Berlin/Mitte

The old district Mitte can be divided into several neighborhoods and sub-districts in order to help travellers crossing it:

• Mitte:
  • Unter den Linden, the main boulevard, from Museum Island to Brandenburg Gate, crossing the main shopping street, Friedrichstrasse, half way along.
  • Museumsinsel (Museum Island) and Lustgarten (the square in front of the Altes Museum and adjacent to the Berlin Cathedral.
  • Nikolaiviertel, a quarter near Alexanderplatz which comes close to old town style, but built by the DDR regime.
  • Spandauer Vorstadt with Scheunenviertel.

The Spandauer Vorstadt is located north of the River Spree and the Hackescher Markt. It is bordered on the north by the east-west course of the Torstrasse, on the east by Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse and by the northern part of Friedrichstrasse to the west. The eastern part of the area takes its name Scheunenviertel (the "Barn Quarter") from the move in 1672 by the Great Elector of all the hay barns out of the fire-prone city center. In the late 19th century, the area became a refuge for Jews fleeing persecution and pogrom in Russia and Poland. By then it was the center of Jewish life in Berlin.

• Tiergarten is located west of Mitte, the Brandenburg Gate marks the north-south-border.
• Wedding is located north of Mitte, with Bernauer Strasse as its border. There you can also visit some remains of the Berlin Wall.

Mitte is served by many S- and U-Bahn lines. The S1, S2 and S25 go from north (Oranienburg and Gesundbrunnen) to south (Potsdamer Platz and Schöneberg), the Stadtbahn (city S-Bahn, line 5, 7, and 75) goes from west (Charlottenburg) to east (Friedrichshain). They cross at Friedrichstraße. U-Bahn line 2 connects Mitte with Charlottenburg (west) and Prenzlauer Berg (northeast), the U-Bahn lines 6 and 8 go north to Wedding and south to Kreuzberg and Neukölln. The litle U-Bahn line 55 from Hauptbahnhof to Brandenburger Tor.

The most important stations are:

• S+U Alexanderplatz— The main connecting station; old centre of East Berlin, now about to experience a major revival.
• S+U Friedrichstraße— For Friedrichstr., Unter den Linden and as a connecting station.
• S+U Brandenburger Tor— For Unter den Linden, Brandenburger Tor and Reichstag.
• S Hackescher Markt— For the lively area at the end of Oranienburgerstraße. Do no miss the Hackesche Höfe which is ca 20 connected backyards.
• U2 Stadtmitte / U6 Französische Straße— For Gendarmenmarkt and Friedrichstraße.
• U2 Klosterstraße— For Nikolaiviertel and Klosterviertel.

• S+U Potsdamer Platz— For Potsdamer Platz and Kulturforum (the philharmonic, some museums).

• S Tiergarten— For the Tiergarten park, the flea market on the Straße des 17th Juni and the Siegessäule (Victory column).

• S+U Gesundbrunnen— The main station of Wedding, where also some regional trains stop.

• <see name="Brandenburg Gate" alt="Brandenburger Tor" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de/denkmal/denkmale_in_berlin/en/unter_den_linden/brandenburger_tor.shtml" hours="" price="">The only surviving Berlin city gate and a potent symbol of the city. This is the point where Straße des 17. Juni becomes Unter den Linden. The gate was designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans in 1791 and was intended to resemble the Acropolis in Athens. The Brandenburg Gate now symbolizes reunification, after dividing East and West Berlin for decades)</see>

• <see name="Pariser Platz" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">The large square in front of the Brandenburg Gate contains the French and American embassies, as well as the rebuilt Hotel Adlon and the new building of the Academy of Arts.</see>

• <see name="Russische Botschaft" alt="Russian Embassy" address="Unter den Linden 55/65" directions="" phone="" url="http://www.russische-botschaft.de/" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="" hoursextra="" tags="">A vast wedding cake of a building, built between 1949-1951 in the best Stalinist style and meant to symbolize the dominance of the Soviet Union in East German affairs before 1989. </see>

• <see name="Neue Wache" alt="New Guardhouse" address="Unter den Linden 4" directions="" phone="" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de/denkmal/denkmale_in_berlin/en/unter_den_linden/neue_wache.shtml" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">Originally erected in 1818 to a classically-inspired design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel as a guardhouse for the imperial palace, since 1993 this compact building has housed a small, but extremely powerful war cenotaph, the Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany, continuing its use under East German rule as the primary "Memorial to the Victims of Fascism and Militarism". The interior of the Doric column-fronted building is intentionally empty, but for a small but moving sculpture by Käthe Kollwitz depicting a mother cradling a dead child. The statue is positioned beneath a round hole in the ceiling, exposing the figures to the rain and snow. </see>

