When on November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall came down and the Brandenburg Gate opened, a new chapter in the history of Berlin began. Parliament and Government moved to the German capital, embassies, media, companies, artists, lobby-organisations followed.
The new Berlin can be seen at Potsdamer Platz, where a totally new quarter was built. The Reichstag was restored and received the famous “dome” designed by Sir Norman Foster. There are new buildings for the political institutions, new embassies and a new “Bundeskanzleramt”, presently home to chancellor Angela Merkel. The new main train station in the Tiergarten district has added a new architectural highlight to the city skyline. The town is still full of construction sites.

 

3.4 million people live in Berlin; more than half of them in single-person households. Berlin is well known for its multitude of cultures, religions and life styles. People from more than 150 nations live here, among them the largest Turkish community outside Turkey, to which the Kreuzberg district owes its nickname “Little Istanbul”. Each year in spring people from many nations show their traditions singing and dancing at the “Carnival of Cultures”, which attracts more than half a million people. A walk through the 12 districts gives the best impression of this multicultural city.

 

Opera or avant-garde performance, antique sculpture or surrealist painting, tradition or innovation – Berlin caters to all tastes. You have the choice between three Opera Houses. From the Staatsoper Unter den Linden it is a short walk to Museum Island (World Culture Heritage of UNESCO) where the Old Museum with Nefertiti, and the treasures of the Old National Gallery can be seen. The Jewish Museum in Kreuzberg gives an excellent impression of more than 2000 years of Jewish life. The history of airplanes, ships and computers comes alive at the Museum of Technology.
In the districts Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg the young, innovative scene can be found: galleries, fashion designers, musicians. These districts are also excellent places to go out at night – they offer a large variety of clubs, bars, restaurants. There is no closing time.
When tired of the city you can take a trip on a boat, enjoy the many parks, visit the Charlottenburg castle or the Sanssouci castle in Potsdam or discover the beautiful landscapes of the surrounding Brandenburg.

 

Four universities with more than 140,000 students are situated in Berlin. The medical research of the universities is concentrated at the famous Charité hospital with its great tradition. Besides the universities there are many other research institutes from the realms of applied and basic research, for example belonging to the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, as well as and two technology parks.

 

The Maritim pro Arte Hotel is situated in Friedrichstraße, near the historic centre, not far from the Brandenburg Gate, the boulevard “Unter den Linden”, and the Museum Island. You can easily get everywhere with the excellent public transport.