The city of Berlin has been the center to one of the most proud nation in the world. Being the capital of Germany, the city is filled with a vibrant culture, art, architecture and a sophisticated history. After being badly damaged by the world war two, the city today has been almost fully restored. It now represents an inspiring sense of hope and optimism for the future. Here I present 10 top tourist attractions in Berlin:

10. Potsdamer Platz

Potsdamer Platz, in the center of Berlin is a busy intersection and a public square with many important and spectacular buildings all around. It used to be the bustling heart of the city before being completely destroyed during the Second World War. The square saw major renovation and modification after the fall of the wall in 1989 and became one of the most important venues for Art, entertainment and shopping in the city. The extraordinary architecture of Sony Center, many skyscrapers and endless shops make this one of the top tourist attractions in Berlin.

09. Charlottenburg Palace

Located close to the center of the city, the Charlottenburg Palace is the largest palace in Berlin. The palace used to be a residence for the royal families back in the 17th century when it was built. The grand palace is fascinating in design with interior decorated in baroque and rococo styles of architecture. A large and charming garden which includes a belvedere, a mausoleum, a theatre and a pavilion makes the place even more intriguing. Restored completely after the war, the palace is surely one of the major tourist attractions in Berlin.

08. Tiergarten

Spread over an area of 210 hectares, Tiergarten is an urban public park in the heart of Berlin. One of the most prominent features of the park is the Berlin Victory Column which is built around the center of the park to honor a Prussian victory. The column can be reached by any of the four underground tunnels which allow transportation through underneath the park. Very close to the column lies the “Schloss Bellevue” which is the residence for the president of Germany. And the Berlin Zoo located at the southwest is another great attraction.

07. Gendarmenmarkt

Located close to Friedrichstraße, Gendarmenmarkt is another charming public square in Berlin. The most prominent attractions of the square are the three architectures of Concert House, German and French Cathedrals. Also the statue of Germany’s renowned poet Friedrich Schiller is quite popular to the tourists and locals alike. With origins dating back to late 16th century, the Square appeals greatly to the tourists from all around the world. The buildings around the area were badly damaged during the war but now have been fully restored. Gendarmenmarkt is surely one of the most visited tourist attractions in Berlin.

06. East Side Gallery

A 1.3 kilometers long section of the famous Berlin wall that divides two sides of Germany is called the east side gallery. This section of the wall is called so because it consists of 105 paintings done by various famous painters from all around the world. Often called a memorial to freedom, today it is the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall. The paintings on the wall started appearing after 1990 when the Berlin wall fell. The Paintings represented an inspiring sense of hope for the future at the time. East Side Gallery is surely one of the must-visit tourist attractions in Berlin.

05. Berlin Television Tower

Berlin Television Tower known to the locals as Fernsehturm is located at the center of Berlin. It is the highest structure in all of Germany with a height of 368 meters. Visible from any corner of the city, the tower has always been dubbed as the symbol of Berlin. Built in the year 1960, the tower has a sphere at the height of 203 meters. There is a restaurant named Telecafé and a platform for the visitors inside the sphere. The platform is called the panoramic floor and gives the visitors an amazing 360 degree panoramic view of the city, making it one of the top tourist attractions in Berlin.

04. Museum Island

The museum island located between the Spree River and Kupfergraben, consists of five very important international Museums. All five museums are part of the Berlin State museum and appeal greatly to all sorts of tourists. The museums have been completely restored after being greatly damaged by the war. Many significant ancient Greek and Roman artifacts can be found in the Altes Museum, the oldest of the five. The Neues Museum is called the new museum and has a great collection of prehistoric and Egyptian artifacts. Alte National galerie museum has a splendid collection of 19th century paintings. The Pergamon Museum has some other significant ancient artifacts and finally the Bode Museum exhibits some amazing sculpture and coin collection. So, Museum Island is one of the most fascinating tourist attractions in Berlin.

03. Holocaust Memorial

A very powerful reminder of one of the greatest tragedies in the world, the holocaust memorial is a memorial dedicated to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, a genocide which killed nearly 6 million Jews in Europe. The memorial has 19000 square meters of area filled with 2,711 concrete slabs known as “stelae”. The concrete slabs are arranged in a wave like pattern with their heights varying from ankle high to 6 feet tall. Visitors can walk in any direction among the stelae. There is an attached underground place of information that displays the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims.

02. Reichstag

Reichstag, locally known as Reichstagsgebäude, is a large Structure in Berlin with great historic significance. The original building was designed by several renowned Architects in the late 18th century and the building went into action in the year 1894. It was the house of the parliament of Germany. Although badly damaged in the fire of 1933 and world war two, the building has been almost completely restored and modernized after the fall of Berlin Wall and Germany reunification and once again started serving as the gathering place for the German Parliament. Today visitors can get an amazing view of the city from the platform of its glass dome, the most popular feature of the building. Reichstag is thus one of the never-miss tourist attractions in Berlin.

01. Brandenburg Gate

Brandenburg Gate is the most symbolic and signature attraction in Berlin. With origins dating back to the late 17th century, Brandenburg Gate is the last surviving city gate out of many that once used to stand in Berlin. This neoclassical triumphal arch marks the entrance to Unter den Linden and is one of the most striking landmarks located in the western part of Berlin. It stands as a symbol of hope as it was the venue for protest and celebration during and after the division of Germany. Brandenburg Gate has often been the site for many historic events and today is considered a symbol of the dramatic history of Germany and Europe.