Architecture and Design

After reunification, the former east Berlin quickly became one of the biggest construction zones on the planet. Architects from all over the world flocked to the city to put their mark (and perhaps make their reputation). The work continues today and tall cranes and workers in hardhats, are visible everywhere. The Sony Center, near Potsdamer Platz is one of the most striking examples. Glass, chrome, half inside, half outside.

This site used to be a dreary, empty, square until after reunification, and has only recently been completed. Now the sparkling new mixed-use center draws residents and visitors alike while the nearby Ritz Hotel beckons well heeled visitors the world over.

The new Hauptbahnhof is a stunning site. Intercity and intercontinental trains pass through here hundreds of times a day with tracks on four separate levels heading in all directions. There are also dozens of shops and restaurants catering to travellers and non-travellers alike.