CATALYST PLANET - 24 Hours in Berlin

Getting to know the Grey City in a jiffy.

Brandenburg Gate. Wolfgang Staudt. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Berlin is a gritty city, and one whose food, architecture, monuments and culture can only be explained through its grave past. The German capital is a historic center of Europe as the nerve center of Nazi Germany in World War II, the greatest symbol of the Cold War’s infamous Iron Curtain and the prime city to see grand Prussian architecture. While many German institutions like monuments, transportation and active government buildings paint a picture of this historical influence, the picture of Berlin would be left incomplete without mentioning its spirited present.

In between landmarks like the Reichstag, Germany’s Parliament building, the famous Brandenburg Gate, the remains of the Berlin wall and Prussian palaces lies an amalgamation of diverse restaurants with owners from every corner of the world, a bustling nightlife of clubs and bars, a thriving local music scene and a fashion-forward community.

Berlin is an urban city through and through; its streets and unassuming apartment buildings (sprinkled between colorful modern architecture) comparable to those of Istanbul with an artistic, stylish flair reminiscent of New York. Live through a bit of history and a bit of present with me as I spend a day in Berlin:

We’re out and about today, but refuse to approach our day on an empty stomach, so we head to a local breakfast place, Erchy’s. Other days we have feasted on the cinnamony pastries of a staple German breakfast cafe, Zeit fur Brot, and even some German-made cheeses bought from German grocery store REWE when we really wanted to masquerade as Berliners. But today is Erchy’s. Their food will fuel the traveling to be done.

Swans in the palace gardens of Charlottenburg. Su Ertekin-Taner.

Graffiti near the S-bahn. Su Ertekin-Taner.

Lily pads in the palace gardens of Charlottenburg. Su Ertekin-Taner.

Charlottenberg. Rfunnell. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Graffiti in Berlin. Mitch Altman. CC BY-SA 2.0

We immerse ourselves in Berlin’s public transportation system after food. We use the U-bahn, the German metro, and then the S-bahn, Berlin’s fastest form of transportation to get to today’s location. At times using Berlin’s transportation reveals more about the divide of Berlin via the Berlin wall than any museum could, I think.

Altogether, the journey takes about 45 minutes from the center of East Germany. As we travel, the underground tunnels melt into cloudy skies that overlook old beige buildings decorated completely with graffiti. Berlin’s graffiti scene is one of the most vibrant in the world due to the rise of a countercultural voice during the Cold War and the Berlin Wall days. Graffiti galleries, exhibits, and alleys like the East Side Gallery, Cafe Cinema and Raw Gelande are staples of the Berlin community. As I wander through my thoughts, I sense the train stop. The trek has been made and so, we expect to be met with a reward.

The Charlottenburg Palace more than qualifies as a reward. This Baroque palace was originally constructed on behalf of Friedrich III’s (later King Friedrich I) wife Sophie Charlotte, hence the name. The interior of the palace is richly decorated, representing the height of Prussian high culture: porcelain from the royal porcelain providers KPM lines the walls, mantels are decorated with an East Asian-inspired blue and a ballroom fit with large windows divides the palace in two and overlooks the gate. The signs that guide us through the palace also note, however, the racist portrayal of Middle Eastern and East Asian figures throughout the palace’s art; the Prussian monarchy hoped to assert its dominance in every corner.

Behind the palace, we escape into nature, or a manufactured sort of nature: the Charlottenburg Palace Gardens, inspired by those of Versailles. We walk near rivers of lily pads, greet some sheep tended by palace attendants, swans and even some bike riders; the access to this park is free.

Chicken gemuse kebab at Ruyam. Su Ertekin-Taner.

Doner kebab. Addison Berry. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

By the late afternoon, we have ambled back near the center of East Berlin. We decided on chicken gemuse doner at Ruyam Doner, which offers the best doner kebab in Berlin, though we did consider a meal at one of the many Vietnamese restaurants — established by the large Vietnamese community —in the area. The line spills out of the restaurant and into the street; everyone is craving some of this chicken gemuse. But the line quickly shortens until we are ordering our kebab of moist chicken, a spicy blend of sauces, and slightly heated bread.

Turks are the largest ethnic minority group in Germany and often occupy entire neighborhoods like Keuzberg. Many Turks immigrate to Germany for work and stay, or accompany family members who have already migrated. As a Turk, I feel lucky to taste a part of my culture on the streets of Berlin.

A biergarten in Elisabethmarkt. digital cat. CC BY 2.0

We end our day with a biergarten, or beer garden experience. A biergarten usually consists of an open air bar filled with long tables of merry drinkers and well, their drinks; the biergarten is integral to the German citizen and open-air lover.

We encounter fewer merry drinkers than we plan to, but still sit alongside friends talking and a couple laughing. I have a feeling we’ve arrived in the belly of Berlin, especially as more Berliners gather round, huddle up, and grab some warming alcohol during this chilly summer.

For travelers hoping to find a warm community with a common motivation–tasting the richness of German beer–a biergarten might fulfill your needs.

While my day quickly ended after my biergarten experience, no two 24 hours in Berlin can be alike, so here are some more options for day adventures to quench your traveling thirst.

