Tiergarten

No trip to Berlin would be complete without visiting the Tiergarten. In fact, you would be hard pushed not to end up there eventually - the district is bursting with energy, charisma and world-class attractions. On the eastern rim of the district, where the divide between East and West Berlin once stood, you can find the thriving Potsdamer Platz and the timeless Brandenburg Gate. Nearby you can find the Berliner Philharmonie, home of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and the beautiful Neoclassical Saint Matthew church.

The Moving Pillar

But the place with which the Tiergarten is most often associated is the enormous park at its centre, which is simply known as Tiergarten. It was originally founded as a hunting ground for the ruler of Brandenburg, and is now much-loved by Berliners as a peaceful urban oasis and one of the largest city parks in Germany. In the middle of Tiergarten is the Great Star square, at the centre of which stands the 67m-tall Victory Column. It was built in 1864 to commemorate the Prussian victory over the Danish, and has been moved several times since. Barack Obama gave a speech here in 2008 in front of over 200,000 people.

In Memorian

Take a short walk and you’ll find yourself at the gates of the Berlin Zoo, which houses the most comprehensive collection of captive species anywhere in the world. Keep wandering and sooner or later you’ll find a beautiful memorial to Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart, as well as one to Bizmarck, and another huge monument commemorating the Soviet soldiers who died in the Battle of Berlin.