Berlin City and Travel Guide
Overcoming History’s StigmaMost educated people are probably aware that Berlin is the capital of Germany. And they probably also know Berlin as the site of the notorious Berlin Wall which used to divide the city of Berlin into East Berlin and West Berlin. East Berlin belonged to what used to be known as East Germany, while West Berlin fell into the jurisdiction of West Germany. After East Germany was reunited with West Germany in 1990, the Berlin Wall was torn down and the present Federal Republic of Germany was formed.
Industries and transportationsWhat is there to see now in this city? Outsiders who have not been kept up to date on developments in Berlin probably think it is still a run-down city which lacks the amenities to make it a tourist draw. What they do not know is that Berlin has been transformed into a major hub for European efforts in the fields of science, media, culture, and politics. It is a center for various forms of air and rail transportation. The economy of Berlin is mostly driven by the service industries, including businesses in the areas of environmental services, congress and convention venues, media companies, and creative industries. There are other industries that operate in Berlin as well, such as biotechnology, biomedical engineering, health care, vehicle manufacturing, information technology, optoelectronics, and traffic engineering.
One of the most popular cities in EuropeBerlin has become the third-most-popular tourist attraction of the European Union. Because the city was under the control of various superpowers and forms of government in the past, the infrastructure and architecture of the city are quite eclectic in form and design. Many upstart architects are favoring glass-and-steel designs for new buildings which contrast sharply with other forms of architecture set by the previous administrative officials of Berlin. One building to look out for in Berlin is the Fernsehturm of Alexanderplatz (within Mitte) which is the second-tallest building among the European Union countries. This building has an observation floor from which one can get a breathtaking view of most of the city of Berlin.
ReligionPerhaps because religion was used in the past to oppress many minority groups (the most notorious and controversial being the progroms against the Jews during the Nazi era), 60% of Berliners espouse no religion. Evangelicals make up 23% of the population, while a surprisingly small 9% are Roman Catholic. There are Muslims among 6% of the city population. And (not so surprisingly) there are few Jews in the city, probably because they fear renewed oppression from Berliners (particularly the neo-Nazis or skinheads.)
Over 581 hotels in availableStill, despite racial tensions, tourism remains quite robust here. There are presently 581 hotels operating in the city, who offer 87,800 beds for guests. As of 2006, there were 15.9 million overnighters and 7.1 million total hotel guests that year, to illustrate just how in demand the city is among tourists.
Press FreedomPress freedom is one fact of life that Berliners currently enjoy, after the repressive regimes in the past. In fact, one can find the most number of newspapers in the whole of Germany in the city alone. Democracy can be thanked for this.
It´s great here in the summerSo for those who are curious to see how Berlin has evolved through the years, waste no more time – book a flight now. |
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