Discover the Ruins of Berlin's Medieval Franciscan Monastery Church
Discover the Ruins of Berlin's Medieval Franciscan Monastery Church.
Berlin really does have some old historic structures, well ruins, at least.
These are the ruins of the Franziskaner Klosterkirche, or the Franciscan Cloister Church.
It dates back to roughly 1250 and perhaps earlier.
The Franziskan order in Berlin was dissolved during the Reformation, and the church grounds saw various uses from then on, including Berlin’s first grammar school, where the German giant Otto Bismark studied.
The church and monastic buildings would be used for various other functions, including housing printing presses, laboratories,
The monastic buildings that once surrounded the church have disappeared.
It was badly damaged due to the bombing raids on Berlin in the Second World War.
Today, the ruins and its grounds are an open-air historic site, often used for exhibitions and cultural events.
On its grounds, you will find several sculptures, including this abstract, even minimalist reproduction of the Pieta, or this one of Christ holding his crown of thorns.
The grounds make for a very peaceful wander, and you are not far from the only still standing section of Berlin’s city wall, which is the topic of video that is linked down below.
Uncover Berlin's Old Town - The Nikolaiviertel
This is Part 1 of my walking tour of the Nikolaiviertel, Berlin's "Old Town".
The Original Berlin Wall
When people think of the Berlin Wall, of course, it’s this wall that comes to mind.
However, the Berlin Wall that we all think of today had several predecessors, including one that goes back to the city’s founding. But this wall was designed to keep people out, not in.
The city’s original wall, erected sometime in the early 13th century, was roughly 2.5 km in length and circled what was then the twin cities of Berlin and Coelln. At its peak, the wall reached about 8 meters, or 25 feet, in height and just under a meter thick, consisting of brick and stones.
Over time, additional structures such as parapets and battlements were added to improve its defensive capabilities.
You can still make out the border of the early settlements on today’s Berlin map.The area included Nikolaiviertel and most of Alexanderplatz on the east side of the River Spree and today’s Museum Island and Fisher’s Island on the west side.
The Stadtmauer lost its function as the city gradually expanded, and many of it’s bricks were repurposed, and even parts of the wall were incorporated into homes or property lines.
And just a 10-minute walk from Alexanderplatz are 3 surviving sections, an official memorial today, measuring roughly 150 meters long in total.
During the cleaning of the debris resulting from the Second World War, these parts of the original Berlin Wall were rediscovered. This includes one’s use as a patio wall for Berlin’s oldest restaurant, Zur Letzten Instanz, so make a plan for lunch or dinner at this surprisingly well-reviewed tourist magnet.
There’s a lot to see in the area around these wall segments, and I will link to that video when it’s ready.
Be sure to check out my other videos where I cover Berlin history and tourism highlights.Tschuess!
Located along the River Spree, just minutes away on foot from both Museum Island and the TV Tower, is Berlin’s medieval core. Nikolaiviertel makes up a small section of the original settlement of Berlin dating back to the 13th century. The narrow streets and buildings in this quarter were reconstructed mostly by the East German government in time for the 750th anniversary of the city. At its core is Nikolaikirche, a grand double-spired church that serves as a museum of the church and a concert venue. Inside you will find a large and colorful central nave with a giant wood carving of the crucifixion hanging from the ceiling. There is also an array of sculptural and gilded pieces, a model of the original settlement, as well as a large and beautiful organ.There are several other museums here, including the Knoblauch Museum, which displays the daily lives of an upper-middle-class Prussian family.Or the Ephraim-Palais Museum - a beautifully restored Rococo building housing a permanent exhibition on the history of the city of Berlin. There is a 19-stop self-guided tour of the area in both German and English to help guide you along your path.Nikolaiviertel is known for its collection of restaurants with beer gardens serving hearty classic German cuisine. Follow us for more videos on Berlin.
Discover Berlin along the Berlin Wall Trail
Join me on a walk along the former route of the Berlin Wall from Hauptbahnhof to Checkpoint Charlie, with stops at the Reichstage, Brandenburg Gate, and Potsdamer Platz.
Along the way, you'll discover still existing pieces of the Berlin Wall plus memorials as well as other popular attractions.
Video link pinned in the comments.
