Berlin
A city with a very particular past, Berlin has a special
independent länder status. Ever since its beginnings
as a fishermen village until its conversion in the Prussian
court, it has always been a referential place in Europe’s
history. Now, as the new capital of the unified Germany,
is growing again as one of the main cities of the world.
Berlin has a well deserved fame as an European centre
of the culture thanks to the so called "museums island",
its three opera houses, the Philharmonic Orchestra, its
cinemas and theatres, the International Movie Festival,
its three universities, the four Fine Arts schools and
the 250 extra university research centres.
After being demolished in a 90% by the allied bombs during
World War II, the city was divided in two zones. The allies
took the west, traditional districts of pubs, stores and
hotels, while the Soviets took control of the Eastern
part, where the districts of the old imperial city were
located. The most typical postcard of old western Berlin
is the seat formed by the zoo and the ruins of the Kaiser-Wilhelm-
Gedächtniskirche, demolished by an English bombing
in 1943 and, at the moment, a Peace monument.
Towards the east, there’s the Brandenburg Door,
the Reichstag building and what remains from the Berlin
Wall. In the former Eastern sector, the most important
avenue is Unter den Linden, that goes from the Brandeenburg
Door to the place where are most of the interest points
like the Museum of German History, the Deutscher Dom,
the Hugenottenmuseum and the Altes Museum.
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