• <see name="The Bebelplatz (formerly Opernplatz)" alt="" address="Opernplatz" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="" hoursextra="" tags="">Nazi Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels made Bebelplatz (then called Opernplatz) infamous on 10th May 1933, when he used the square across from Humboldt University to burn 20,000 books by "immoral" authors of whom the Nazis did not approve. Their list included Thomas and Heinrich Mann, Arnold Zweig, Kurt Tucholsky and Sigmund Freud. Today a monument is the reminder, though it blames Nazi students for the episode. When entering the square it's easy to miss the monument. Look dead centre: the monument is underground. A piece of plexiglass allows the viewer to look underground into a large, white room, filled with entirely empty, blank white bookcases. The absence of books reminds the viewer just what was lost here: ideas. But the event did reveal things to come, as author and philosopher Heinrich Heine, whose books were burned, said in 1821: "This was only the foreplay. Where they burn books, they will also burn people". He was correct. </see>

• <see name="Berliner Dom" alt="Berlin Cathedral" address="Am Lustgarten" directions="Bus: 100, 200, U-Bahn: U2, U5, or U8 to Alexanderplatz. S-Bahn: S5, S7, or S75 to Hackescher Markt" phone="+49 (0/20) 2026 91 36" url="http://www.berliner-dom.de" hours="M-Sa 9AM-8PM, Sunday and holidays noon-8PM" price="€7" lat="" long="" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="info@berlinerdom.de" fax="" hoursextra="From October until April the cathedral is open only until 7PM" tags="Cathedral">The city's Protestant cathedral and the burial place of the Prussian kings. You can climb to the top and get a view of the city.</see>

• <see name="Marienkirche" alt="" address="Karl-Liebknecht-Straße" directions="next to the Fernsehturm" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">Gothic church, the second oldest (built in late 13th century) of the historical centre of Berlin. It's the highest church tower of Berlin (about 90 m), but seems rather small beneath the gigantic TV tower. The church tower was built in the late 18th century by Carl Gotthard Langhans, the architect of the Brandenburg Gate.</see>

• <see name="Berlin from below" alt="Berliner Unterwelten" address="Brunnenstraße 105" directions="at Gesundbrunnen station" phone="" url="http://berliner-unterwelten.de/" hours="Several daily tours 10AM-4PM in different languages" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Go on guided tours below Berlin to the WWII bunkers, flak towers, cold war defence shelters, etc.</see>

• <see name="Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe" alt="Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas" address="Ebertstraße 20" directions="" phone="+49 (0/20) 26 39 43 36" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="besucherservice@stiftung-denkmal.de" fax="+49 (0/20) 26 39 43 21" url="http://www.holocaust-mahnmal.de/en" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="Memorial, Holocaust">A vast Holocaust memorial designed by the American architect Peter Eisenman and built close to the Brandenburg Gate and Pariser Platz, only a few hundred metres from the site of Hitler's bunker. The memorial is a very controversial one with several painful scandals coming to light over the project's life. Some criticize the memorial for only being dedicated to murdered Jews and not to other victims of Nazi genocide. It was later discovered that a company producing an anti-graffiti chemical which was used to protect the memorial owned a company that produced Zyklon-B, which was used in concentration and death camps to kill prisoners. After much criticism, it was decided to continue working with the company, much to the dismay of the Jewish community. Furthermore, Joseph Goebbels', the Nazi propaganda minister, wartime bunker is located under a part of the memorial.</see>

• <see name="Neue Synagoge" alt="New Synagogue" address="Oranienburger Straße 28/30" directions="" phone="+49 (0/30) 8802 83 00" url="http://www.cjudaicum.de/" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="office@cjudaicum.de" fax="+49 (0/30) 8802 84 83" hoursextra="" tags="Synagogue"></see>

• <see name="Old Jewish Cemetery" alt="Alter Jüdischer Friedhof" address="Große Hamburger Straße" directions="" phone="" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" hoursextra="" price="€9-12 for tours" lat="" long="" tags=""> </see>

• The Reichstag — This imposing building houses the Federal German Parliament or "Bundestag" and was originally completed in 1894 to meet the need of the newly-unified German Empire of the Kaisers' for a larger parliamentary building. The Reichstag was intended to resemble a Renaissance palace, and its architect, Paul Wallot, dedicated the building to the German people. The massive inscription in front still reads: "Dem Deutschen Volke" - 'For the German people'. The Nazi leader Adolf Hitler exploited the fire which gutted the Reichstag building in 1933 by blaming the Communists for the arson and for attempted revolution. There is good evidence to suggest, however, that his followers were actually responsible and that this was a manufactured crisis. When German reunification became a reality, the new republic was proclaimed here at midnight on the 2nd October 1990. The Reichstag has undergone considerable restoration and alteration, not least the addition of a spectacular glass dome designed by the British architect Norman Foster. The Reichstag building is well known in the art world thanks to Paris-based Bulgarian artist Christo's mammoth 'Wrapped Reichstag' project in 1995. The entire building was swathed in silver cloth for two weeks that summer. You can visit the dome for free but you will need to register online in advance in order to do so.

