Berlin is one of Europe’s great metropolises, with theatres and museums everywhere, and numerous monuments that show how this capital city wears its history on its sleeve.
I stayed in Meininger Hotel Berlin Hauptbahnhof for just £19 a night. Impressively this cheap price doesn’t reflect what you pay for – expecting to be confronted with small rooms and a broken toilet we were impressed to be greeted with accommodation of modern design, good location and an overall high standard of maintenance, in fact I couldn’t recommend this place more highly! This leads me onto another great bonus of Berlin: it’s friendly on the pocket without having to sacrifice the good life!
The Jewish museum is an insightful and poignant place, where all visitors to Berlin should go to educate themselves into the history of one of the world’s most destructive periods. Also, the new Holocaust Memorial is a striking piece of architectural design, and is enjoyed by many in different ways; run down it, skate on it, kiss on it – it’s there to be celebrated.
I know some people might think it’s disrespectful to crack a smile in the Holocaust Memorial but I really don’t see it like that at all. I read an article about the architect who designed it, and he said he wanted people to enjoy it. And I completely agree with him, especially when we hear stories of people denying the Holocaust ever happened, this memorial ensues it will not be forgotten or denied.
Vintage and youth culture set the tone for the East of Berlin, which I personally prefer. The active art and creative people mostly live in the east, because after the fall of the wall, the flats were very cheap, so it’s generally livelier than the west. Some people may disagree, but, although the division between East and West Berlin seizes to exist, it can still be felt, through the difference in architecture and the more conservative atmosphere prevalent in West Berlin. The positive aspect of this is that it adds to the diversity of the city both culturally and visually. If you’re interested in finding out where loads of incredible street art lies then check out my other posts Street Art Alley in Hackescher Markt and Teufelsberg Spy Station.
Copyright © 2014 by The Culture Map. This article was written by Shing Lin Yoong and originally published on www.theculturemap.com
*Image of Reichstag parliament, Berlin via Shutterstock
*Image of Museum island via Shutterstock
