Berlin Architecture in Photos

We've done a lot of wandering around the streets of Berlin in the last 7 months and along the way we've taken quite a few photos of the buildings around town. There are loads of interesting buildings dotted around the city and we've enjoyed just wandering around and discovering new places. Here is a collection of a few of our favourite architectural photos we've collected over the last few months.

Heilig Kreuz Kirche (Holy Cross Church) kreuzberg

A beautiful promenade of houses in central Berlin

An interesting residential building in Kreuzberg

Otto Bock Science Center near Potsdamer Platz

The Nhow Hotel on the river Spree

The Kino International on Karl-Marx-Allee

The Humbolt Box on Museum Island

Berlin  Dom Cathedral

The Berlin TV Tower

The Kanzleramts Building as seen from the Bundestag building

Box window design in Pankow

Curvy balconies in Prenzlauer Berg

A  beautiful façade in Prenzlauer Berg

The Southern Spree Riverfront

The Southern Spree Riverfront buildings

Autumn in Berlin

The weather really started to change as soon as October came. It was as if someone knocked the 'summer is over' switch and bam! There was a week of really chilly weather early October and I remember thinking to myself that we're gonna have a cold winter. Our first autumn in Berlin however, has turned out to be rather pleasant. There have been a few rainy days and a couple of cold windy moments but we can't really complain because the sun has been shining most of the time.

Being English, I grew up in a similar climate to Berlin so it's not much of a surprise that I am coping with the cooler weather. I've got my thermals on stand-by for the pending freezing winters though and I hope it isn't as harsh as last winter apparently was (I was busy enjoying Mexico at the time). Whilst we wait for the temperature to drop however, I thought I would share some of the lovely autumn photos we've taken around the city (I can't take credit for the majority, they were mainly taken by my 'padawan').  

Autumn leaves on the ground

In fact, both my 'padawan' and I much prefer cooler weather and I suffer quite a lot in the heat. It's kind of ironic the fact that I chose to live in Madrid for 6 years previously. I didn't particularly go there for the sun and I really suffered through the summers in Madrid. Of course, living in a sunny and dry country has a lot of benefits and even in the winter the Madrid skys are still bright blue. But, I'm seeing the same kind of weather here in Berlin right now, albeit a few degrees cooler than it would be in Madrid.

View from our window

As I'm looking out the window from my cosy and warm flat, it looks like a splendid day with bright baby-blue skies and rich sunlight hitting the houses and trees in front. In fact, over the last few months we've been taking photos around the city and capturing the autumn as it takes hold of the city. 

A quick note about the photos: I started 'training' my husband to take better photos a few months ago because he used to take a zillion photos of everything and it would always take double the amount of time to do anything. Every two minutes he would stop, take out the camera, and proceed to snap four or five photos of the same (any)thing, from the same angle and with the same composition. So, I decided to try to help him improve his technique and gave him a crash course in 'how to take usable photos' (and mainly 'how not to waste so much of your wife's time'). Over the last few months I must say that he has become quite an artistic beast with the lens. He still wastes my time (don't they all?) but now at least he gets some decent and varied shots. Thanks baby! 

We hope you enjoy the photos!

An 'Autumny' Bundestag

Getting arty with the angles near Eberswalder Strasse

Autumn at the canal in Alt-Treptow

Autumn at the canal in Alt-Treptow

Beautiful ivy near Eberswalder Strasse

The Kultur Brauerei (A Berlin Brewery and a museum and cultural space)

A church in Prenzlauer Berg

Colourful leaves

Yellow tree

Can you get more 'autumny' that this?

Gutenberg Printers in Prenzlauer Berg

A vintage shop in Prenzlauer Berg

Autumn with the Alexanderplatz tower

It's chilly but with blue skies in Pankow

Turning trees

More from the Kultur Brauerei complex

Museum Island - Five Museums, One Place

The Museum Island, in the central Mitte district of Berlin, is a very pleasant area of the city and is home to, as you may have guessed, some of the major international museums in Germany. It is not actually a real island. It is located where the Spree branches off in two directions with one smaller branch of the Spree running down the west side and the main river down the east. (In fact, its kind of complicated to explain in words but easier if you see it on a map - "googlemap it" to see for yourself what I mean!)  

