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FTRC.BLOG / Unexpected Berlin: History, Street Art & Schnitzel

Unexpected Berlin: History, Street Art & Schnitzel

This page serves as your guide to Berlin, a city that is always reinventing itself. I have explored its intriguing history and vibrant neighborhoods and discovered some hidden gems that you won’t find in a typical guidebook.

We’ll explore beyond the iconic Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag Building to discover quirky museums, street art, and remnants of the Berlin Wall. Have you ever heard of the Stasi Museum? It’s a chilling reminder of Berlin’s divided past. We’ll also explore the Museum in der Kulturbrauerei, where you can learn about the surprisingly vibrant heavy metal scene in East Germany.

Of course, every trip to Berlin is complete with indulging in delicious food. I’ll share my favorite spots to find the biggest schnitzel in the city and, maybe, the best burgers Berlin has to offer.

So, come along with me and experience the unique energy of Berlin. Whether you’re a history buff, an art enthusiast, or just looking for an adventure, this page will inspire you to explore this captivating city.

Whenever we travel around Europe, we see the skeleton of abandoned gasworks. But the Schöneberg Gasometer has this uniqueness to it since it feels like it's still integrated into the landscape of the city. You pass by it around Haupstrasse or taking the S-Bahn, and it's always there, in the corner of your eye.

Schöneberg Gasometer: Climbing the Skeleton of Abandoned Gasworks

Whenever we travel around Europe, we see the skeleton of abandoned gasworks. But the Schöneberg Gasometer has this uniqueness to it since it feels like it’s still integrated into the city’s landscape.

Schöneberg is one of my favorite districts to walk around aimlessly because there is always a surprise around the corner. On one of my most recent walks there, I manage to discover something that I remember reading about in the past but never manage to see one in real life. But I’m not talking about Bigfoot or anything like that. I’m talking about the Kunstautomat on Crellerstrasse.

Buying Small Pieces of Art at the Kunstautomat in Schöneberg

Schöneberg is one of my favorite districts to walk around aimlessly because there is always a surprise around the corner. On one of my most recent walks there, I managed to discover something that I remember reading about in the past but never managed to see in real life. But I’m not talking about Bigfoot… …

Checkpoint Bravo was the name of one of three Allied checkpoints used by the United States in the divided Germany and Berlin during the years after the Second World War and the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Before 1969, this Checkpoint could be found on a bridge over the Teltow Canal. Still, it was moved to a different location called Albrechts Teerofen. In here, we will be talking about the original and abandoned Checkpoint Bravo.

Checkpoint Bravo and the Teltow Canal Bridge in Dreilinden

Checkpoint Bravo was the name of one of three Allied checkpoints used by the United States in the divided Germany and Berlin during the years after the Second World War and the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Before 1969, this Checkpoint could be found on a bridge over the Teltow Canal. Still, it was moved to a different loca…

If you ever walked around Alexanderplatz, Altes Stadthaus, and the Alexa shopping mall, you have seen the ruins of a church. That is the Franziskaner-Klosterkirche, founded in 1250 and destroyed by Allied bombing in April 1945, in the last days of the Second World War.

Franziskaner-Klosterkirche: A Visit to the Ruined Church next to Alexanderplatz

If you ever walked around Alexanderplatz, Altes Stadthaus, and the Alexa shopping mall, you have seen the ruins of a church. That is the Franziskaner-Klosterkirche, founded in 1250 and destroyed by Allied bombing in April 1945, in the last days of the Second World War.

The Britzer Muhle is one of the eight remaining windmills in Berlin, and it is the only surviving windmill that used to exist in Neukölln. Also, it’s the only remaining fully functional windmill in Berlin, and these are some of the many reasons why you need to visit this place.

Britzer Muhle: finding Windmills in Neukolln

The Britzer Muhle is one of the eight remaining windmills in Berlin, and it is the only surviving windmill that used to exist in Britz-Neukölln. Also, it’s the only remaining fully functional windmill in Berlin, and these are some of the many reasons why you need to visit this place.

The Berlin Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park is the biggest of the three war memorials the USSR left in Berlin after the end of the Second World War. It was built to the design of the Soviet architect Yakov Belopolsky as a memorial for 5,000 of the 80,000 Soviet soldiers who died in the Battle of Berlin between April and May 1945. It opened four years after World War II on May 8, 1949, and it used to serve as the central war memorial in East Berlin.

Berlin Soviet Memorial: Treptower Park

The Berlin Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park is the biggest of the three war memorials the USSR left in Berlin after the end of the Second World War. It was built to the design of the Soviet architect Yakov Belopolsky as a memorial for 5,000 of the 80,000 Soviet soldiers who died in the Battle of Berlin between Ap…

Lenin statues, with some historical importance, were the source of some impossible satires during the GDR times. East German propaganda had something to say about this Lenin statue that came from Eisleben, Martin Luther's hometown in Saxony. We know for sure that this statue was made in 1925 by the Soviet sculptor Matwej Maniser and that it was the first statue of the Soviet hero standing in German soil.

All the locations that we found Lenin in Berlin

It started a couple of years ago, out of nowhere, but it took part of my life. Sometimes, when I travel around Europe, I look for him. Sometimes, I wonder where I can find Lenin in Berlin.

36 Hours in Neukölln: Berlin Coolest Neighborhood - After lunch, I’d take a walk around the area with a beer in my hand and explore the beauty of the Landwehrkanal that splits Neukölln from Kreuzberg. It’s easy to sit by the water and have some brews while you see the trees, the boats and the people walking by. It’s one of my favorite pastimes during the summer months, and I feel like you should try it as well.

36 Hours in Neukölln: Exploring Berlin’s Coolest Neighborhood

From time to time, I see lists that mention how cool Neukölln is, and every time I read these lists, they suggest, pretty much, the same places over and over again. Based on that, I decided to put my years of living in Neukölln as proof that I know the neighborhood well enough to come up with a guide. A simple guide, 3…

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