• Gendarmenmarkt – the Gendarmenmarkt is a square in the Friedrichstadt with the Konzerthaus (concert hall) and in front of the statue of Germany's poet Friedrich Schiller, the Deutscher Dom (German cathedrals) and the Französischer Dom (French cathedrals). – U6 Französische Str., U2+U6 Stadtmitte, U2 Hausvogteiplatz

• <see name="Nikolaikirche" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="Church">Berlin's oldest church (1230) is a 3-nave hall church. It is in the center of an area destroyed by bombs in the war which was then turned into a faux "old town" by the East German authorities called Nikolaiviertel. The area is more a hodge-podge of relocated buildings than an authentic reproduction, and the newly-built 1988 apartments that attempt to "harmonize" with the older buildings are embarrassing. The church itself is one of the only structures that was renovated rather than rebuilt. It is best known for a sandstone sculpture called the Spandauer Madonna (1290), but there are other interesting pieces here. When the church was destroyed in 1938 and rebuilt in the 1970s, the communist officials intended to use it as a museum, which did not open until 1987. The museum includes sacred textiles and religious sculpture from the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries. The Nikolaikirche is the showplace of the Nikolaiviertel, which isn't saying much. </see>

• The Neptunbrunnen bronze fountain by Reinhold Begas. It was erected in 1891 as a present from the city of Berlin to the Kaiser. It stands between the Marienkirche and the Rotes Rathaus, Berlin's 5th town hall, built in 1869. This is one of the nicer Neptune statues in Europe, and there are many. Neptune, trident in hand, presides over the square supported by sea-nymphs with webbed feet carrying him on a seashell. Denizens of the deep (a seal, an alligator, snakes and turtles, among others) spray water at him in homage while languishing mer-ladies pour water into the fountain, clutching sea-nets overflowing with marine bounty.

• The Rotes Rathaus, which is the town hall, is so called because it is made of red brick, not due to its former political persuasion. There are nice Prussian rooms inside, which are worth a look.

Looking back in time, it becomes easier to appreciate Alexanderplatz's importance to Berlin. Historically the square was called Ochsenplatz or Ochsenmarkt (Ox-Place or Market), and the southern segment known as Paradeplatz. The section nearer the old town wall housed a wool and meat market until the nineteenth century and the southern section was used to exercise horses. The square was renamed in 1805 when Tsar Alexander I came to town to make a mutual-defense pact with Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III against Napoleon. Five streets which radiate out from the square like spokes are named after their intended destinations (Schönhauser, Prenzlauer, Greifswalder, Landsberger, and Frankfurter Allees - "allée" is another word contributed to the German language by its seventeenth-century French settlers, meaning boulevard.)

• In 1882 Alexanderplatz gained a train station, cementing its importance as a transportation center. Four years later, north of the station, Berlin's first large department store, the Zentral-Markthalle opened. The "Berolina," a 7.5 meter high statue by Emil Hundreiser which symbolized Berlin until it was melted down for its copper during World War II, was installed nearby in 1895, close to the then-central police station. All the hustle and bustle would soon come to an end - luckily, doctor and sometime novelist Alfred Döblin immortalized the square in a novel titled Berlin Alexanderplatz in 1929 before everything came crashing down. Literally. During World War II almost everything in Alexanderplatz was bombed out, crashed into or otherwise destroyed.
  • <see name="Weltzeituhr" alt="World Clock" address="Alexanderplatz" directions="U-Bahn & S-Bahn: Alexanderplatz" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="" hoursextra="" tags="">Built in 1969, this 16-ton, communist-era clock is one of Berlin's main meeting points. Each of its 24 sides corresponds to one of Earth's 24 time zones and it has the names of some of the world's most important cities written on it. </see>

• <see name="Park Inn Alexanderplatz" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">The tallest multistory building in Berlin at 132 meters. There is a panoramic restaurant in the uppermost floor. Sneak into the main entrance of the Radison SAS business hotel on Karl-Liebknecht Straße. Here you can have a quick glance at the famous Aquadom, the world's biggest cylindrical Aquarium. It was build in 2003 by the US company Reynolds and Hydro Sight . The best news at the end; There is no entrance fee for watching (but for taking a trip with the elevator you have to pay the entrance fee for the whole Sea Aquarium adjacent to the hotel).</see>

• <see name="Fernsehturm" alt="Television tower" address="at Alexanderplatz" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">The Fernsehturm's nickname, "Telespargel" (television-asparagus) does not come close to expressing how this huge monument to tacky 20th-century culture dominates the sweeping, open square. This 368-meter high metal vegetable (it's a TV tower) sprouted from the concrete in the years 1965-69, during a particularly hideous Soviet-inspired architectural era in the East. During certain times of day, sunlight reflecting from the top caused a large cross-shaped light to shine down on the city. Called the Rache des Papstes (Pope's revenge) by nominally atheist East Berliners, the light-cross was an ironic result of socialist architecture. Rumour has it the architect was deprived of more than his next commission after that fiasco. At night, the Fernsehturm sometimes appears to be shooting light beams from the tower section, giving the impression it's a Death Star a la Star Wars.</see>

