Berlin Hotels and accommodation
German capital Berlin is the second most populous city in the European Union, famed for its intense nightlife, innovative art and bohemian atmosphere. It is among the most visited urban tourist destinations in the European Union.
Unique recent history of Berlin means the look of the city and the modes of urban development are highly eclectic. All of the national governments in the last century and a half initiated large-scale projects. Much of the historical architecture was destroyed during and following the World War II, so Berlin generally has a very modern look.
In fact, Berlin is a relatively young city by European standards - it was first mentioned in 1244 although there is some evidence of prior habitation. In the 15th century is has become the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg, then of the Kingdom of Prussia and of the German Empire.
During the reign of Prussian king Frederick the Great, Berlin has started to turn into a major European city, politically, culturally and economically. E. T. A. Hoffmann, Karl Marx and Michael Bakunin have all at various times lived and worked in Berlin.
Industrial revolution led to a dramatic increase in the city's economy and population, making it the largest centre of Germany, the capital of which it has become in 1871.
After World War I, Berlin has experienced major turmoil yet developed a reputation as a decadent, freewheeling city. The population, after the city boundary included surrounding suburbs and villages in 1920, was it its peak of 4 million.
Berlin was the biggest industrial city of the continent, and its cultural centre thanks to people like architect Walter Gropius, physicist Albert Einstein or painter George Grosz.
The Nazis took over Germany, and Berlin, as the capital of the Third Reich, experienced some of the worst bombing and fiercest fighting of World War II. Hitler actually thought the Allied airstrikes very practical, as they made demolishing the old Berlin so much cheaper. His plan to create a new majestic city, to be called Germania, was never completed. One of the surviving elements thereof is the Olympiastadion which hosted the 1936 Summer Olympics and the 2006 FIFA World Cup final.
The city was divided by the victorious powers. East Berlin, which included most of the historical centre, became the capital of the socialist East Germany, and West Berlin turned into a free city, something of a capitalist enclave.
The Berlin Wall, officially described as 'anti-fascist protection wall' but actually intended to prevent the people from fleeing East Berlin, was built in 1961. It has turned into a powerful symbol of the divided Germany - and of the unification when it was destroyed following the collapse of East German regime in 1989. Only some parts of the wall including the East Side Gallery are still standing.
The difference between districts that were East and West Berlin is still remarkable, largely in the architecture. In the eastern districts, prefab apartment blocks are dominant.
Berlin is built on the river Spree in eastern Germany, surrounded by woodlands and numerous lakes. It is mostly a plateau, which along with developed bike lane infrastructure makes cycling through the city rather easy. The climate is more or less continental with warm summers and cold winters. The urban area creates a microclimate, making Berlin remarkably warmer than surrounding countryside.
The city's highly developed transport infrastructure includes over- and underground trains, trams and buses. Berlin Hauptbahnhof is the largest crossing station in Europe, and the city enjoys rail links to pretty much all of Europe. There are two international airports in the city, Tegel (TXL) and Schönefeld (SXF), serving more than 150 destinations worldwide.
Berlin´s economy is dominated by the service sector. Many major German and international companies have headquarters in Berlin. The city is also one of the most prolific centres of higher education and research in Europe.
Berlin is one of world's top three convention cities, and Europe's largest convention venue, Internationales Congress Centrum (ICC), is in Berlin. Largest European music industry convention, Popkomm, moved to Berlin from Cologne in 2003.
Widely renowned for highly influential cultural institutions, Berlin is home to hundreds of diverse art galleries. UNESCO awarded it the title of City of Design in 2005.
Innumerable cafés and restaurants help create the city's hip lifestyle, and Berlin has one of the most vibrant nightlife and DJ scenes in Europe. Many international artists and musicians moved to Berlin, including British pop singer David Bowie who called it “the greatest cultural extravaganza that one could imagine...”
Berlin is home to more than 50 theatres, including Berliner Ensemble, closely connected to the work of Bertolt Brecht. There are three major opera houses, of which the Berlin State Opera on Unter den Linden is the oldest, and seven symphony orchestras, including the famous Berlin Philharmonic.
The prestigious annual Berlin Film Festival is the world's biggest publicly attended film festival. The city itself is a popular setting for international film productions. Some of the most prominent events in Berlin include the multi-ethnic street parade Karneval der Kulturen each Whitsun, LGBT pride event Christopher Street Day in June, and techno carnival Love Parade.
There are over 150 museums in Berlin, and the Museum Island, with Old Museum, New Museum, Old National Gallery, Pergamon Museum, and Bode Museum, was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Jewish Museum, opened in 2001, has a large collection of artefacts related to the German Jewish history. Checkpoint Charlie which was one of the crossing points of the Berlin wall and the site of a tank standoff in 1961 has been converted into a museum dedicated to the people who attempted to cross the wall. The Beate Uhse Erotic Museum is thought to be the largest erotic museum in the world.
The Zoologischer Garten Berlin, presenting the most diverse range of species in the world, is Europe's most popular zoo. City's Botanical Garden is also one of the world's largest and most diverse.
Some of the most popular tourist attractions in Berlin include:
- The Brandenburg Gate from late 18th century, the iconic landmark of Berlin and Germany which appears on German coins.
- The Reichstag building, the traditional seat of the German Parliament, was commenced in 1884, burnt in 1933, renovated in the 1950s, rebuilt in the 1990s and now offers free public access to parliamentary proceedings and great views of the city.
- Unter den Linden is a tree-lined boulevard laid down in 1647, with many classical buildings still standing, is adjacent to the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag and the large and beautiful Tiergarten park.
- TV Tower at Alexanderplatz in Mitte, built in 1969, is the second-tallest structure in the European Union at 368 meters, seen throughout most of central Berlin and offering an observation floor at the height of 204 metres.
- The recently renovated open-air East Side Gallery has artwork painted directly on the last existing stretch of the Berlin Wall.
- Schloss Charlottenburg is the largest surviving historical palace in Berlin.
- The Kurfürstendamm is Berlin's shopping street, located close to the KaDeWe, the largest department store in continental Europe.
Hotels in Berlin
Berlin is a major tourism hub with a well-developed infrastructure. There are over 600 hotels in Berlin offering a total of about 100,000 beds.
Many of the Berlin hotels are recently built, so the architecture as well as amenities are usually very modern. The city's recent history means that sometimes even the larger hotels in Berlin have prime location in the city centre. There are also hotels located close to both of the Berlin airports which make even the en route stopovers comfortable.
Berlin is generally cheaper than most of the European capitals which is reflected in the relatively low prices that the hotels in Berlin charge. The international standards are maintained with the typically German thoroughness.
Some of the typical options include discounted backpacker-friendly hostels in Berlin's eastern districts, chic boutique accomodations in the historical centre of Berlin, business hotels equipped with all the modern technological products, and spa hotels which are built with relaxation in mind.
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