The 'island' itself was declared an UNESCO world heritage site in 1999 and the five museums located in this area contain an impressive collection of art and artifacts from many different cultures and ages. Amongst the collection are pieces from Egyptian, Persian, European, Middle Eastern and, obviously, Prussian origin, a collection of 19th century art as well as some reconstructed historic buildings. 

There are plenty of interesting things to see inside the museums and galleries including a bust of 

the Egyptian Queen, Nefertiti, the Berliner Goldhut (or Berlin Gold Hat) and the Ishtar Gate of Babylon. There are a number of options for entrance to the museums including island day tickets, tourist passes, group tickets and guided tours. 

When we visited we decided to buy the day ticket which gives you access to all 5 museums for the whole day and includes a free audio guide in the museums. The island day pass is a good option if you have the whole day free and only have a short time in the city. You'll have to get up early to take advantage of access to all museums though as it is possible to spend at least a morning or afternoon in just one of the museums. Another option is a three-day museum pass which might suit you more if you prefer to take your time looking round museums. 

However, you don't have to go into the museums at all to enjoy the island. On a nice day it is worth just strolling around the island. The buildings themselves are interesting to look at and there are many sculptures around the gardens and green areas to relax in and have a picnic. 

Of course, you won't miss the sight of Der Berliner Dom or the Berlin Cathedral which is also on the island. In fact, It's probably going to be one of your first impressions of the site as it is dominates the southern end of the island. 

The Museum Island is a great day out in Berlin and there are plenty of terraces and restaurants nearby to complete a touristic day in Berlin. 

You can find out more information about the museums on the island on the State Museum Website as well as on Berlin.de which has lots of useful information for tourists in English.     

The Hauptbahnhof

The central train station of Berlin, The "Hauptbahnhof", is without doubt a great example of modern architecture; self-sustaining and efficient. The Hauptbahnhof is the biggest central train station in Europe with a total of 70,000 square meters spread over 5 floors. It cost a total of 900 million euros and was opened just before the 2006 World Cup which was hosted in Germany. 

It's incredible when you arrive at the station, whether by train, metro or through the front doors, how this modern building overwhelms the senses in a labyrinth of escalators, walkways and open spaces. In fact, it seems more like a colossal greenhouse than a train station. Spread over three of the five floors are shops, pharmacies, bakeries, restaurants and much more so there are many things to do whilst you wait for your connection. You can do a bit of shopping, eat a snack, have a beer, buy a delicious ice cream or even purchase a Berlin souvenir!  

It's location, next to the river Spree and in the heart of Berlin, offers great connections to all parts of the city, Germany, and the rest of Europe. Being the central station, it is a great starting point to visit all the main sights of the city and there are many places within walking distance and, of course, a short train ride away.  

The design complies with the highest self-sustaining architectual standards. Through renewable energy systems including solar panels, around 50% of the total energy consumed in the station is generated. The design of the building also features glass roofs which optimises the use of natural light. All in all it is a great example of how functional public buildings can be designed with ecological issues in mind.      

I recommend the novelty of using the shortest metro line in Berlin and certainly the shortest I've ever used. The line in question is the U55 which connects the Hauptbahnhof to the Brandenburg Tor. It was originally meant to form part of an extension to the U5 line but was delayed because of funding. In total there are only three stations but it is a very pleasant ride. In fact the platforms are mini-museums because there are many photos along the walls which document some historic moments that have taken place there.    

With around 1,800 trains calling at the station per day and the daily number of passengers estimated to be at 350,000, it's easy to get lost in this vast space, especially if you are not a regular visitor. 

Once I got my bearings, I thoroughly enjoyed taking in the scale and sights of the Hauptbahnhof and I recommend that tourists try and plan their Berlin trip so they get at least get a peek at this modern wonder.    


To check schedules visit the Deutsche Bahn website (in German but with an option to view the site in English)