Berlin Trip - Egyptian Museum, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, Holocaust Memorial

Here are some pictures from my trip to Berlin with my friend Jo. I have lived in East-Berlin between 1987 and 1993, and Berlin still very much has a place in my heart. With my friend Jo who had never been to Berlin before, we did 'the tourist thing' and visited many of the touristy sites. As we both like Egyptian art, the Egyptian museum, housed in the 'Neues Museum' (New Museum) was a must. I loved it, was well impressed.

Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral)

Entrance to the 'Neues Museum' (New Museum), situated on the Museums Insel (Museum Island)

Impressions from the Egyptian Museum

original papyros

the photo which every tourist will take - the Brandenburg Gate

The Holocaust memorial.

This memorial dedicated to the murdered Jews of Europe, was designed by American Architect Peter Eisenmann and consists of a large area with concrete blocks of various sizes. It gave us the impression of vastness and emptyness which made us 'take a step back' and think. You can walk into the structure.

The famous 'Checkpoint Charlie', a former crossing between East and West Berlin and manned by the US Army is now nothing more than a small portacabin type building in the middle of a busy road, with street vendors selling memorbilia right and left.

A concrete pillar from the former East German border, depicting the sign of the former East Germany. (DDR)