• Potsdamer Platz

• <see name="Pergamon Museum" alt="" address="" directions="Museumsinsel" phone="" url="http://www.smb.spk-berlin.de/smb/home/index.php?lang=en" hours="Open daily: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Thu: - 8:00 p.m." price="" lat="" long="" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="" hoursextra="" geo="" tags="">There are three huge collections housed within this grand building: the Collection of Classical Antiquities, the Museum of Near Eastern Antiquities and the Museum of Islamic Art. The Pergamon Museum was the last museum built on Museumsinsel (Museum Island) and was intended to house the great acquisitions brought to Germany by archaeologists of the eighteenth and nineteenth century. The museum's best-known attraction is the Pergamonsaal. The Pergamon Altar (165 BC), from the eponymous Asia Minor city-state, is three stories high and served as the entrance gate to an entire complex. It is astounding both because of its size and extremely precise detail, especially in a frieze which shows the gods battling giants. The entire room is the same color as the building's stone, making the details on the frieze section stand out even more. Facing the stairs, on the left hand side of the room there is a small-scale model of the altar which allows the viewer to see where the frieze segments would have originally been mounted. A 1:300 scale model of Pergamon city is on the right side of the room. The monumental market door of Milet has just been restored.</see>

• Part of the Antikensammlung (Collection of Classical Antiquities) — The most spectacular part of which is the reconstructed facade of the great altar of Pergamon. There is also the perhaps even greater Ish-Tar gate of Babylon, from centuries BC, which is reconstructed together with a stretch of the procession way.

• Neues Museum, Museumsinsel, open: Sat. - Wed.: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Thu. + Fri.: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., admission: 10 €, discounted: 5 €.
  • Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection (Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung) – Exhibits include the Egyptian and Prehistory and Early History collections. It houses the famous bust of Nefertiti (the legality of its acquisition is still contested by the Egyptian state which is trying to get it back, so you might want to hurry to see it there).
  • Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte – Museum for Pre- And Early History with objects from the Collection of Classical Antiquities in the Neues Museum

• <see name="Altes Museum" alt="" address="Museumsinsel" directions="" phone="" url="http://www.smb.museum/smb/standorte/index.php?lang=en&p=2&objID=24&n=1&r=1" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="" hoursextra="" tags="">The main floor houses the antiquities collection in an ongoing exhibit called "Neue Antike im Alten Museum" (New Antiquities in the Old Museum). Directly through the front door, entering from the Lustgarten (Pleasure Garden, now under reconstruction), there is a domed rotunda with red and white cameos, Greek-style, with statues of the gods. To reach the Hildesheim silver collection, go to the back of the rotunda, turn left, walk through the long gallery and turn left into a small room at the end. </see>

• <see name="Alte Nationalgalerie" alt="Old National Gallery" address="Bodestraße 1-3" directions="" phone="+49 (0/30) 2090 5801" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="ang@smb.spk-berlin.de" fax="+49 (0/30) 2090 5802" url="http://www.smb.spk-berlin.de/ang/e/s.html" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">Specializes in 19th century painting and sculpture; Monet, Manet, Cézanne, C. David Friedrich and other important 18th and 19th century artists are well-represented. </see>

• Bode-Museum, Museumsinsel, Monbijoustr. 3 – The museum’s treasures include the sculpture collection with works of art from the middle ages to the 18th century. The Bode museum is best known for its Byzantine art collection and the coin cabinet. Opening Hours: Tue - Sun 10 - 18 h, Thu 10 - 20 h, Admission Fee: 8,- €, red. 4,- €, S-Bahn: Oranienburger Str.: S1, S2, S25 or Hackescher Markt S5, S7, S75.

• <see name="Deutsches Historisches Museum" alt="German Historical Museum" address="Unter den Linden 2" directions="U-Bahn: Französische Straße, Hausvogteiplatz or Friedrichstraße. Bus: 100, 200 und TXL (Staatsoper stop)" phone="+49 30 203040" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="+49 30 20304 - 543" url="http://www.dhm.de" hours="Daily 10a.m.-6p.m." hoursextra="" price="€ 8 for a day, red. € 4, € 50 for annual pass. Children and under-18s free" lat="" long="" tags="">
  German historical museum covering everything from pre-history right up to the present day. One can spend many, many hours here!</see>

• <see name="Deutsche Guggenheim" alt="" address="Unter den Linden 13-15" directions="U-Bahn: U6 to Französische Straße" phone="+49 (0/30) 20 20 930" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="berlin.guggenheim@db.com" fax="+49 (0/30) 20 20 9320" url="http://www.deutsche-guggenheim-berlin.de" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">
  Compared to New York, Bilbao and Venice, it is a relatively small exhibition place. It usually hosts a temporary exhibition and is free on Monday, with a free guided tour starting at 4PM. Since the place is small and the name "Guggenheim" a very famous one, the place is often very crowded. </see>

