Museum Island & Alexanderplatz
Walk through ancient Babylon, meet an Egyptian queen, clamber up a Greek altar or study Monet’s moody landscapes. There are treasures galore on Museum Island, a Unesco-recognised cluster of five repositories brimming with art, sculpture and architecture from Europe and beyond. Berlin’s medieval birthplace, Nikolaiviertel, is nearby, serenaded by the spiky TV Tower anchoring noisy, socialist-flavoured Alexanderplatz.
The Sights in a Day
MAvoid queuing for the Pergamonmuseum by buying an early timeslot ticket online, then devote at least a couple of hours to marvelling at its ancient treasures – the Ishtar Gate, the Market Gate of Miletus etc. Snap a picture of the Berliner Dom then head over to the Humboldt-Box to find out what the fuss is all about with the reconstruction of the Berlin City Palace and to enjoy a leisurely lunch with a view from the rooftop cafe.
REnergy restored, pay your respects to Queen Nefertiti at the Neues Museum or match your interests to any of the other Museum Island contenders. Afterwards, process your impressions during a leisurely river cruise through Berlin’s historic centre, then finish up with a late-afternoon bird’s-eye view of the city from the top of the TV Tower, Germany’s tallest structure.
NIf you want an old-timey dinner experience, wrap up the day with a traditional German meal at Zur Letzten Instanz, or head to Zwölf Apostel for wagon-wheel-size pizza.
x Best of Berlin
Museums
Eating
Getting There
g Bus The 100, 200 and TXL link Alexanderplatz with Museum Island.
S-Bahn The S5, S7/75 and S9 all converge at Alexanderplatz. For Museum Island, Hackescher Markt and Friedrichstrasse stations are closer.
j Tram The M1 and 12 stop at Am Kupfergraben west of Museum Island.
U-Bahn The U2, U5 and U8 stop at Alexanderplatz. Friedrichstrasse is the closest station to Museum Island.
Top SightsPergamonmuseum
Even when undergoing renovation, the Pergamonmuseum still opens a fascinating window onto the ancient world. The palatial three-wing complex unites a rich feast of classical sculpture and monumental architecture from Greece, Rome, Babylon and the Middle East in three collections: the Collection of Antiquities, the Museum of Near Eastern Antiquities and, upstairs, the Museum of Islamic Art. Most of it was excavated and spirited to Berlin by German archaeologists at the turn of the 20th century. Note that the namesake Pergamon Altar will be off limits until 2019.
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
%030-266 424 242; www.smb.museum; Bodestrasse 1-3; adult/concession €12/6; 
h10am-6pm, to 8pm Thu; g100, 
dHackescher Markt, Friedrichstrasse
Don’t Miss
Market Gate of Miletus
Merchants and customers once flooded through this splendid 17m-high gate into the bustling market square of Miletus, a wealthy Roman trading town in today’s Turkey. A strong earthquake levelled much of the town in the 11th century, but German archaeologists dug up the site between 1903 and 1905 and managed to put the puzzle back together. The richly decorated marble gate blends Greek and Roman design features and was probably built to welcome Emperor Hadrian on his AD 126 visit to Miletus.
Orpheus Floor Mosaic
Also from Miletus hails this beautifully restored floor mosaic starring Orpheus, a gifted musician from ancient Greek mythology whose lyre playing charmed even the beasts surrounding him. It originally graced the dining room of a 2nd-century Roman villa.
UnderstandMuseum Island Master Plan
The Pergamonmuseum is part of Museum Island (Museumsinsel), a cluster of museums that collectively became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1999. The distinction was at least partly achieved because of a master plan for the renovation and modernisation of the complex, which is expected to be completed in 2025 under the aegis of British architect David Chipperfield. Except for the Pergamon – now under renovation – the restoration of the buildings themselves has been completed. Construction has also begun on the James-Simon-Galerie, a colonnaded modern foyer that will serve as the central entrance to four of the five museums and also harbour a cafe and other service facilities. Another key feature of the master plan is the ‘Archaeological Promenade’ that will eventually link the four archaeological museums underground. For details see www.museumsinsel-berlin.de.
