Berlin's capital style tour

Politics are made in the heart of the city. New and old, these are the places of political life in Berlin.

Beginning at the Reichstag building, its futuristic dome is the most prominent symbol for politics in Berlin. From here you'll take a ride to the government headquarters, the Bundeskanzleramt.

The citizens of Berlin have given the building the nickname "washing machine". Well, depending on perspective, you’ll discover that there are some similarities. Berlin architects Axel Schultes and Charlotte Frank, however, had other things in mind when their draft was approved under former chancellor Kohl.

At least in terms of size, it is far superior to many other government buildings. It is eight times the size of the White House in Washington, D.C. and it is currently the largest government headquarters in the world, making it a major landmark of this tour.

The diplomatic missions of many foreign countries are equally impressive. The architecture of the buildings differ, but this difference attracts many visitors.

The offices of many special interest groups, however, are also located very closely to the epicenter of German politics. Some people mock the direct proximity of arms manufacturers to the Bundestag, in particular, stating that the members of the German Parliament are within sight of the lobbyists.

Landmarks include:

• Pariser Platz
• Russische Botschaft/Russian Embassy
• Botschaft UK/ UK Embassy
• Amerikanische Botschaft/US Embassy
• Brandenburger Tor
• Russisches Kriegerdenkmal/Russian Memorial
• Reichstag
• Bundeskanzleramt/Federal Chancellery
• Botschaft der Schweiz/Swiss Embassy
• Hauptbahnhof/Main station
• Bundespressekonferenz/Federal Press Building
• Abgeordnetenhaus/ House of Members of Parliament
• Büros der Bundestags-Abgeordneten/Offices of Members of Parliament
• Hauptstadt-Studios/Capital TV stations
• Banken-Vertretungen/Bank representatives buildings