Private Taxi Tour City East & West History and Architecture 3-4h

What's included

What you'll see and do

1. Breitscheidplatz

   Not so many people can remember this name, it goes back to an SPD politician who was very committed to workers. Much better known is the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, which we will see from the other side again later. Many believe that the name refers to the memory of the war, but what is meant is Wilhelm I, to whom his grandson and his Hohenzollern family erected a memorial. Therefore, all the faces of the Holy Family and the disciples in the entrance of the preserved portal somewhat resemble the Prussian kings and emperors. Originally, the plan was to completely clear the war-torn place, including the remains of the church. There was resistance to this, so at least the tower and the west portal were preserved. The church tower and the actual church hall were built around the outside in a modern style based on designs by Egon Eiermann. Allegedly called lipstick and powder compact by the Berliners.

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2. Zoo Berlin

   This zoo is not only one of the oldest in Germany, it also has the largest population of animals and species (around 16,000 animals of 1,600 different species). The foundation goes back to King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, who could not do much with the animal population on the Pfaueninsel of his predecessors (from peacocks to bears to other rare animals). So he had the animals moved near Berlin and sacrificed part of his private hunting grounds, the zoo. The buildings were also erected in the manner and style of the respective countries of origin of the animals, which is still nice to look at despite the war damage. Of course, Berlin also has a second zoo, but that is the zoo around Friedrichsfelde Palace, due to the division of the city. Today both belong together. From the outside, the large elephant gate with the monkey enclosure behind and the lion gate at the Zoo station are particularly striking.

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3. Theater des Westens

   It looks a bit strange from the outside, a bit poured over everything in the confectioner's style and is also not that old: the theater of the west. So called because it was built in what was then the new west of Berlin (and only later, so to speak, happened to be in West Berlin). At the beginning of the 20th century it was trendy to move out of the much too densely built-up city center (called Mitte) with all its marches and parades to the green west, where there was still space for large villas with gardens. The theater, today used as a musical theater, is reminiscent of this splendor and even contains an imperial box inside.

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4. Here we pan over from Kantstrasse (which in its longer course turns into an interesting Chinese quarter, goes back to the students from the imperial era at the Technical University) to the famous Kurfürstendamm, in Berlin lovingly and ironically to the Ku'damm abbreviated.

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5. Kurfurstendamm

   Here we get a small impression of the western splendor boulevard. In reality it is much longer, almost 5 km to Halensee. Erected on the model of the Champs Élysées in Paris, which Bismarck had made a great impression on after the German victory over France (even the candelabras remind of it). Only today it is no longer adorned by magnificent villas, not even by entertainment bars, cafes and many cinemas, as in the times of George Grosz and Erich Kästner, but has mutated into a shopping mile with chic boutiques (further west, from Versace over Bulgari and Dolce Gabbana can be found here) and modern flagship stores like here from Apple and Tesla. As a result, the chic boulevard is now lonely and deserted at night.

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6. Here again the Memorial Church, this time from the other side. The new building is also worth a visit, not only does everything appear in a mysterious blue light through the many thousands of glass stones specially made in France. It's surprisingly quiet inside too, considering the noise of this very crowded place. This is due to the special construction of a double wall with 2 m of soundproofing air in between. Unfortunately, the concrete structure is very fragile because it is fragile and exposed to all traffic emissions. That is why one of the buildings is seldom without scaffolding. Immediately behind it the tower of the European Center, together with the low-rise building, it is the oldest shopping center in Berlin, recently 50 years old. Originally even with an ice rink in the middle, but that was later sacrificed to optimize space. Berlin is now nationwide mall capital: we already have more than 70 and more are in the pipeline.

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7. Kaufhaus Des Westens

   After Breitscheidplatz we reach the Tauentzien, named after a general from the battle against Napoleon, like all other streets straight ahead. Perceived by many as a continuation or the beginning of the Ku'damm; From a whim of history, Ku’damm is actually missing 9 house numbers. Also flanked by many shops, but mostly those with affordable prices. Apart from the deluxe department store at the end of the street, the KaDeWe, with its 60,000 m² largest single department store in continental Europe. There is every conceivable luxury there, especially up on the gourmet floor, from sipping champagne to eating oysters, the finest types of chocolate and even more types of bread and cheese, everything your heart desires is offered there. Still denigrated by some as "Fressetage" ... Definitely visit!

