Starting a districts round, as Berlin is divided in 12 administrative districts, each of those with many neighborhoods. Tiergarten is a huge urban park that is part of neighborhood Mitte (Middle). Used to belong to West Berlin before the Reunification. The former royal park is now open to the public and is a great connection from the West part to the center.

Walking along the water, is incredible to notice the architecture in Art Deco and Art Nouveau and how much symmetry has a city that seems so chaotic, with former East, West, old parts, new constructions, party areas, grey buildings, a Wall memorial. I think one of the reasons I write these articles is a way to solve the Berlin puzzle.

See in Tiergarten – Brandenburg Gate

First, one monument I see weekly now and I spotted from above. Brandenburg Gate was designed in the style of the ancient city gate of Athens. After 1990 it became a symbol of reunited Germany and is associated with the night the Wall of Berlin fell on the 9th of November 1989.

Second, the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (House of World’s Cultures) is a conference hall, hosting events, concerts or exhibitions. Next to it, Tipi am Kanzleramt is a stationary tent-Theater in Berlin-Tiergarten, just before the government district.

Visit – Victory column

Surrounded by Tiergarden, I climbed one day on October till the top of Berlin Siegessäule or Victory column.The “Victory Column” symbolizes the victory of Prussian troops over Denmark in 1864.

The column is a symbol of the city for more than 130 years. The site was relocated several times and was not always this western part of the city.

Exhibition

I enjoyed the panoramic view and admiring Berlin and Brandenburg Gate from above, but I was mostly surprised by the exhibition at the first level. The expo was about more famous monuments in Europe and in the World, from the Colosseum in Roma, Tower in Pisa, Eiffel Tower in Paris, until the Big Ben in London, New York and Wall of China. And of course, Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

The information about invention of nations and monuments made me reflect on the need to build or just admire sites.

The nation was an invention of the 19th century. This nations create monuments that identified their new perception of themselves.

I must confess I was not expecting to “travel” and visit so many sites that Saturday. It’s the unexpected little things that make the different in a great day.

Bellevue Palace, coffee and cake

You can combine a walk from Brandenburg Gare until Tiergarten park with visits at Victory column and Bellevue Palace (residence of the President of Germany), plus a stop at one of the most old bakery in Berlin.

Konditorei und Cafe Buchwald of the Buchwald family, a beautiful old-fashioned bakery with delicious cakes. I always wanted to visit this bakery, where 160 ago a tower type of cake called Baumkuchen was invented. Besides Baumkuchen, I secretly hoped to have pumpkin pie, but in the end I left with austrian chocolaty Sachertorte and a delicious strudel.

After cake, follow with a walk near the river Spree or even a boat tour.

📌 Victory Column – Großer Stern, 10557 Berlin. Height: 61m. 3 euro entrance ticket

📌 Schloss Bellevue – Spreeweg 1, 10557 Berlin Tiergarden

📌 Cafe Buchwald – Bartningallee 29, 10557 Berlin