Reichstag building. Jurgen Matern. CC BY-SA 3.0

Monuments

Reichstag: The Reichstag, the Parliament building of Germany, actively houses Parliament meetings throughout the year, and somewhat unusually, also allows visitors year round. Attending a tour of the Reichstag means sitting in the German Parliament’s main chamber, observing interior corridors with Russian graffiti completed after the Russian capture of the building in the Battle of Berlin and receiving an oral history from World War II on.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe: This Holocaust Memorial, designed by New York architect Peter Eisenman, consists of 2711 concrete blocks of varying heights laid out in a rectangular city block. Visitors might note that the blocks increase in height as they approach the middle of the monument; many speculate that this effect reflects the rising fear and agony of the Jewish community throughout World War II.

Brandenburg Gate: While this neoclassical gate was originally constructed in the 18th century, much of its history lies in the coming centuries. The Quadriga statue of horses perched on the top of the gate, for example, tells a history of Napoleon’s acquisition of Berlin. Napoleon transported the statue out of Berlin to reflect his victory over the Germans. The Brandenburg Gate also symbolizes the division between East and West Berlin during the Cold War, as the Wall was constructed within a couple meters of the gate.

World Clock at Alexanderplatz. Berthold Werner. CC BY-SA 3.0

Public Squares

Alexanderplatz: This public square named after Russia’s Tsar Alexander I is a commercial and transportation center that houses malls, public art and even live events like concerts. Visit the world-famous World Clock that tells the time of countries around the world, watch a stark yellow tram pass by through crowded streets, or even spot the Berlin TV Tower from afar.

Potsdamer Platz: Potsdamer Platz, located about a mile from the Brandenburg Gate, contains much of the city’s culture. Find the Sony Center dome housing an international cinema, restaurants, offices, museums and the center of underground transportation here —all constructed after the destruction of the public square during World War II.

Museums

Ishtar Gate in the Pergamon Museum. Rictor Norton and David Allen. CC BY 2.0

Pergamon Museum: The Pergamon is one of the museums located on Berlin’s “Museum Island.” The building boasts its collection of classical antiquities from Middle Eastern civilizations and Islamic cultures. The most famous exhibits include the Market Gate of Miletus, the Ishtar Gate that opened up to the processional way to the eponymous capital of the Babylonian Empire and the Aleppo room featuring paneling with images of both the Islamic and Christian faith.

Topography of Terror: Such a historical city requires a history-based museum. The museum itself is located on a plot that once housed administrative buildings of the Nazi Party, like the headquarters of the SS and the Gestapo. The one-floor museum uses exhibition panels (supported by historical documents and quotes) to guide visitors through the rise and eventual fall of the Nazi Party.

Other

Brandenburg Gate. Dennis Jarvis. CC BY-SA 2.0

Historical Walking Tour: A city with such plentiful history necessitates a historical walking tour. Sightseeing walking tours take visitors through World War II and Cold War monuments like the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the demarcation of the Berlin Wall, respectively, as well as some of Berlin’s must-see sights like the Brandenburg Gate and even the Reichstag.

Cuisine

A dish from Madami. George M. Groutas. CC BY 2.0

German cuisine: While much of German food pays its cultural respect to other international cuisines, some German dishes are uniquely synonymous with German culture. Sausages accompanied by sauerkraut or potato salad, rouladen, beef-wrapped bacon, onions, mustard, and pickles and sauerbraten — a German pot roast — all grace the menus of German restaurants. Try restaurants Schwarzwaldstuben in Mitte, Max and Moritz in Kreuzberg, and Clarchens Ballhaus also in Mitte for a taste of Germany.

Vietnamese cuisine: Due to the influx of Vietnamese immigrants —many of whom were temporary contract workers — into East Berlin during the Cold War, the city offers much authentic Vietnamese food. Some high-rated restaurants include Madami located on Rosa Luxemburg Street, Monsieur Vuong on Alte Schonhauser Street, and Maison Umami on Schlesische Street.

Turkish cuisine: Much like the Vietnamese, a Turkish community slowly immigrated to Germany for work and stayed to build institutions that reflect their culture, like the Turkish restaurant. Doner, lahmacun (the Turkish Pizza) and borek (a salty Turkish pastry) proliferate in Berlin. Some high-rated restaurants include Hasir in Kreuzberg, Adana Grillhaus on Manteuffel Street, and Osmans Tochter near Helmholtz Platz.

Nightlife

Clubs: The Berlin party scene is second-to-none. Berlin’s clubs are perfect for those craving a new eccentric song to add to their playlist or a place to wow their friends for a night. Room 4 Resistance’s playlists of tunes with genres ranging from contemporary pop to industrial techno attract a diverse group of music lovers. For those music lovers who prefer to stick to a genre or two, Weeeirdos’ techno sets and Hoe_Mies’s R&B and trap music might be a perfect fit.

Biergarten: Outdoor lovers might prefer the biergarten, or beer garden, night experience. Under a dusk sky, between clumsily strung up lights, lies a comforting community of German beer lovers gathering around wooden benches and tables and self-serving the ale. Try the Prater Beer Garden, Schleusenkrug, and Golgatha Beer Garden for some biergarten action.

Bars: Whether you desire a cocktail or a dance floor for the night, a Berlin bar or two will satisfy your appetite. When in the party capital of Europe, you must do as partiers do, and partiers love to gather on these alcohol-washed oases. Gay bar Model Olfe, aesthetic Victorian-inspired bar Geist im Glas and the traditional Bar 3 are all excellent alternatives for a night of drinking and dancing.