Ishtar Gate
Expect your jaw to drop as you face the magnificence of this reconstructed Babylonian town gate, Processional Way and facade of the throne hall of its builder, King Nebuchadnezzar II (604–562 BC). The walls of the gate are sheathed in radiant blue and ochre glazed bricks with friezes of strutting lions, bulls and dragons representing Babylonian gods. They’re so striking you can almost imagine hearing the roaring and fanfare.
Clay Tablets from Uruk
Founded in the 4th millennium BC, Uruk (in present-day Iraq) is considered one of the world's first 'mega-cities', with as many as 40,000 inhabitants and more than 9km of city walls. Among the museum's most prized possessions are clay tablets with cuneiform scripts detailing agreements and transactions that are considered the earliest written documents known to humankind.
Stela of Hammurabi
Back in the 18th century BC, King Hammurabi of Babylon decided to assert his royal authority by having his law decrees carved into an imposing stela (upright stone slab), a copy of which anchors the Babylonian Hall. Despite their ancient pedigree, some of the phrases are still heard today, including ‘an eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth’.
Statue of Hadad
Room 2, at the far end of the Museum of Near Eastern Antiquities, showcases treasures from ancient Assyria. It is lorded over by a monumental 2800-year-old statue of a fierce-looking Hadad, the West Semitic god of storm, thunder and rain. Also note the four lion sculptures guarding the partly reconstructed inner gate of the citadel of Samal (in today's Turkey).
Caliph’s Palace of Mshatta
When Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II wanted to get into Emperor Wilhelm II’s good graces, he gave him a most generous gift: the facade of the 8th-century palace of Mshatta, in today’s Jordan. A masterpiece of early Islamic art, it depicts animals and mythical creatures frolicking peacefully amid a riot of floral motifs in an allusion to the Garden of Eden. It's upstairs in Room 9 in the Islamic Museum.
Alhambra Domed Roof
A domed cedar and poplar ceiling from the Torre de las Damas (Ladies' Tower) of the Alhambra in southern Spain's Granada forms the 'lid of the Moorish Cabinet' in the Islamic Museum. Intricately patterned, it centres on a 16-pointed star from which radiate 16 triangular panels inlaid with decorative elements.
Aleppo Room
Guests arriving in this richly painted, wood-panelled reception room would have had no doubt of the wealth and power of its owner, a Christian merchant in 17th-century Aleppo, Syria. The beautiful, if dizzying, decorations combine Islamic floral and geometric motifs with courtly scenes and Christian themes. Look closely to make out The Last Supper to the right of the central door.
Top SightsNeues Museum
David Chipperfield’s reconstruction of the bombed-out New Museum on Museum Island is the new home of the show-stopping Egyptian Museum (headlined by Queen Nefertiti) and the equally enthralling Museum of Pre- and Early History. Like he was completing a giant jigsaw puzzle, the British star architect incorporated every original shard, scrap and brick he could find into the new structure. This brilliant blend of the historic and the modern creates a dynamic space that beautifully juxtaposes massive stairwells, domed rooms, muralled halls and high ceilings.
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
New Museum; %030-266 424 242; www.smb.museum; Bodestrasse 1-3; adult/concession €12/6; h10am-6pm, to 8pm Thu; g100, 200, dHackescher Markt
Don’t Miss
Nefertiti
An audience with Berlin’s most beautiful woman, the 3330-year-old Queen Nefertiti – she of the long graceful neck and timeless good looks – is a must. The bust was part of the treasure trove unearthed by a Berlin expedition of archaeologists around 1912 while sifting through the sands of Armana, the royal city built by Nefertiti’s husband, King Akhenaten.
Berliner Goldhut
Resembling a wizard’s hat, the 3000-year-old Berlin Gold Hat must indeed have struck the Bronze Age people as something magical. The entire cone is swathed in elaborate bands of astrological symbols believed to have helped priests calculate the movements of sun and moon and thus predict the best times for planting and harvesting. It’s one of only four unearthed worldwide.
Berlin Grüner Kopf
A key item from the Late Egyptian Period, which shows Greek influence, is the so-called Berlin ‘Green Head’ (c 400 BC), the bald head of a priest carved from smooth green stone. Unusually for art from this period, the sculptor did not create a realistic portrait of a specific person but rather sought to convey universal wisdom and experience.
