Private tour of Berlin's green Tiergarten district
At the end of the 17th century, elector Friedrich III had his former hunting area transformed into a pleasure garden for his subjects. This park is known as Tiergarten.
The park, which covers an area of approximately 200 hectares, has been redesigned several times. The famous landscape gardener Peter Joseph Lenné transformed the garden into an English-styled public park in 1833.
The park experienced its most significant transformation, however, during World War II and in the years to follow. It had been severely damaged as a result of fierce fights in the center of Berlin. In its aftermath, Berlin suffered strong winters and little supply of firewood; a result of cutting down trees. Reforestation was only possible through tree donations from other German cities.
Today, scars of the war are no longer visible. Tiergarten is Berlin's central green lung amidst other attractions of the city. Around Tiergarten you will find many places of interest such as the Victory Column, the Office of the Federal President, Haus der Kulturen and the Carillon.
There are numerous monuments and memorials in the park such as the German Resistance Memorial Center, Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht Memorial.
In addition to several lakes including Neuer See and Tiergartengewässer with the Louise Island, there are many well restored bridges and pavilions. Another lake is located in the "English Garden" where you will also find a teahouse. Particularly, the summer is a pleasurable time to sit on the large terrace of the teahouse and enjoy the scenery.
Landmarks include:
- Pariser Platz
- Unter den Linden
- Holocaust-Denkmal/Holocaust memorial
- Potsdamer Platz
- Sony Center, Philharmonie/Berlin Philharmonic
- Matthäikirche/ Church of Matthew
- National-Galerie/National Gallery
- Shellhaus/Shell-House
- Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand/Memorial of the German Resistance
- Luiseninsel im Tiergarten Botschafter-Viertel/Embassy district
- Siegessäule/Victory Column
- Schloss Bellevue/Bellevue Castle, Haus der Kulturen der Welt/House of World Cultures
- Reichstag and Brandenburger Tor/Brandenburg Gate