• Museum für Naturkunde (natural history museum), Invalidenstraße 43

• <see name="Museum für Post und Kommunikation" alt="" address="Leipziger Straße 16" directions="" phone="+49 (0/30) 202 94 0" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="mk.berlin@mspt.de" fax="+49 (0/30) 202 94 111" url="http://www.mfk-berlin.de/" hours="Hours: Tu.: 9am - 8pm, Wed. - Fr.: 9am - 5pm. Sa., Su. and holidays: 10am - 6pm" hoursextra="Closed Monday" price="Normal ticket: 3 €" lat="" long="" tags="">
  Museum for telecommunication and post with many interesting historical objects. </see>

• <see name="Zille Museum" alt="" address="Propststraße 11" directions="" phone="+49 (0/30) 246 32 502" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.heinrich-zille-museum.de" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="Museum">A museum dedicated to the Berliner artist. </see>

• Berliner Medizinhistorisches Museum der Charité, Charitéplatz 1, . Interesting exhibition charting the development of European hospitals from the 14th Century to the present day.

• <see name="Berlin Wall Documentation Center" alt="" address="Bernauer Straße 111" directions="" phone="+49 (0/30) 464 10 30" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="+49 (0/30) 460 69 740" url="http://www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de/en/" hours="April to October; Tu. - Su.: 10AM - 6PM. November - March; Tu. - Su.: 10AM - 5PM." hoursextra="Closed Monday" price="" lat="" long="" tags="Berlin Wall"> </see>

• <see name="DDR Museum" alt="" address="Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 1" directions="across from Berliner Dom on the banks of River Spree" phone="+49 (0/30) 847 123 73-1" phoneextra="+49 (0/30) 847 123 73-0" tollfree="" email="post@ddr-museum.de" fax="+49 (0/30) 847 123 73-9" url="http://www.ddr-museum.de" hours="Su-M 10AM-8PM, Sa 10AM-10PM" price="€6" priceextra="€4 for students, discounts available for groups of 10+" lat="" long="" tags="">A museum dedicated to every day life at the DDR time. The museum has very relaxed rules and you are allowed to touch and examine almost every object, which adds greatly to the experience. </see>

• <see name="Hugenottenmuseum" alt="" address="Platz der Akademie" directions="in Französischer Dom" phone="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.berlin.de/orte/museum/hugenottenmuseum/" hours="Tu-Sa: noon-5pm, Su 11am-5pm" price="Euro 2">The Hugenottenmuseum represents the ongoing influence on Berlin by the Huguenots who emigrated from France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Crown Prince Friedrich William encouraged them to settle here because most of them were skilled workers or otherwise useful to the Kingdom. One memorable artwork, in room nine of the museum, pictures Crown Princess Dorothea exclaiming "But he's a refugee!" upon being presented a very valuable set of jewels by Pierre Fromery. The generally agreed-upon view of refugees as poor, without resources let alone diamonds, was blown apart by the talented French Protestants forced to leave their country due to religion. One of the most notable effects of having such a large French population was their influence on the infamous Berlin dialect. Berlinerisch words such as Kinkerlitzchen (from French "quincaillerie" - kitchen equipment) and Muckefuck (from French "mocca faux" - artificial coffee) are unique to the area. The Französischen Dom (cathedral) itself was built to resemble the main church of the Huguenots in Charenton, France, destroyed in 1688. It has housed the museum since 1929.</see>

• Hanf Museum Berlin , Mühlendamm 5 (Bus M48, Station 'Nikolaiviertel', everything else near Alexanderplatz), 030 / 242 48 27 (info@hanfmuseum.de), open Tue-Fr: 10AM-9PM, Sa/So: 12PM-8PM, Mo closed; It is the only hemp museum in Germany; you can see the history of hemp, the culture and use of it. You can see hemp grow. There is a cafe downstairs, with an open WiFi access. 3,- Euros, Kids under 10 go free and tours are possible.

• <see name="Ramones Museum Berlin" alt="" address="Krausnickstraße 23" directions="off Oranienburgerstraße" phone="0049 30 75528890" email="mail@ramonesmuseum.com" fax="" url="http://www.ramonesmuseum.com/" hours="" price="EUR 3.50">The Ramones Museum Berlin pays tribute to the Punk band The Ramones. It displays more than 300 unique and original Ramones memorabilia. You can get a drink at cafe Mania inside the museum.</see>

As Berlin is a city of art, it is quite easy to find an art gallery on your way. They provide a nice opportunity to have a look at modern artists' work in a not so crowded environment for free. Some gallery streets in Mitte with more than about a dozen galleries are Auguststraße, Linienstraße, Torstraße, Brunnenstraße (all north of S-Bahn station Oranienburger Straße) and Zimmerstraße (U-Bahn station Kochstraße). A directory listing of all Mitte's art galleries can be found on The Art of Berlin: Complete Berlin Art Gallery Directory

• Art Center Berlin Friedrichstraße, Friedrichstraße 134, Tel. +49 30 27879020 . Four floors of exhibitions with a relatively good variety of genres and artists. A very nice oasis of calm from the busy Friedrichstraße.

