Page 84 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

82  BERLIN AREA B Y AREA EASTERN CENTRE  83

Gothic hall design and the f Fernsehturm VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
lavish decorative touches make
this church one of the most The television tower, called by the locals Practical Information
interesting in Berlin. An Telespargel, or toothpick, remains to this day the Panoramastraße 1a.
alabaster pulpit by Andreas city’s tallest structure at 368 m (1,207 ft). It is also Map 5 E1. Tel (030) 247 575 875.
Schlüter, dating from 1703, is Open Mar–Oct: 9am–midnight
decorated with bas-reliefs of the second-tallest structure in Europe. The tower daily; Nov–Feb: 10am–midnight
St John the Baptist and the was built in 1969 to a design by a team of architects daily.
personifications of the Virtues. including Fritz Dieter and Günter Franke, with the Transport
The Baroque main altar was help of Swedish experts. However, the idea for the  &  Alexanderplatz.
designed by Andreas Krüger tower originated much earlier from Hermann @ 100, 200, TXL.
around 1762. The paintings Henselmann (creator of the Karl-Marx-Allee
with which it is adorned include
three works by Christian development) in the Socialist-Realist style. The television antenna is
The Bode-Museum, designed by Ernst von Ihne Bernhard Rode. visible all over Berlin.
A Gothic font, dating from
p Bode-Museum a Marienkirche 1437, is supported by three Transmitter aerial
black dragons and decorated
Monbijoubrücke (Bodestraße 1–3). Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 8. Map 5 E1. with the figures of Jesus Christ, The metal sphere is
Map 4 C1. Tel (030) 266 42 42 42.  Tel (030) 24 75 95 10.  Alexander- Mary and the Apostles. covered with steel cladding.
Hackescher Markt or Friedrichstraße. platz. @ 100, 200, TXL. Open Apr–
Open 10am–6pm daily (to 10pm Thu). Dec: 10am–6pm daily; Jan–Mar:
v M1, M4, M5, 12. 10am–4pm daily. 5 10:30am Sun.
s Rotes Rathaus
The fourth museum building St Mary’s Church, or the Red Town Hall
on Museumsinsel was Marienkirche, was first
constructed between 1897 established as a parish church Rathausstraße 15. Map 5 E2.  &
 Alexanderplatz.  Kloster straße,
and 1904. It was designed in the second half of the 13th @ TXL, 248.
by Ernst von Ihne to fit the century. Started around 1280,
wedge-shaped northwestern construction was completed This impressive structure is View from the Tower
end of the island. The interior early in the 14th century. During Berlin’s main town hall. Its On a clear day the viewing platform offers a
was designed with the help reconstruction works in 1380, predecessor was a much more full view of Berlin. Visibility can reach up to
of an art historian, Wilhelm following a fire, the church was modest structure that, by the 80 km (50 miles).
von Bode, who was the altered slightly, but its overall end of the 19th century, was Restaurant Sphere
director of the Berlin state shape changed only in the inadequate to meet the needs Concrete structure rising One of the attractions is the
museums at the time. 15th century when it acquired of the growing metropolis. to 250 m (820 ft) revolving café. A full rotation
The museum displayed a the front tower. In 1790, the The present building was takes about an hour, so it is
rather mixed collection that tower was crowned with a designed by Hermann Friedrich The concrete shaft contains two possible to get a bird’s-eye view
included some old masters. dome, designed by Carl Waesemann, and the construc- lifts that carry passengers to the of the whole city over a coffee,
Its original name, Kaiser Gotthard Langhans, which tion works went on from 1861 café and viewing platform. breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Friedrich Museum, was includes both Baroque and until 1869. The architect took
changed after World War II. Neo-Gothic elements. his main inspiration from
Following the reassembling The Marienkirche was once Italian Renaissance municipal d Alexanderplatz city’s busiest spots. Its frenzied
of the Berlin collections, all hemmed in by buildings, but buildings, but the tower is Map 5 E1, F1.  &  Alexanderplatz. atmosphere was captured by
the paintings were rehoused in today it stands alone in the reminiscent of Laon cathedral @ 100, 200, TXL. Alfred Döblin (1878–1957) in his
the Kulturforum (see pp88–9), shadow of the Fernsehturm in France. The walls are made novel Berlin Alexanderplatz.
while the Egyptian art (Television Tower). The early from red brick and it was this, Alexanderplatz, or “Alex” as it In 1929, attempts were
and the papyrus collection rather than the political is called locally, has a long made to develop the square,
were moved to the Ägyptisches orientation of the mayors, that history, although it would be though only two office
Museum (Egyptian Museum) at gave the town hall its name. hard now to find any visible buildings were added –
the Neues Museum (see p79). The whole building has a traces of the past. Once known the Alexanderhaus and the
The building houses a continuous frieze known as The monumental, red-brick town hall, as Ochsenmarkt (oxen market), Berolinahaus, both designed
collection of over 50,000 coins, the “stone chronicle”, which known as the Rotes Rathaus it was the site of a cattle and by Peter Behrens.
plus medals and Byzantine art. was added in 1879. The frieze wool market. It was later World War II erased most
It is also home to an extensive features scenes and figures from was housed in the Schöneberg renamed after Tsar Alexander I of the square’s buildings and
collection of sculptures, the city’s history and traces the town hall (see p107). Following who visited Berlin in 1805. At they were replaced by
including the works of Tilman development of its economy the reunification of Germany that time, the square boasted characterless 1960s edifices,
Riemenschneider, Donatello, and science. in 1990, the Rotes Rathaus a magnificent monumental including the Park Inn Hotel
Gianlorenzo Bernini and The Rotes Rathaus was became the centre of authority, colonnade, which was designed (formerly Hotel Stadt Berlin)
Antonio Canova. A copy of severely damaged during housing the offices of the mayor by Carl von Gontard. and the Fernsehturm.
the magnificent equestrian World War II but, following its and the Berlin cabinet. In time, houses and shops However, the area has been
statue of the Great Elector, reconstruction between 1951 The forecourt sculptures sprang up around the square redeveloped and is home to
Friedrich Wilhelm, by Andreas and 1958, it became the seat by Fritz Kremer, which depict and a market hall and urban several shopping plazas and
Schlüter, is also on display in Baroque altar in the Marienkirche, of the East Berlin authorities. Berliners helping to rebuild train line were built nearby. cinemas, as well as open-air
the old hall. designed by Andreas Krüger The West Berlin magistrate the city, were added in 1958. “Alex” became one of the markets during the holidays.
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp492–3 and pp510–11

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.2)
Date 15th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm