Blog Posts

Three Girls and a Boy - Berlin's Spree River Bronzes

11/21/2015

Every great city has public art for all of us to enjoy and Berlin has a spectacular collection but my absolute favorite was a Bronze sculpture installation called 'Three Girls and a Boy' by Wilfred Fitzenreiter; 1988.

These naked bronzed young people lounge on the Spree promenade on a wall overlooking the Spree River and across from the impressive Berliner Dom. They seem to be watching the boats go by, relaxing in the sun or lost deep in some contemplation and are a beautiful addition to this relaxing, café lined walk.

The whimsical sculptures are also a magnet for a tourist photo-op moment and naturally we couldn’t resist either!

When you visit Berlin be sure to take time to find the many amazing sculpture and public art installations around the city. They are a delight to explore.

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Seeing Berlin from a Horse and Carriage

11/18/2015

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Jim and I have taken carriage rides in some of the most beautiful cities of Europe, but to be perfectly honest, it never entered our minds to take one in Berlin. When you think about that cosmopolitan city, you just don’t picture touring it in a horse-carriage.

Therefore, when we saw the line of carriages parked in front of the Brandenburg Gate, we were pleasantly surprised and of course we had to take a ride. It is not your typical carriage ride in that the route takes you through some of the busiest parts of the city, but it is definitely a fun way to see Berlin! And don’t forget to pick up a wine or champagne or beer to sip during the ride!

Most carriages have a few options from which to choose such as ride-length and route. Prices in 2015 begin around 80 euro for 30 minutes.

Take a photographic ride in the carriage with us as we tour the historic parts of Berlin!

Unter Den Linden

Museum Island - Berliner Dom

Alexanderplatz - Rotes Rathaus

Nikolaiviertel - Nikolaikirche

Heading Back!

Gendarmenmarkt

Back to Unter Den Linden and the Branderburg Gate

Time to say goodby to our pretty carriage horses!

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Delving into German History at Berlin's Deutsches Historisches Museum

11/13/2015

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Sometimes when traveling, you experience an amazing place simply by accident, which is how we ended up at the German Historical Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum) in Berlin.

It was not on our original itinerary, but Berlin on a Monday can be challenging since many of the museums and sites are closed. I was extremely disappointed to find that the Sanssouci, the Summer Palace of Frederick the Great, was closed as well and since it was our last day in Berli I couldn’t even imagine any replacement site that would live up to it. Fortunately, I was SO wrong!

After searching through our guide-book, I saw that the Deutsches Historisches Museum was open so we jumped in a taxi and arrived just at opening time so for a while we had the museum almost all to ourselves, and a fabulous museum it is. Filled with amazing artifacts, it documents the history of the German people and the later nation state from the Early Medieval Age through WWII and into the modern day. The museum is a fascinating view into the historic and modern culture of Germany.

Above Photo Source: Christian Wolf, www.c-w-design.de - Own work

The museum is located in the Zeughaus (old armory) on the avenue Unter den Linden as well as in an adjacent modern Exhibition Hall designed by renowned architect, I.M. Pei, where temporary exhibitions are held.

Above Photo Only: modern Exhibition Hall designed by renowned architect, I.M. Pei,
Source - Gattom at English Wikipedia - Own work

The museum's home, the Zeughaus, is the oldest structure in Unter den Linden. It was built by the Brandenburg Elector Frederick III between 1695 and 1730 in the Baroque style, to be used as an artillery arsenal for the display of cannons from Brandenburg and Prussia.

The Deutsches Historisches Museum was founded on 28 October 1987 on the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the founding of Berlin. Due to the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, reunification, dissolution of the GDR and the transfer of their collections to the DHM, the new museum opening was delayed. The first exhibitions were finally shown in the Zeughaus in September 1991.

Above Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=243737315
Photographer: Pazit Polak

The Permanent Exhibition you visit today, German History in Images and Artefacts was inaugurated in the Zeughaus by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel on 2 June 2006.

Below is a photographic glimpse of this informative and beautiful museum. I hope it inspires you to visit!

When you are finished exploring the extensive collection, you will be ready for the wonderful array of refreshments at the café where you can choose to dine inside the cozy interior or as we did, on the terrace with a lovely view of the Berliner Dom and Fernsehturm peeking over the trees.

Click here to learn more about visiting the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin

Deutsches Historisches MuseumZeughaus and Exhibition Hall
Unter den Linden 2
10117 Berlin

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Berlin's Magnificent Neptunbrunnen

10/23/2015

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One of the first things that come to mind when you think of Europe are its fabulous fountains and the Neptunbrunnen (Neptune Fountain) in Berlin can easily be added to that list. It truly is a lovely fountain.

Designed in 1886 by Reinhold Begas the bronze sculptural fountain was built 1891. A Berlin native, Begas, the son of a painter, received his early artistic education at the Berlin School of Sculpture under the foremost German sculptors of the 19th century. He was influenced greatly during a period of study in Italy, from 1856 to 1858. This influence was in the direction of a naturalistic style. After coming to notice in 1870, Reinhold Begas dominated the sculptural art in the Kingdom of Prussia, and especially in Berlin.

The magnificent Neo-Baroque fountain originally stood in front of the former Stadtschloss (Berlin Palace). When the palace was demolished in 1951, the fountain was restored and finally moved to its present location in 1969.

The naturalistic elements of the beautiful fountain ring the Roman god Neptune in the center. The four women around him represent the four main rivers of the Prussia at the time the fountain was constructed: the Elbe (with the allegorical figure holding fruits and ears of corn), the Rhine (fishnet and grapes), the Vistula (wooden blocks, symbols of forestry), and the Oder (goats and animal skins).

The Neptune Fountain in Berlin is a delight to look at even when gray and overcast as it was that morning and you must take time to carefully explore all of the intricate design elements and sculptural figures that make this piece of public art fabulous!

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Gemaldegalerie Berlin - Everything I Dreamed a World-Class Collection of Old Master Paintings Would Be

10/18/2015

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If you love art and art-history as much as I do, you absolutely MUST visit the Gemaldegalerie (Old Master Paintings Museum) in Berlin. The wonderful museum houses one of the most important collections of European art from the 13th century through the early 19th century.

Masterpieces from all epochs in the history of European art and many important masters are on permanent display. Paintings by Jan van Eyck, Pieter Bruegel, Albrecht Dürer, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt, and Jan Vermeer take your breath away. As always though, my favorites are the French 17th and 18th century paintings by artists like Poussin and Watteau!

It was heaven to wander through the museum’s rooms looking at artworks that are famous throughout the world.

This amazing collection was first brought together in 1815 and opened to the public in 1830. Works of Art were chosen from the royal palaces and purchased from private collections and the gallery collection was steadily expanded during the 19th century.

The collection was originally installed as part of a larger exhibition in what was at that time the Royal Museum (now called the Altes Museum "Old Museum"). The paintings were moved to the Bode Museum in 1904. The collection was split up for many years after World War II and eventually reunited at the Gemaldegalerie in 1998. The Berlin State Museum (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin) owns the 3000 piece collection (1500 on display) and the museum is located in an area of Berlin called the “Kulturforum”, an area planned to be a museum and arts district west of Potsdamer Platz.

above photo only: http://www.smb.museum/en/museums-and-institutions/gemaeldegalerie/home.html

Since this museum is all about visual engagement, I will simply give you a taste of this fabulous experience through the photos below. Each room exhibits artists in a certain period or following a certain style and these are a few of my favorites. I hope you enjoy and are spurred on to visit Berlin and this exceptional museum!

Above Photo: Venus and Cupid by Lucas Cranach the Elder c. 1530's

Above Photo: The Fountain of Youth -
Lucas Cranach the Elder & Lucas Cranach the Younger 1546

Above Photo: Nativity Altarpiece of Pieter Bladelin 1452-55 by Rogier van der Weyden

above photo: Portrait of a Woman with White Headress - by Rogier van der Weyden 1440

Above Photo: The Miraflores Altarpiece c. 1442-5 by Rogier van der Weyden

Above Photo: Detail of One Panel of The Miraflores Altarpiece
c. 1442-5 by Rogier van der Weyden

Above Photo: Neptune and Amphitrite by Jan Gossart 1516

Above Photo: Esau Sold His Birthright 1558-1629 by Hendrick ter Brugghen

Above Photo: Malle Babbe, c. 1633/35 by Franz Hals

Above Photo: The Wine Glass 1660 by Johannes Vermeer

Above Photo: Woman With a Pear Necklace - by Johannes Vermeer 1662/1665

Above Photo: The Draughtsman by Jean Baptiste Simeon Chardin c. 1737

Above Photo: Love in the French Theater by Jean Antoine Watteau (1684 - 1721)

Above Photo: French, 18th century - Fete Galante Genre Painting

Above Photo: Grand Canal from Campo Santa Sofia toward the Rialto Bridge
by Canaletto c. 1756

Above Photo: Amor Victorious (1602–1603). by Caravaggio

Above Photo: The Portrait of Ugolino Martelli iby the Italian artist Agnolo di Cosimo, known as Bronzino, 1536 or 1537

Photo Above: Leda and the Swan by Correggio 1532

Above Photo: The Madonna with Child, St. John and a Child Saint by Raphael, 1504-1505.

Above Photo: Venus Pudica by Sandro Bottecelli c. mid 15th century

Above Photo: Netherlandish Proverbs 1559 by Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Above Photo: Portrait of Hendrickje Stoffels by Rembrandt 1656-1657)

Click here to learn more about visiting the Gemadegalerie in Berlin!

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Haus am Checkpoint Charlie - Learning About the History of the Berlin Wall

10/13/2015

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From the moment Jim and I decided to visit Berlin, I knew that somewhere near the top of our itinerary would be the site called “Checkpoint Charlie” and it turned out to be everything we had hoped. If you have any interest at all in the Cold-War and the stark expression of this conflict that was the Berlin Wall, you have to take time to visit the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie / Mauer Museum (The Checkpoint Charlie Museum).

The museum gets its name from “Checkpoint Charlie” which was the name given by the Western Allies to the best-known Berlin Wall crossing gate between East Belin and West Berlin.

This amazing museum began as a small two and a half room exhibition by human rights activist Dr. Rainer Hildebrandt on 19 October 1962, in an apartment just outside the Berlin Wall and what is now The Haus am Checkpoint Charlie opened in its present location in 1963 and his widow carries on today as director and not surprisingly, it is one of the most visited museums in Berlin, telling the story of the barrier that divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989.

Above photo credit: "Berlin-Mauermuseum am Checkpoint Charlie" by © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Commons

Constructed by the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) with permission from the Soviet Union, starting on 13 August 1961, the Wall completely cut off and isolated West Berlin from the surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin. The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, barbed wire, anti-car trenches and several other deterrents.

The Wall remained a fortress-wall until it was opened up for passage in November 1989 and was finally demolished from 1990-1992.

While East Germany claimed that the Wall protected the people and helped in the building a socialist state in East Germany, the reality was the Wall was built to prevent the massive panicked escape of people from East to West that plagued East Germany and the communist Eastern Bloc right after World War II.

The extensive exhibition portrays not only the history of the Berlin Wall and the stories of those affected by it, but also includes exhibits exploring the struggle for worldwide recognition of human rights and freedom.

The collection is fascinating! We were amazed at ingenuity of the intricate plans and the objects used to escape over, under, and through the Berlin Wall, and you can read the stories of those escapees who risked their lives to win their freedom. It also includes the stories of others who died in the attempt to escape to the west as well as examples of how the structure of the Wall changed and became more deadly over time.

Tunnels

Flexible Ladders

Home-Made Hot Air Balloons

Home-Made Flying Machines

Armored Cars

Hiding Places

The display includes East German Army surveillance items used to prevent the escape of East Germans to West Germany.

The display also includes letters, speeches and artifacts exposing the diplomatic drama that played out from the years before the Wall was built through its final demise in the 1990’s. The impressive collection includes donations from many of the people and nations who live through this period in Europe's history.

These fascinating items including the historic speech given by Ronald Reagan bringing the tense international times to life. "Tear down this wall!" was the challenge issued by United States President Ronald Reagan to Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev to destroy the Berlin Wall, in his speech at the Brandenburg Gate near the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987.

The view from the far rooms of the museum looks down at the old checkpoint and out over what was East Berlin. Before leaving the museum you should definitely check out the colorfully gratified chunks of the demolished Wall on display and stop to take a selfie at the old checkpoint kiosk!

Here is a little note to remember also…… as you travel around Berlin, be sure to keep your eyes open for the double-brick line that is the “footprint” of the Wall and which can be found along many of Belin’s streets and walkways.

Click here to find out more about visiting the Checkpoint Charlie Museum in Berlin!

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Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church - In Search of Berlin's Historic Churches

10/11/2015

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The last church we visited in our “Search for Berlin’s Churches and Cathedrals” was Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedachtnis-Kirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church) a Protestant church in the Kurfurstendamm area of Berlin.

There are many reminders throughout Europe of the costs of World War. Monuments, plaques and sculptures remain as sentinels of peace, standing hopeful that we can prevent the levels of hate that rose in the world during the 20th century from ever happening again. We already can see (and have seen for decades) that our efforts toward world peace are sadly ineffective because humans will be humans after all, so the damaged, broken spire of Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedachtnis-Kirche is a significant reminder of the many things our cultures lose to war.

The original church was designed by Franz Schwechten and was built in the Romanesque Revival style, including 2,740 square meters (29,500 sq ft) of sparkling wall mosaic. The spire was 113 meters (371 ft) high and the nave seated over 2,000 people. Kaiser Wilhelm II named the church in honor of his grandfather Kaiser Wilhelm I and the church was consecrated on September 1, 1895.

At the time of the consecration, the entrance hall in the lower section had not been completed. This was opened and consecrated on February 22, 1906 and this entrance hall and the spire are all that remain of the magnificent church today.

On the night of November 23, 1943, the church was destroyed by bombs during an air-raid.

After the war, the church was intentionally not rebuilt and the remains were preserved as a reminder of the futility of war. To an art-historian, these sparse remains are a sober place to visit. As I gazed up at the spectacular mosaics, I could only imagine the beauty that must have graced the entire church and I mourned the loss.

A memorial hall is housed inside the damaged original church spire. You can see intricate biblical mosaics and bas-relief sculptures and view 16 panels that represent the church’s history and its destruction, as well as symbols portraying war and peace.

above photo only: flicker.com

New church buildings surround the old church consisting of four structures designed by architect Egon Eiermann. Most prominent are the hexagonal bell tower with bells that toll regularly and the worship hall.

above photo only: almanyayadogruyolculuk.blogsot.com

Possibly as important as the loss of people, cultural history and iconography when lost are also irreplaceable and a visit to Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedachtnis-Kirche reminds us how easily these beauties of the world are lost. Think Palmyra.

The Memorial Church today is is nicknamed by Berliners "der Hohle Zahn", meaning "The Hollow Tooth".

Click here to find out more about visiting the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church!

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Berliner Dom - In Search of Berlin's Historic Churches

10/8/2015

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The fabulous Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) which was completed in 1905, is a gorgeous Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque confection built during what is referred to now as the “Kaiserzeit”.

The Imperial German era consisted of the historical German nation state that existed from the unification of Germany in 1871 to the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II in November 1918, when Germany became a federal republic. During this time, a flowering of art and architecture that reinforced the glory of the German Empire took place.

After dismantling the interior (altar, paintings, sarcophagi), and then demolishing the existing Baroque church structure in 1893, Julius and Otto Raschdorff (father and son) built the present church in the exuberant forms you see today.

Damaged during WWII, the Berliner Dom was restored with a few simplifying modifications to its existing structure.

Even as you first enter to buy your ticket, you are given a taste of the opulent interior you will be seeing in this magnificent church with a glimpse of the Imperial Staircase. In addition to variously colored marble, a red material (unica) from the Lahn region was used on the staircase to create a splendidly colorful effect.

Via this staircase, the royal couple had access to the Baptismal and Matrimonial Chapel and to the Imperial Gallery in the church.

Upon entering, the beauty of the space is impressive.

The dome mosaics portray the beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount.

The former director of the Academy of Architecture, Anton von Werner, created the designs for the mosaics, which were then installed by the companies Puhl & Wagner and Odorico.

Seven of the eight mosaics were found to be irreparable at the time of the cathedral’s renovation in 1975, but Werner’s designs had survived WWII, and the Tuscan company Ferrari & Bacci used them to reproduce the dome mosaics and restore the dome to its former glory.

The Baptismal and Matrimonial Chapel. The altarpiece, “The Descent of the Holy Ghost”, was painted by Carl Begas the Elder as commissioned by King Frederick William III in 1820.

The chapel organ was built in 1946 by the Potsdam company, Alexander Schuke. It was the first instrument produced there after the Second World War

While the church is in use, and referred to as a “cathedral”, the Berlin Cathedral does not actually meet the definition since it has never been the seat of a bishop. The bishop of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg, to which the Berliner Dom belongs, is based at St. Mary’s Church and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin.

The main altar, which was saved from the previous cathedral, is the work of Friedrich August Stuller, dating from 1820.

Behind the altar stands the Apostle Wall, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel. Originally bronze, this choir screen is now completely gilded and separates off the baptismal area.

The pulpit is a work of oak woodcarving designed by Otto Raschdorff, the son of Julius Raschdorff

The organ is the work of Wilhelm Sauer.. At the time of its dedication in 1905, the organ was the largest in Germany, with its 7269 pipes and 113 registers and represents the largest late-Romantic organ that has survived in its original condition.

The Sarcophagi of Friedrich I, Emperor in Germany and his wife Sophie Charlotte as well as other Hohenzollern notables are in the main cathedral and are spectacular sculptural works of art.

The large crypt for the Hohenzollern imperial family is located beneath the cathedral floor and contains over 90 richly decorated sarcophagi representing five hundred years of Brandenburg-Prussian burials from the end of the 16th century until the beginning of the 20th century.

The Cathedral Museum which is in a gallery upstairs presents drawings, designs, and models from the history of the planning and building of the Cathedral of Berlin.

You can also access the Royal Balcony from this stairway and take in the cathedral from a different perspective. While we decided against it, if you are up to it, the stairs continue up to the dome’s outer walkway where you can take in an amazing view of Berlin.

The Berliner Dom is located on Museum Island in the Mitte borough next to the Spree river and is one of the gems of Berlin that should not be missed!

Click here to find out more about how to visit the Berliner Dom!

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Nikolaikirche - In Search of Berlins Historic Churches

10/4/2015

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Once again, in our search for Berlin’s historic churches and cathedrals, we were met with the contrasts that define Berlin.

Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas’ Church) sits in charming section of Berlin called Nikolaiviertel (St. Nicholas Quarter) located along the banks of the Spree River. This small medieval looking area is a lovely place to stroll, relax with a beer or shop. But don’t be fooled. With the exception of one or two restored buildings, the Nikolaiviertel consists of replicas of historic buildings. Most of the medieval quarter was destroyed during WWII, so redevelopment was carried out by the East German government from 1979-1987.

Knowing that this oldest part of Berlin was virtually demolished, it is even more amazing to me that while bombed into ruin, enough of the medieval Nikolaikirche survived to eventually be restored in 1987 for us to visit today.

The Nikolaikirche is the oldest sacred structure in historic Berlin. The original church was built on this site around 1230 when Berlin received its official city charter. What remains of this building is the massive base of the two-tower west-work (tower), which dates from 1300.

The present triple nave structure was built with a cross vault in 1380. Construction on the nave continued until the mid-15th century creating a magnificent Gothic red-brick hall-church (similar to Marienkirche) with a row of side chapels.

The Marienkapelle to the right of the tower was added in 1452. In 1876 a second tower, with two spires, was added by Hermann Blankenstein. The tower spires you see today were restored to this design. During this period, Blankenstein also unfortunately removed most of the church’s Baroque decorative elements.

The Baroque pulpit from is from 1714.

The bronze baptismal font is from 1398

Originally Roman Catholic, the Church of St. Nicholas became a Lutheran church after the Protestant Reformation in 1539. During the Reformation the first Protestant public worship service in Brandenburg was held here as Elector Joachim II sided with the anti-Papists at the time and supported Martin Luther’s reforms.

The permanent exhibition “From the Foundations to the Twin Spires” adds to your visit experience. Art works, funerary art, liturgical items and interactive displays tell visitors about the history of this medieval church building and the early history of the city. You can also walk up to the organ loft to get an up-close of the organ and a fabulous view of the nave.

While I mourned the loss of its lavish Baroque interior and later war destruction, the sense of magnificent space and the interesting artifacts make a visit to Nikolaikirche a must for your itinerary.

Click here to find out more about how to visit Nikolaikirche!

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Marienkirche - In Search of Berlin's Historic Churches

10/2/2015

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In my mind, the juxtaposition of modern Berlin to historic Berlin is strongest as you take in the view at Alexanderplatz; where the lovely Marienkirche (St. Mary’s Church), which has occupied its space at what is now the edge of the plaza since the 13th century, sharply contrasts with the stark architectural planes of tourist shops and the tall post-WWII ultra-modern Socialist-Realist style of the Fernsehturm (Television Tower) built in 1969.

While we would later explore the iconic 20th century East-German Fernsehturm, as is always the case for me, the beauty of the old church drew me in like a magnet.

So, the Marienkirche is where we began our quest to visit some of Berlin’s oldest churches and cathedrals.

The plaza area outside the church was originally called the Ochsenmarkt (Oxen Market) and was the site of a cattle and wool market and market hall, with many houses and shops surrounding the church. The market square was re-named “Alexanderplatz” after a visit by Tsar Alexander I in 1805.

After WWII, many of the buildings in the square stood in ruin and when the rubble was cleared, the Marienkirche stood almost alone at the edge of the large plaza and the buildings were replaced with characterless 1960’s buildings against which the early Gothic hall design stands out.

Along with the Nikolaikirche, the Marienkirche is the oldest church in Berlin. The oldest parts of the church are made from granite, but most of it is built with brick, giving it its bright red appearance.

Construction on the Marienkirche began around 1280 and was completed early in the 14th century. In the 15th century the front tower was added and in 1790, the tower was crowned with a dome designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans. A large amount of restoration work took place in the late 19th century and in the post-WWII period.

The oldest part of the Marienkirche "The Tower Hall" depicts Medieval Wall Paintings of the Dance of Death.

The church was originally Roman Catholic, but has been a Lutheran Protestant church since the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, serving as a parish church for the people living in the “Mitte” area.

The Main Altar - 1762, by Andreas Kruger, Baroque style, paintings by Christian Bernhard Rode.

Brave Monument - 1662/63 by Arthur Quellinus, Flemish Baroque monument to the Brandenburg Field Marshal Otto Christoph Von Sparr

Baptismal Font - Gothic, dating from 1437 is supported by three black dragons and is decorated with the figures of Jesus, Mary and Apostles.

The Pulpit - 1703 by Andreas Schluter: Carved from alabaster, decorated with bas-reliefs depicting St. John the Baptist and the Virtues.

Von Robel Family Tomb - about 1630, Mannerist-Baroque tomb of Ehrentreich and Anna von Robel.

A Grave Epithat

Organ - 1721/22 by Joachim Wagner, decorative enclosure by Johann Gottlieb Glume

What makes Marienkirche even more special is its collection of precious artworks which include paintings, sculpture and decorative religious pieces from the 15th through the 20th centuries.

The lavish interior is a beautiful place to spend some time and the tall peaceful space is a lavish refuge from the busy streets of Berlin.