If you are in Berlin and want to learn about the Berlin Wall and its consequences, you have a few options. You probably know about the East Side Gallery, or the must-visit Berlin Wall Memorial.But, did you know that the Bundestag has its own memorial to the victims of the Berlin Wall?Located in the basement of the Marie-Elisabeth-Lueders Haus, which houses the library of the Bundestag, is an art installation with segments of the Wall, which run along the wall’s original course. Each segment lists the number of people killed attempting to flee to West Berlin for any given year. At the time of recording, there is an art installation displaying images of the wall across its length. These photos were taken by border guards to aid engineers in eliminating weak spots in this infamous border system. There are also photographs of guard quarters and watch towers as well as various escape tunnels. You will also find photographs of border guards. And, this one looks eerily like my father-in-law. I’ll just ignore that. There is a memorial book listing the names and short biographies of those who died.Here is Guenter Litfin, the first person to be killed trying to get past the wall to West Berlin. It’s open every day but Monday, and the exhibition runs through April 2025.And be sure to check out my video where I walk along the route of the Berlin Wall in central Berlin.
Berlin's 1st Christmas Market - Potsdamer Platz WinterWelt Weihnachtsmarkt
It has the feel of a mini Christmas market, really mini, something that will do the trick if you have the itch.
Potsdammer Platz is as centrally located as it gets, and the market is located just across the road from the Sony Center.
You’ll find your Gluehwein, some salty junk food, local and Christmas-themed souvenirs.
And I have to admit, the people on the toboggan run sure seem to be having a great time.
There’s even a carousel for the little ones.
Later in November, the surrounding area of chain stores and restaurants puts up some decorations, but I would say you have better options for Christmas markets by then.
Pfaueninsel (Peacock Island) Day Trip from Central Berlin
If you are looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city center and discover what else Berlin has to offer, then Pfauneninsel might just fit the bill.
Located 26 kilometers from Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the island is just a short 45-min ride by regional train or S-bahn.
It’s part a series of landscaped parks and part mock-farm, where you will find a fairytale castle, a dairy and delightful waterfront walking paths.
Its name in English means Peacock Island, and there are just over 30 peacocks and other exotic birds on the island, some roaming around freely.
Pfaueninsel is a UNESCO cultural heritage site and nature reserve and a protected zone for flora and fauna.
It’s open daily from March to October.
There is a ferry that brings you to the island, and at the time of recording, it’s €6/adult and €12 for a family of 4.
Stay tuned for more Berlin content.
Tschuess!
A great daytrip from Berlin is a visit to the Spreewald, an inland delta system just one hour from Berlin's Ostkreuz Station.
#spreewald #berlin
Here's a compilation of timelapse and hyperlapses that I've taken over the past few months. #berlin
Berlin's most important memorial is a must visit for every visitor to the city.
The Brandenburg Gate is a monumental neoclassical gate and is arguably the icon of Berlin. In the 18th century, Berlin abandoned its medieval wall which had lost its defensive purpose. And a new wall was built, this time for customs.
This new wall had many gates. The gates were named after the cities the outgoing roads led to.
The Brandenburg Gate is named after the city of Brandenburg/Havel just west of Berlin.
The Brandenburg Gate is the only customs gate left. It’s 26 meters high by 65 meters wide (or 85 by 215 feet), and is supported by 6 doric columns on both fronts.
The figure on top is a quadriga. Standing on the chariot is Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory. She holds the Iron Cross with an imperial eagle perched on top.
Just underneath the quadriga is a relief symbolically celebrating the victories of Prussia, with figures such as Nike, the goddess of victory, and Hercules, the god of strength.
Inside of the five passageways are reliefs on both sides of each wall for a total of 20 reliefs.
All reliefs depict scenes of Hercules and were designed to pay homage to Frederick the Great.
On both the southern and northern sides of the gate are columned porticos, where you will find 2 additional sculptural pieces, Mars, the god of war, and Minerva, the goddess of wisdom and protector of Berlin.
The small temple on the left once housed guards but is today a tourist office.
The one on the right once housed tax collectors but is today home to the Room of Silence.
Two things not to miss.
Check out the DZ Bank building to the southwest, where you will find a whale sculpture by Frank Gehry.
And roughly 80 meters to the west is a plaque near where the U.S. President Reagan called on the Soviets to tear down this wall.