Trojan Collection
Three humble-looking silver jars are the star exhibits among the Trojan antiquities discovered by archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in 1870 near Hisarlik in today’s Turkey. Many other objects on display, including elaborate jewellery, ornate weapons and gold mugs, are replicas because the originals were looted by the Soviets after WWII and remain in Moscow to this day.
1Sights
Sights
1DDR MuseumMUSEUM
This interactive museum does a delightful job at pulling back the iron curtain on an extinct society. Find out that East German kids were put through collective potty training, engineers earned little more than farmers and everyone, it seems, went on nudist holidays. A highlight is a simulated ride in a Trabi.
(GDR Museum; %030-847 123 731; www.ddr-museum.de; Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 1; adult/concession €7/4; h10am-8pm, to 10pm Sat; 
c; g100, 200, dHackescher Markt)
1Altes MuseumMUSEUM
A curtain of fluted columns gives way to the Pantheon-inspired rotunda of the grand neoclassical Old Museum, which harbours a prized antiquities collection. In the downstairs galleries, sculptures, vases, tomb reliefs and jewellery shed light on various facets of life in ancient Greece, while upstairs the focus is on the Etruscans and Romans. Top draws include the Praying Boy bronze sculpture, Roman silver vessels, an 'erotic cabinet' (over 18 only!) and portraits of Caesar and Cleopatra.
(Old Museum; %030-266 424 242; www.smb.museum; Am Lustgarten; adult/concession €10/5; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 8pm Thu, closed Mon; g100, 200, dFriedrichstrasse, Hackescher Markt)
1Berliner DomCHURCH
Pompous yet majestic, the Italian Renaissance–style former royal court church (1905) does triple duty as house of worship, museum and concert hall. Inside it's gilt to the hilt and outfitted with a lavish marble-and-onyx altar, a 7269-pipe Sauer organ and elaborate royal sarcophagi. Climb up the 267 steps to the gallery for glorious city views.
(Berlin Cathedral; %030-2026 9136; www.berlinerdom.de; Am Lustgarten; adult/concession/under 18 €7/5/free; h9am-8pm Apr-Oct, to 7pm Nov-Mar; g100, 200, dHackescher Markt)
1FernsehturmLANDMARK
Germany's tallest structure, the 368m-high TV Tower is as iconic to Berlin as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. On clear days, views from the panorama level at 203m are unbeatable. The upstairs Restaurant Sphere (mains €14-28) makes one revolution per hour. To skip the line, buy tickets online.
(TV Tower; %030-247 575 875; www.tv-turm.de; Panoramastrasse 1a; adult/child €13/8.50, timed ticket adult/child €19.50/12; h9am-midnight Mar-Oct, 10am-midnight Nov-Feb; 
bAlexanderplatz, dAlexanderplatz)
1BodemuseumMUSEUM
On the northern tip of Museumsinsel, this palatial edifice by Ernst von Ihne houses European sculpture from the Middle Ages to the 18th century, including key works by Tilmann Riemenschneider, Donatello and Giovanni Pisano. Other rooms harbour a huge coin collection and Byzantine art from elaborate sarcophagi to ivory carvings and mosaic icons.
(%030-266 424 242; www.smb.museum; cnr Am Kupfergraben & Monbijoubrücke; adult/concession €12/6; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 8pm Thu, closed Sun; dHackescher Markt, Friedrichstrasse)
1Alte NationalgalerieMUSEUM
The Greek-temple-style Old National Gallery is a three-storey showcase of 19th-century European art. To get a sense of the period's virtuosity, pay special attention to Franz Krüger and Adolf Menzel's canvases glorifying Prussia and to the moody landscapes by Romantic heart-throb Caspar David Friedrich. There’s also a sprinkling of French impressionists in case you’re keen on seeing yet another version of Monet’s Water Lilies.
(Old National Gallery; %030-266 424 242; www.smb.museum; Bodestrasse 1-3; adult/concession €10/5; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 8pm Thu, closed Mon; g100, 200, dHackescher Markt)
UnderstandRed Berlin: Life in the GDR
Two Germanys
The formal division of Germany in 1949 resulted in the western zones becoming the Bundesrepublik Deutschland (BRD; Federal Republic of Germany, FRG) with Bonn as its capital, and the Soviet zone morphing into the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR; German Democratic Republic, GDR) with East Berlin as its capital. Despite the latter’s name, only one party – the Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands (SED; Socialist Unity Party of Germany) – controlled all policy until 1989.
