Ancient Germanic and Celtic tribes lived on the territory of present-day Germany back in the Stone Age. At the end of the Iron Age (1st millennium BC) and in ancient times, there were more than ten ethnic groups and cultures here.
For example, the Goths, Huns, Saxons, Franks, Alemanni and Vandals, who formed the ancient Germanic kingdoms. The symbol of prehistoric Germany is the pile dwellings on Lake Constance in the Alps.
It is better to start getting to know the republic from its capital. In the center of Berlin, there are two iconic German landmarks – the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag.
The Brandenburg Gate, or Gate of Peace, is the symbol of the city. This monumental structure was erected, focusing on the architecture of the Greek Acropolis. Six columns crown the architrave ceiling and a chariot. On it, driving four horses, rises the ancient Roman goddess of victory Victoria.
The Reichstag, familiar from numerous war films, is a traditional tourist attraction. On its façade, as a historical heritage, 150 inscriptions made by Soviet soldiers in May 1945 are still preserved.
East and West Berlin are very different in architecture and design. The wide avenue of the former GDR resembles Soviet general development plans in the Stalinist Empire style. And the cozy green boulevard with 19th-century houses and flower gardens is already West Berlin, which used to be part of the FRG. The standard Brezhnev-era high-rise residential areas on the outskirts contrast with the boutiques and restaurants of the shopping streets of the center.
To see the classic sights of Germany, it is better to go to the Museum Island. Here is the huge Berlin Cathedral – the main Protestant church in Germany and the burial place of the Prussian kings. In the Pergamon Museum you will see cultural and art objects from antiquity and Western Asia, as well as reconstructions of ancient buildings of the peoples of the world.
In East Berlin, it is worth climbing the Alexturm TV tower to admire the views of Berlin from a bird’s eye view, take panoramic photos or visit a restaurant. Next to the tower, you can see the interactive park-model of Berlin Little BIG City, where installations on a scale of 1:24 show significant milestones in the history of the city.