1000 Places to See Before You Die: 1 - Brandenburger Tor, Berlin, Germany

For Christmas I got the book "1000 places to see before you die" by Patricia Schultz and I was inspired. I have travelled a bit during these past years and flatter myself that I have seen a good deal of these places already. And I was inspired to write blogposts about the places I have been, since I would like this blog to also contain a few travel tips and inspiration.

Paging through the book I had to go surprisingly far to find a place I had been (not the mighty traveller I thought I was), but the first place I came across was Brandenburger Tor in Berlin, Germany. But here I have been twice, once with a friend and once with my sister and little niece.

Brandenburger Tor was planned in 1791 as a remembrance of a Prussian victory, and in 1961 it was incorporated into the Berlin Wall when this was built. The wall was 45 km long, 4 m high and had barbed wire on top. Many parts of this wall remain scattered throughout the city of Berlin today as a historical landmark.

East of the gate runs the famous street Unter den Linden, that houses many embassies and is one of the city's main streets.

I visited the city twice, once during the summer and once in the winter, just before Christmas, and each season has it's benefits. The summer is of course nice and warm and you can sit outside in the Bier Gartens and enjoy a nice cold beer, and during the Christmas period the city is decorated with lights, and Christmas markets and glühwein abound.

There are many, many places to stay in Berlin and with a little advance booking in the busy seasons it should be possible to find a place to suit your mood and your wallet. When I went with my friend we stayed in a hostel in a dorm room, and when I went with my sister we stayed in a hotel in a twin room. Both experiences were great, the places were clean, the staff helpful and the breakfast big and filling. Two places does not mean that this experience is the standard of the entire city, but if you read the fine print before booking you should be able to find a place that will fill your needs. 

Of course there are many other places to visit in the city of Berlin. Brandenburger Tor is just one of those places that has become a classic and must be ticked off the list. But while you are there do not forget to visit the museum island, the Tiergarten and Checkpoint Charlie among other things.