The Stasi
In order to oppress any opposition, the GDR government established the Ministry for State Security (Stasi) in 1950 and put millions of its own citizens under surveillance. Tactics included wire-tapping, videotape observation and the opening of private mail. Real or suspected regime critics often ended up in Stasi-run prisons. The organisation grew steadily in power and size, and by the end had 91,000 official full-time employees plus 173,000 informants. The latter were recruited among regular folk to spy on their co-workers, friends, family and neighbours as well as on people in West Germany.
Economic Woes & the Wall
While West Germany blossomed in the 1950s, thanks to the US-sponsored Marshall Plan economic aid package, East Germany stagnated, partly because of the Soviets’ continued policy of asset stripping and reparation payments. As the economic gulf widened, scores of mostly young and educated East Germans decided to seek a future in the west, further straining the economy and leading to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 to stop the exodus.
The appointment of Erich Honecker in 1971 opened the way for rapprochement with the west. Honecker fell in line with Soviet politics but his economic approach did improve the East German economy, eventually leading to the collapse of the regime and the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989.
Eating
5Brauhaus GeorgbräuGERMAN€€
Tourist-geared but cosy, this brewpub is the only place where you can guzzle the local St Georg pilsner. In winter the woodsy beer hall is perfect for tucking into hearty Berlin-style goulash or Eisbein (boiled pork knuckle), while in summer the riverside beer garden beckons.
(%030-242 4244; www.georgbraeu.de; Spreeufer 4; mains €10-14; h12pm-midnight; bKlosterstrasse)
5DoloresCALIFORNIAN€
Dolores is a bastion of California-style burritos – fresh, authentic and priced to help you stay on budget. The 'Calimex' menu is organised module-style with you selecting your favourite combo of marinated meats (the lime coriander chicken is yummy) or tofu, rice, beans, veggies, cheese and salsa, and the cheerful staff will build it on the spot. There's even a tortilla-less 'burrito-in-a-bowl' for carbophobes. Great homemade lemonade, too.
(%030-2809 9597; www.dolores-online.de; Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse 7; burritos €4-6; h11.30am-10pm Mon-Sat, 1-10pm Sun; 
W
v; g100, 200, bAlexanderplatz, dAlexanderplatz)
5Zur Letzten InstanzGERMAN€€
Oozing folksy Old Berlin charm, this rustic eatery has been an enduring hit since 1621 and has fed everyone from Napoleon to Beethoven to Angela Merkel. Although now tourist-geared, the food quality is still pretty high when it comes to such local rib-stickers as Grillhaxe (grilled pork knuckle) and Bouletten (meat patties).
(%030-242 5528; www.zurletzteninstanz.de; Waisenstrasse 14-16; mains €9-18; hnoon-1am Mon-Sat, noon-11pm Sun; bKlosterstrasse)
5Hofbräuhaus BerlinGERMAN€€
Popular with coach tourists and field-tripping teens, this giant beer hall with 2km of wooden benches serves the same litre-size mugs of beer and big plates of German fare as the Munich original. A brass band and dirndl- and lederhosen-clad servers add further faux authenticity. The roast pork, sausage salad and Weisswurst (veal sausage) are perennial menu favourites.
(%030-679 665 520; www.hofbraeuhaus-berlin.de; Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 30; mains €4-18; h10am-1am Sun-Thu, 10am-2am Fri & Sat; g100, 200, bAlexanderplatz, dAlexanderplatz)
5Zwölf ApostelITALIAN€€
A pleasant pit stop between museums, this place beneath the railway arches has over-the-top religious decor and tasty thin-crust pizzas named after the 12 apostles.
(www.12-apostel.de; Georgenstrasse 2; mains €8-16; jM1, dFriedrichstrasse, Friedrichstrasse)
Top TipSightseeing River Cruises
A lovely way to experience Berlin from April to October – and a great break from museum-hopping – is from the open-air deck of a river cruiser. Several companies run relaxing one-hour (about €9) Spree spins through the city centre from landing docks just north of Museum Island. Sip refreshments while a guide showers you with tidbits (in English and German) as you glide past grand old buildings, beach bars and the government quarter.