• Galerie Eigen & Art, Auguststraße 26, Tel. +49 30 280 6605, . One of the most famous German art galleries, home to the Neue Leipziger Schule (Neo Rauch et al.)

• <do name="Grips Theater" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="info@grips-theater.de" fax="" url="http://www.grips-theater.de/" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">Famous children's theater with a light political touch, European recognition for the musical Linie 1. </do>

• <do name="Kabarett Theater Distel" alt="" address="Friedrichstraße 101" directions="" phone="+49 (0/30) 20 44 704" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="distel@distel-berlin.de" fax="+49 (0/30) 20 81 555" url="http://www.distel-berlin.de" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">Cabaret and comedy, political satire in German. </do>

• <do name="Maxim Gorki Theater" alt="" address="Am Festungsgraben 2" directions="" phone="+49 (0/30) 20221-0" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.gorki.de" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">Sometimes plays the 3 Pennys Opera by Brecht. </do>

• <do name="Chamäleon Theater Berlin" alt="" address="Rosenthaler Straße 40" directions="" phone="+49 30/40005930" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="" fax="" url="http://chamaeleonberlin.de/home" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">Located in the trendy quarter Berlin-Mitte in the stunning Hackesche Hoefe, Chamaeleon Theatre offers exciting cross genre variety and music shows.</do>

• Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz - Sometimes controversial, modern theater.

• Komische Oper – Modern operas.
• Staatsoper Unter den Linden – The impressive building and royal history make the building alone worth a visit. - Closed til 2014, → Schiller Theater in Berlin-Charlottenburg.

• Theater am Potsdamer Platz – Musicaltheater – Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 1
• Friedrichstadt-Palast – Berlin's biggest show with over 100 artists on the biggest theater stage in the world.

• <do name="Imax 3D" alt="" address="Potsdamer Straße 4" directions="" phone="+49 (0/30) 260 66 400" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="imax@cinestar.de" fax="" url="http://www.cinestar.de/de/kino/berlin-imax-3d-im-sony-center/" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags=""> The worldwide recognised theatre at Potsdamer Straße </do>

• <do name="Legoland Discovery Centre" alt="" address="Potsdamer Straße 4" directions="" phone="+49 (0/30) 30 10 400" phoneextra="" tollfree="" email="berlin@legolanddiscoverycentre.de" fax="" url="http://www.legolanddiscoverycentre.de/berlin/en/index.htm" hours="" hoursextra="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">An educational attraction for children, featuring a LEGO replica of Berlin </do>

• Arkonaplatz, Prenzlauer Berg/Mitte, Sundays 10AM-5PM.
• Am Kupfergraben/Museumsinsel, Saturdays and Sundays 10AM-4PM.

• boxoffberlin (a/k/a bob), Zimmerstrasse 11 (U Kochstr.) Only 100 meters from Checkpoint Charlie you will find a small but very interesting place for extraordinary souvenirs and gifts made by local designers. The gallery shows changing exhibitions of contemporary art, films and more from Berlin artists and the little Café offers the best Espresso – fairly traded and organically grown, refreshing lemonades without artificial additives, »Berliner Weisse with a shot« ... in summer also outside in the deck chair. Open daily 11am - 6pm

• Rotation, Weinbergsweg 3 (Mitte) . Offers a vast range of techno, house and electronica. Weekly news. Open Mon-Sat noon-8PM.
• Leila M, Rosa Luxemburg Str. 30 (Mitte), inside Kino Babylon . A large selection of music on CD & vinyl: romantic songwriters, inspiring pop-music, minimal techno, contemporary electronica and so on. Open Mon-Fri noon-10PM, Sat 1PM-8PM.

• VAU . A Michelin star restaurant, was awarded 17 points from Gault Millau. Reservations are essential.
• Aigner . Haute cuisine mixed with influences from Berlin and Vienna (reservations essential).
• Lutter & Wegner . Berlin cuisine in top style, since 1811. They offer their own sparkling, red and white wine selections.
• Fischers Fritz, Charlottenstraße 49, tel. 030-2' 33 63 63. Offers a Japanese breakfast in the Regent hotel.