   15 minutes here

8. It was once the most beautiful place, at least in West Berlin. In view of the rather insignificant 1950s buildings there is not much left, but the subway station still stands out in the middle, crowned by a truly beautiful building. Several lines cross here, so that in the early 20th century it was decided to connect them with a common train station. Nevertheless, the Berlin subway can of course not stand up to comparison with the Moscow one, for example, it is really old (not quite as old as the Londoner, but roughly like the one from Paris). And coming from Nollendorfplatz, the former workers' railway disappears underground here. The formerly independent and very wealthy city of Charlottenburg did not want to do this to itself that a stinking train (at that time still) snorted past the beautiful villas.We will see in a moment how it back up towards Nollendorfplatz (and that was Schöneberg or Berlin) got.

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9. The Urania is actually an association that wanted to make science clear to a large audience in the late 19th century. We still feel obliged to this task with slide presentations, panel discussions, etc. In front of it a strange arch, which strives towards the sky, it represents a certain degree (of a circle), a gift from France for the 750th anniversary of Berlin (and France was an occupying power in 2 districts). The former largest hotel in West Berlin is located on Lützowplatz, which is why it is simply called Berlin. And in the middle? The big void, the extra-wide green strip reminds us that Berlin should one day become a car-friendly city. With elevated routes for through traffic. Like today in Bangkok or Mexico City. And luckily not here ...

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10. Tiergarten

    Formerly an electoral hunting ground, and because there was also a fence around it so that the animals couldn't run away (and, conversely, the farmers from the surrounding villages couldn't hunt them), it soon had its name: the zoo. But Friedrich II, later called the Great, didn't like the hunt, banished the fence and for the first time allowed the Berliners to enter the private royal hunting grounds. In keeping with his time, he had part of it redesigned into a baroque garden. Later kings preferred the English landscape garden, and this is where the Prussian architect and gardener Peter Lenné excelled. He had the Schafgraben expanded into the Landwehr Canal, thus draining the swampy part of the zoo and creating landscapes, lakes and lines of sight. It has basically stayed that way until today, only World War II had a devastating effect. Soon almost no trees were standing upright, and potatoes were being grown in front of the Reichstag. But then the reforestation came with Allied help.

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11. Haus der Kulturen der Welt

    The former congress hall was a gift from the Americans to Berliners, de facto West Berliners in the 1950s. And the spectacular design with the curved roof soon led to the nickname "Pregnant Oyster". Incidentally, one of the few that are actually in use in Berlin (there are now a few congress halls). But the building was probably so ahead of its time that the statics couldn't withstand it, the roof collapsed in 1980 and even buried a journalist under itself. But the pregnant oyster was rebuilt true to the original and has been operating as the "House of World Cultures" ever since. Especially non-European artists have a venue here, often combined with cozy concerts on the roof terrace facing the Spree on summer nights. The Teddy Awards of the Berlinale were also given here at times. In the meantime, congresses took place in the "new" ICC at the radio tower, but that was 1979, and this has been waiting for a renovation for a long time.

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12. Bellevue Palace

    Today the seat of the Federal President, the small castle was built for the youngest brother Friedrich II: August Ferdinand. And because from there it had a beautiful view of the much larger Charlottenburg Palace (and at times the seat of Fr. II), it had its name gone. That view is long gone, after the war it was pretty battered and was somewhat prepared for the temporary presence of the West German Federal Presidents in Berlin. What always led to protests from East Berlin, they considered West Berlin to be a neutral bloc between the two German states. Although they themselves had a president at Schönhausen Palace (Otto Grotewohl). But only Roman Herzog, the first Federal President after reunification, really lived in the castle, but found it rather small, cold and impractical. So it was completely rebuilt again as the sole Berlin official seat - next to the Villa Hammerschmidt in Bonn.

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13. Victory Column

    Originally erected in front of the Reichstag, it was a lot shorter, our victory column. It contained only 3 drums, on them gilded captured cannons of the opponents: Danes, Austrians and French in the so-called German Wars of Unification, at the end of which the German Empire was proclaimed in the Palace of Versailles. No wonder that the French in particular were angry and wanted to have the thing blown up after the war. But the British refused, she was in their occupation sector. And they also had the forest around it reforested. The Victory Column was shipped here by Hitler, whom it disrupted while building his giant people's hall between the Reichstag and today's main train station. Then he added another drum to it for the next victory - but as we know, thank God that turned out differently.

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14. Reichstag Building

    Magnificent Wilhelminian building, even if criticized by it as a chat room or monkey house. Therefore also built outside and away from the city. Historically valuable, after all, the Red Army soldiers placed their flag on the building as a symbol of victory. Even if the famous photo of it is only reproduced. Then for decades it was largely ignored in the so-called free West Berlin - only 5 m away from the Wall, it was not allowed to be used for official Bundestag sessions. If so, to elect the Federal President, for example, a reprimand from East Berlin followed immediately. Completely gutted in the nineties and completely redesigned for the reunified Bundestag with now over 700 members. Not to forget the iconographic wrapping action by the artist Christo. The Reichstag dome, put on new glass after the architect had only planned a kind of gas station roof at this point, it now represents the new Berlin.

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15. Paul-Lobe-Haus

    This building is the so-called engine of parliament; all parliamentary work takes place here. In Parliament, only the closing speeches are held; the actual discussion and voting takes place in the committees. There is plenty of opportunity for this in every bulge in the over 200 m long building on three floors. And as a glass parliament you can even see it from the outside. Only the EU and secret committees sit in the largest rotunda facing the Spree above the two restaurants - and cannot be seen from outside.

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16. Bundeskanzleramt

    Colossal building, with a height of 36 m, ten floors and a total of 500 office rooms for over 300 employees, not exactly small. The White House would fit eight times. The only bigger ones are palaces for presidents. The Chancellor has her office in the top left corner. In the rotunda above there is an official apartment for her, which she does not use. As you know, she lives across from Museum Island. The official apartment is also rather impractical, with bathroom and bedroom across the street with about 200 m² of usable space.

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17. A modern building, with a striking large giant window in the middle. Behind this, the government is surveyed once or twice a week by accredited journalists from the capital. They then sit in front of a blue wall, which is also easily reflected here in the facade.

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18. Die Hackeschen Hoefe

    Today they are like a nucleus of this area, which is particularly popular with tourists. Dilapidated in GDR times and partly used as a warehouse, this courtyard ensemble was the first to be restored after the fall of the Wall and shines in its old Art Nouveau charm. The courtyards were built in 1908 as a kind of showcase courtyard area. Here life and work were supposed to mix in an exemplary manner, small factories, printing houses and workshops offered work, and the atria were large enough and green enough that one could also live on the upper floors. You can admire all of this again today in its original splendor, although the workshops have been replaced by shops with selected, partly self-made goods. KPM (Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur) also exhibits its porcelain here, and in the same courtyard you will also find the products of the famous East Berlin Ampelmännchen.

    10 minutes here

19. Largest crossing station in Europe, that's what the railway itself says and tells of 300,000 passengers who change trains here every day. Well that's hard to check. But in fact the train station is already huge in its dimensions, with 8 underground tracks and just as many above ground. In between huge halls, a total of 5 levels, and many, many shops. And so that they got enough visitors, the former most important train station in West Berlin, namely the Bahnhof Zoo, was downgraded to a regional train station without a stop for the ICE. To the horror of the Charlottenburg etc, who now had another journey - felt like nowhere. Because the new central station (Berlin never had one, only terminal stations in all directions) was only on the Stadtbahn (which was once built to connect most of Berlin's train stations). The underground only got a stub up to the Brandenburg Gate (it is being extended), and underground digging is still going on at the S-Bahn.

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20. Here we pass the east-west border again. In the port, which was already a restricted area at that time, the first deaths occurred after the wall was built. Günter Litfin was shot backwards while trying to swim through the harbor. His brother mourned him until a few years ago - in one of the last remaining watchtowers at the Invalidenfriedhof.

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21. This has now become a hotspot - not just for tourists who find hotels and hostels all around here. There is also - unlike in many other places in the former East - warm food all night long during the week, and not just as a snack. Bars and nightlife are also all around, even if not the big clubs (almost all of them are now near the water, i.e. near the Spree), but there are small, hip shops right here in Torstrasse. By the way, it's called that because it was a kind of city limits road (part of a ring), where the 17 city gates stood at weddings until the 19th century. Jews were also allowed to enter through the Rosenthaler Tor, as well as through the Hallesche Tor at the southern end of the city at that time. Immediately behind this gate we come to the so-called Spandauer Vorstadt, which is why many Jews settled there.