Drinking
6Strandbar MitteBAR
With a full-on view of the Bodemuseum, palm trees and a relaxed ambience, Germany's first beach bar (since 2002) is great for balancing a surfeit of sightseeing stimulus with a revivifying drink. At night, there's dancing under the stars with tango, cha cha, swing and salsa.
(%030-2838 5588; www.strandbar-mitte.de; Monbijoustrasse 3; h10am-late May-Sep; jM1, dOranienburger Strasse)
6House of WeekendCLUB
After a facelift, the former Weekend reopened in summer 2014 with the same sophisticated summertime rooftop terrace for cocktails and barbecue with stunning views. After 11pm, the cadre of shiny happy people moves down to the studio (15th floor) for sweet dance sounds, mostly electro from local DJs like Jens Bond, Swamthing, Mario Aureo, with the occasional excursion into hip hop and dubstep.
(%reservations 030-3397 8804; www.houseofweekend.berlin; Am Alexanderplatz 5; hroof garden from 7pm weather permitting, studio floor from 11pm; bAlexanderplatz, dAlexanderplatz)
6Club Avenue @ Café MoskauCLUB
This high-octane club has taken over the cellar of Café Moskau, a protected East Berlin landmark. Dress to impress the doormen in order to gyrate on the dance floor to hip hop, house and disco. The classy retro interior is the work of the decorating team behind Berghain/Panorama Bar. It's also the new home of the GMF (www.gmf-berlin.de; h11pm Sun) gay Sunday party.
(%0174 600 3000; www.avenue-berlin.com; Karl-Marx-Allee 34; hfrom 10pm Thu, from 11pm Fri & Sat; bSchillingstrasse)
UnderstandReconstruction of the Berlin City Palace
In July 2013 construction of the Humboldt-Forum on Schlossplatz finally got underway. The facade of the humungous project will replicate the baroque Berliner Stadtschloss (Berlin City Palace), which was blown up by the East German government in 1950 and replaced 26 years later with an asbestos-riddled multipurpose hall called Palace of the Republic, which itself met the wrecking ball in 2006. The modern interior will be a forum for science, education and intercultural dialogue, and shelter the Museum of Ethnology and the Museum of Asian Art (both currently in the outer suburb of Dahlem) as well as the Central State Library and university collections. The projected completion date is 2019. Get a sneak preview at the Humboldt-Box (
GOOGLE MAP
; %0180-503 0707; www.humboldt-box.com; Schlossplatz; h10am-7pm Apr-Sep, to 6pm Nov-Mar; g100, 200, bHausvogteiplatz), the oddly shaped structure next to the construction site, which also offers great views from its rooftop cafe terrace.
Shopping
7ausberlinGIFTS, SOUVENIRS
'Made in Berlin' is the motto of this hip store where you can source the latest BPitch or Ostgut CD, eccentric ubo jewellery, wittily printed linen bags and all sorts of other knick-knacks (anti-monster spray anyone?) designed right here in this fair city.
(%030-4199 7896; www.ausberlin.de; Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 17; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat; g100, 200, bAlexanderplatz, dAlexanderplatz)
7Galeria KaufhofDEPARTMENT STORE
A total renovation by the late John P Kleihues turned this former GDR-era department store into a retail cube fit for the 21st century, complete with a glass-domed light court and a sleek travertine skin that glows green at night. There's little you won't find on the five football-field-size floors, including a gourmet supermarket on the ground floor.
(%030-247 430; www.galeria-kaufhof.de; Alexanderplatz 9; h9.30am-8pm Mon-Wed, to 10pm Thu-Sat; bAlexanderplatz, dAlexanderplatz)
7AlexaSHOPPING MALL
Power-shoppers love this XXL mall that cuts a rose-hued presence near Alexanderplatz. The predictable range of high-street retailers is here, plus a few more upmarket stores like Swarovski, Crumpler, Adidas Neo and Triumph. Good food court for a bite on the run.
(%030-269 3400; www.alexacentre.com; Grunerstrasse 20; h10am-9pm Mon-Sat; bAlexanderplatz, dAlexanderplatz)