• Tresor , Köpenicker Straße 70. Legendary club dating back to 1990s and the start of house/techno scene. Since 2007 located in a former power plant.
• KitKatClub , Brücken Straße 1. A very famous address, a unique clubbing concept mixing techno/electro/trance music with sexual freedom. Be careful and open-minded, and respect the strict dresscode of fetish, latex, leather, kinky, and high style glamour. Nonstop party from Saturday night to Sunday evening.
• Delicious Doughnuts, Rosenthaler Strasse 9, 10119 Berlin Mitte, U-bahn Rosenthalerplatz. Very cozy venue (bar-style) with a relaxed atmosphere. Definitely non-pretentious with a diverse and friendly crowd. Remember to ring the door bell and wait for the door to be opened before you walk in. There is usually a small entry fee. Especially great when coming in the early morning hours.
• Adagio, Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 1, direct on Potsdamer Platz. A place with chandeliers for the healthy and older (30+) crowd.
• Felix, Behrenstraße 72 (backside of Hotel Adlon), Club for the rich and (wannabe) famous. Popular for its Thursday after work party.
• Cafe Moskau, Karl-Marx-Allee 34 . Every Sunday night there is the GMF, a mainly gay party U-Schillingstraße(U5).
• Sophienclub, Sophienstr. 6. Tuesdays is Britpop, Disco on Thursdays and Funk & Soul on Saturdays.
• Grüner und Roter Salon, Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz 2, right and left at the Volksbühne. On weekends hip hop, electro, 80s and indie with freestyle DJs. Grüner Salon also features Swing/Tango/Salsa Parties.
• Club der polnischen Versager, Ackerstraße 170, tel 030-280 937 79 . From Polish films to country music, everything to make our neighbours feel like home. Closed right now till the end of the year (2008).
• CCCP, Rosenthaler Str. 71, tel 0179 69 29 13. CCCP is a GDR-inspired club/bar with a nice atmosphere and alternative music.
• Levee Club, Neue Promenade 10, it is right under the bridge of the trainstation. it is small and comfortable. mainly they play indie and electronic music and sometimes 60ies. people from 18-27 and sometimes older go there. the entrance is mostly cheap.
• <drink name="40 Seconds" alt="" address="Potsdamer Strasse 58" directions="" phone="030 890 642 41" email="guest@40seconds.de" fax="" url="http://www.40seconds.de/" hours="" price="">Named for the amount of time it takes the elevator to reach the dance floor, this club has three roof terraces and an amazing view of the city. Come here in the summer when it's warm </drink>

• <sleep name="EasyHotel" alt="" address="Rosenthaler Straße 69 " directions="" phone="" email="enquiries@berlinhm.easyhotel.com" fax="" url="http://www.easyhotel-berlin.de" checkin="" checkout="" price="Double room 30€/night">Very basic, cheap and clean: small room with tiny bath room. The nearest metro station is on Rosenthaler Platz.</sleep>

• <sleep name="baxpax Mitte Hostel Berlin" alt="Mittes Backpacker Hostel" address="Chausseestr. 102" directions="U Naturkundemuseum" phone="+49 30 2839 0965" url="http://www.baxpax.de/mittes-backpacker/en/home/" checkin="14:00" checkout="11:00" price="From €9" lat="52.53206" long="13.38018" email="info@backpacker.de" fax="28 39 09 35">Berlin's first art hostel was completely renovated in early 2011. The rooms are light and stylish, they have a guest kitchen, bike rental and free WiFi.</sleep>

• <sleep name="baxpax downtown Hostel Berlin" alt="" address="Ziegelstr. 29" directions="S-Bahn Friedrichstr." phone="+49 30 2787 4880" url="http://www.baxpax.de/downtown/en/home/" checkin="14:00" checkout="11:00" price="From €15" lat="52.58887" long="13.46899" email="info@baxpax-downtown.de" fax="28 39 09 35">Hip, stylish cross between Youth Hostel and Hotel with a mixture of top level service and multi-cultural and cozy atmosphere. They have a nice bar, a roof top terrace with a pool and free wifi.</sleep>

• <sleep name="The Circus Hostel" alt="" address="Weinbergsweg 1a" directions="U-Bahn: Rosenthaler Platz" phone="+49 30 2839 1433" url="http://www.circus-berlin.de" checkin="" checkout="" price="" lat="" long="" email="info@circus-berlin.de" fax="2839 1484">2-Bed rooms start at €28 per person, sleeping hall starts at €19. Not to be confused with the hotel of the same name across the street.</sleep>

• <sleep name="Cityhostel Berlin" address="Glinka Str. 5-7" phone="+49 30 2388 66 850" email="reservation@cityhostel-berlin.com" fax="030 23 88 66 851" url="http://www.cityhostel-berlin.com/gb/" checkout="10:00 am" checkin="02:00 pm" price="from €12"> 11 minutes away from Brandenburg Gate & Potsdamer Platz.</sleep>

• <sleep name="Gästehaus Berlin Mitte" alt="former Gästehaus der Charité" address="Habersaathstraße 40a" directions=" Metro station Naturkundemuseum, S-Bahn Hauptbahnhof or Friedrichstraße Tram M6, M8" phone="+49.30.992 968 820" email="info@gaestehaus-berlin-mitte.de" fax="+49.30.992 968 849" url="http://www.gaestehaus-berlin-mitte.de" checkin="10.30 am" checkout="10.00 am" price="Single room starts at €39, double room at €49 per room, dormitory at €19 per person"></sleep>

• <sleep name="Heart of Gold Hostel Berlin" alt="" address="Johannisstr. 11" directions="U-Bahn: Oranienburger Tor, S-Bahn: Friedrichstraße/Oranienburger Straße" phone="+49 30 2900 3300" url="http://www.heartofgold-hostel.de" checkin="" checkout="" price="Private rooms start at €20/person, big dorms start at €9" lat="52.5244" long="13.3917" email="bridge@heartofgold-hostel.de" fax="290 44 717"></sleep>