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22. Stiftung Neue Synagoge Berlin - Centrum Judaicum

    Here we see a no-stopping ban on the right, bollards and also policemen with submachine guns in their arms. A sure sign of a Jewish facility in Berlin, because it is not without reason that they are guarded day and night. In the facade you can see Moorish style elements, the whole thing is crowned by a golden dome. Unfortunately, the church itself, which offered space for up to 3000 believers, was destroyed in the war. The front building, a kind of entrance portal, was at least started to be rebuilt in Eastern times. In it today a worth seeing exhibition on Jewish life in Berlin. But be careful, the security measures at the entrance are similar to those in the airport. The synagogue was built to replace an older synagogue nearby, at a time when Prussia offered Jews equal civil rights and people wanted to proudly present their own culture. Even the iron chancellor Bismarck appeared for the inauguration in 1866.

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23. Friedrichstadt-Palast

    West Berliners like to mockingly call it Revueplatte, since it has provided a lot of amusement since it was built, and that when the house is often sold out. Much attention is also paid to the large in-house productions. And people like to advertise the longest stage in the world (even if it is not as deep as the one in Las Vegas), after all it also contains a retractable swimming pool or a rotating ice surface. In any case, that much is certain, two 80 revue dancers' legs fit nicely next to each other.

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24. Friedrichstrasse

    One of the most famous and longest streets through the city of Berlin: Friedrichstrasse. From here it runs in a straight line south to Kreuzberg, where it ends at today's Mehringplatz - and thus at Hallescher Tor. It has quite different sections, here is the somewhat dingy northern end, which is currently being spruced up. The Tacheles, which actually stands on Oranienburger Straße, extends over here, as it was originally a shopping gallery before department stores became fashionable. Today it's the other way around. A small new district is being created here on an area that could hold some villages.

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25. Berlin Friedrichstrasse Station

    This station was the only one from which there was an onward journey from East to West Berlin during the time of the Wall, for example also for the Paris-Moscow Express at the time. Or also for the departure of East Berliners, but then without a return ticket. Which is why this station was also used for adventurous escape attempts, which, however, were not always successful. Otherwise, the whole station was criss-crossed by barriers and customs checkpoints, with Stasi observation corridors in the middle - if you are interested in this and more, you will find the original reconstructed next door in the so-called Palace of Tears. This was so called because the East Berliners had to say goodbye to their relatives there, and often for seemingly forever.

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Where it starts and ends

Options you can book

• Engl. 3-4h with City Pick-up

  Pick-up / 3-4 exits: Pick up from your accommodation in the Berlin S-Bahn ring All exits or tours can be arranged individually by email Taxi: Part of the package price is a taxi ride according to the tariff (7% VAT), the rest city tour fee (19% VAT) Duration: 4 hours: Pick up approx. 10-15 min Possible for longer duration mark-up Hour optional with restaurant visit SightseeingTaxi Tour East–West: Deviations possible (even after traffic/closures), order can change individually and previously or spontaneously agreed Taxi Luxury SUV Toyota RAV4: raised seating position for good visibility, leather seats, not visible from the outside Native German speakers: I speak good and fluent English, but I am not perfect and have a German accent Pickup included

• English 3-4h with airport

  With transfer from/to the airport: With this option, the transfer from/to BER Airport incl. Welcome or Farewell Tour Pickup included

• German 3-4h with city pickup

  Pick-up / 3-4 exits: Pick-up from your accommodation in the Berlin S-Bahn ring All exits or tours are individually arranged by e-mail Taxi: Part of the package price is a taxi ride according to the tariff (7% VAT), the rest city tour fee (19% VAT) Duration: 4 hours: Pick up approx. 10-15 min Possible for longer duration mark-up SightseeingTaxi Tour East–West: Depending on your wishes and possibilities (traffic, construction sites, etc.), the route can be individually and planned or spontaneously adapted Taxi Luxury SUV Toyota RAV3: raised seating position for better visibility, leather seats, not visible from outside German (native language): Therefore there is a discount on the tour (about 10 € per person) Pickup included

• German 3-4h with airport

  With transfer from/to the airport: With this option, the transfer from/to BER Airport incl. Welcome or Farewell Tour Pickup included

Before you book

Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Languages

de, en

Ticket

Mobile Only

Runs on

Every day

Group size

Up to 4 travelers per booking

Operated by

Gunter Bauer GAT-Productions

Know before you go

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Child seat for toddlers from six months to three years available, as well as a booster seat for older children. A baby seat can be brought on request (MaxiCosy)
• Wheelchair-friendly transport means: the guest rushes into the raised passenger seat and the wheelchair is taken in the rear

Photos

Traveler reviews

42 verified traveler reviews for Private Taxi Tour City East & West History and Architecture 3-4h. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.