The East Side Gallery: the world's longest open-air gallery

The East Side Gallery is a 3/4-miles painted wall along the Spree River, between the train station "Ostbahnhof" and Oberbaum Bridge. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990, 118 artists from 21 countries transformed this longest remaining section of the border wall into a massive open-air canvas. This makes the gallery unique: it is a monument, an art mile, and a history book all in the same concrete. Many motifs have become iconic, such as Dmitri Vrubel's "Brotherly Kiss."

At the same time, this place serves as a reminder: The images celebrate the joy of the end of division and recall the repressive border regime that once existed here. A closer look reveals the challenges of preservation: weather, graffiti, and construction activities necessitate regular restorations and debates on how to protect open art without confining it. If you can only visit one section of the Berlin Wall, make it this one—it tells a story with colors that numbers rarely can.

Zoo and Tierpark: a double treat for animal lovers

Berlin boasts two major zoological heavyweights, each unique in its own way. The Zoological Garden at Hardenbergplatz in the western city center is traditional, central, and boasts superlatives: it is the most species-rich zoo in the world, housing over 19,500 animals from around 1,000 species, including Germany's only giant pandas. The Tierpark, on the other hand, is located in the east and is Europe's largest landscape zoo at 160 hectares. It feels more like a park with animals, centered around Friedrichsfelde Palace, offering plenty of space and long pathways.

If you're looking for "compact and classic," start at the zoo; if you prefer "space and landscape," go to the Tierpark. Both are involved in breeding programs for endangered species. A tip for your visit: Plan to spend several hours regardless of the location, but especially at the Tierpark.

Berlin is nine times larger than Paris, but what does that actually mean?

The often-quoted statement refers to the city area: Berlin covers around 344 square miles, whereas Paris only covers 40 square miles. This results in a ratio of about 8.6 to 1, so "almost nine times" is a rounded formulation.

Important: Do not confuse this with metropolitan areas; Greater Paris is, of course, enormous. However, focusing on the city itself is a good comparison for land use, distances, and green spaces. This is precisely why Berlin often feels spacious: wide streets, large parks, lakes, vacant lots, and former airport sites. And yes, sometimes you travel 45 minutes just to stay within the same district.

The Quadriga drama: Napoleon's brief "loan receipt"

In 1806, after Prussia's defeat, Napoleon triumphantly marched through the Brandenburg Gate and had the Quadriga, the four-horse chariot figure by Johann Gottfried Schadow, taken to Paris as a trophy. Eight years later, in 1814, it returned to Berlin after Napoleon's downfall. Karl Friedrich Schinkel then reinterpreted the figure more assertively as "Victoria" with a Prussian eagle and Iron Cross.

The Quadriga thus transformed from a symbol of peace to a symbol of triumph and later, through war, the Berlin Wall, and reunification, into a lasting symbol of Berlin's resilience. Today, it faces the city again, as if the journey had been just a quick weekend trip. Fun fact about the name: the square east of the gate is called Paris-Square: in german "Pariser Platz".