• <sleep name="Helter Skelter Hostel Berlin" alt="former Clubhouse Hostel" address="Kalkscheunenstr. 4-5" directions="U-Bahn: Oranienburger Tor, S-Bahn: Friedrichstraße" phone="+49 30 280 44 997" email="info@helterskelterhostel.com" fax="290 44 717" url="http://www.helterskelterhostel.com" checkin="" checkout="" price="">Double rooms start at €46/room, big dorms start at €13.</sleep>

• Meininger Hotel Berlin Central Station, Ella-Trebe-Straße 9 (S-Bahn: Hauptbahnhof), tel. +49 30 666 36 100 (fax: +49 30 666 36 222) (welcome@meininger-hotels.com), . Double Rooms start at €39 per person, dormitory starts at €21. It's next to the Central Station - just 50 m to walk.

• <sleep name="St Christopher's Berlin" alt="Berlin Hostel" address="39-41 Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße" phone="+49 30 8145 3960" email="berlin@st-christophers.co.uk" fax="+49 30 8145 3960" url="http://www.st-christophers.co.uk/berlin-hostels" checkin="2PM" checkout="11AM" price="€18 with breakfast">A new well maintained hostel with large public bar downstairs located in Mitte. Generally good security and friendly international staff. Part of a large independent hostel chain.</sleep>

• <sleep name="wombats CITY HOSTEL Berlin" alt="" address="Alte Schönhauser Str. 2" directions="near Hackesche Höfe in a trendy area" phone="+49/30/8471028-0" email="office@wombats-berlin.de" fax="" url="http://www.wombats-hostels.com/berlin/" checkin="2 p.m." checkout="10 a.m." price="€17-60"> All rooms with shower and toilet; free WLAN, bar with happy hour etc.</sleep>

• Circus Hotel Rosenthalerstr. 1 - About ten steps from the Rosenthaler Platz U-bahn. Nicer version of the hostel. Breakfast included, free wifi; free laptops, DVDs, and iPods available to borrow. Reserve early and ask for interior room if street noise bothers you at night. Exceptionally friendly service.

• <sleep name="NH Berlin Mitte" alt="" address="Leipziger Strasse 106-111" url="http://www.nh-hotels.com/nh/en/hotels/germany/berlin/nh-berlin-mitte.html">Renovated in 2008, this hotel offers 392 spacious bedrooms, meeting rooms and a spa.</sleep>

• Courtyard by Marriott Berlin City Centre, Axel Springer Strasse 55, Just a two-minute walk to the subway and situated close to highlights.

• Hotel de Rome Located at Bebelplatz next to Unter Den Linden and the Museumsinsel. Comfort and style on a whole new level and also a very good bar and Italian restaurant.

• Hotel Adlon, Unter den Linden 77 (Pariser Platz, Unter den Linden), tel +49 (0)30 2261-0, fax +49 (0)30 2261-2222 email: Adlon@Kempinski.com. Located directly at the Brandenburg Gate and was rated the best hotel of Europe in 2006.

• <sleep name="The Westin Grand Berlin" alt="" address="Friedrichstrasse 158-164" directions="at the corner of Friedrichstraße and Unter Den Linden" phone="+49-30-20270" url="http://www.theberlingrandhotel.com/" checkin="" checkout="" price="" lat="52.5159" long="13.3886">Five-star hotel provides newly decorated accommodations facing the famous boulevard. Pomp architecture of the GDR.</sleep>

• The Regent, Charlottenstraße 49, . Former Four Seasons hotel now managed by Radisson SAS. Located next to Gendarmenmarkt near Unter Den Linden.

• <sleep name="Melia" alt="" address="Friedrichstraße 103" directions="next to U-/S-Bahn station Friedrichstraße " phone="+49 (0)30 20607900" email="melia.berlin@melia.com" fax="" url="http://www.meliaberlin.com/en/index.html" checkin="" checkout="" price="70-150 Euros">Modern Spanish four star hotel with excellent location and stylish rooms. Good tapas bars and nice river views from breakfast.</sleep>

• Hilton Hotel Berlin , Mohrenstrasse 30. It is situated near Gendarmenmarkt.

• <sleep name="Art'otel Mitte" alt="" address="Wallstr. 70-73" directions="next to the Markisches Museum metro stop" phone="+49.030240620" email="" fax="" url="http://www.artotel.de/berlin_mitte/berlin.html" checkin="" checkout="" price="">A stylish hotel though with smallish rooms. Good breakfast, double-check that your reservation includes it. Helpful staff.</sleep>

• <sleep name="Radisson Blu Hotel" alt="" address="Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 3" directions="" phone="+49 30 238 280" email="" fax="" url="http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-berlin" checkin="" checkout="" price="">The main attraction of the hotel is the AquaDom, the world's largest cylindrical aquarium containing one million litres of saltwater.</sleep>