 but was destroyed by bombs in 1943. After WW II the ruins were removed, leaving only the massive front tower at the base of which the Gedenkhalle (Memorial Hall) is situated. The hall documents the history of the church and contains a few original ceiling mosaics, marble reliefs and liturgical objects. At the main entrance there are a new octagonal church of blue glass and a new freestanding bell tower that were built in 1961.


We had a great lunch in an italian restaurant called Ali Baba. It was recommended by our travel book and it was well worth the recommendation! Ali Baba is located at Bleibtreustrasse 45, near S-bahn station called Savignyplatz. The food was delicious, wine tasty and the bill small!!


It was time to head towards the main railway station and from there to Berlin-Tegel airport. We had to say goodbye to Berlin. But I am sure we'll be back.

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Comments

[lynne]

wow
Oh what a great description of Berlin. Makes me want to go back. Last Time I was there was 1993! when Richard ran the Berlin Marathon.