Oranienburger Strasse
ORANIENBURGER TOR, NEUE SYNAGOGE, TACHELES, MONBIJOUPARK, REINHARDTSTRASSEhis is the neighbourhood were my hotel was, Helter Skelter. It is just north of River Spree, around Friedrichstrasse's Northern end. On this page you can find Oranienburger Tor, Oranienburger Strasse and Reinhardtstrasse.
Oranienburger Tor:
Oranienburger Tor, the square just next to the hotel.
Friedrichstadt-Palast, a famous theater at Oranienburger Tor and Friedrichstrasse's North end.
The hostel; simple but cheap.
Oranienburger Strasse:
Kunsthaus Tacheles:
The Tacheles Art House building is situated at Oraninenburger Strasse opposite my hotel. It used to be a department store, before it was bombed during WWII. It was initially demolished in 1980, and planned to be completely demolished in 1990, but some youths occupied it and now it is an art center. It is now a building for artists, punks and contains galleries,a theater, and nightclubs. It is 9000 square meter. The building is in bad shape, partly covered by graffiti. Only some months after my visit in August 2012 it has been decided that the art house will close.
Tacheles seen from Oranienburger Strasse. As a department store it was called Friedrichstadtpassagen, and operated until 1914.
"How long is now" is a sign visible on the Tacheles building. Tacheles is Yiddish for "straight talking".
For a short time Tacheles was a Nazi prizon.
Some artists have their studios with shops at the ground floor of Tacheles.
Tacheles is a popular place to hang out for bohemic artists, punks and homeless. But also other youths, and tourists come here. I didn't go inside though.
The moon and a strange building.
Gentrification (?) opposite Tacheles.
A wall with posters between my hotel and Tacheles.
Oranienburger Strasse with Neue Synagoge (New Synagogue).
The synagogue and the TV tower.
Postfuhramt, a building from 1881. It was damaged during WWII. Until 1989 it was used by the German postal services. Currently it is being used as an exhibition center by gallery C|O Berlin.
A side street, looking towards International Trade Center.
Neue Synagoge at Oranienburger Strasse:
Neue Synagoge at Oranienburger Strasse was built 1859-66 and is the main synagogue for the Jewish community. It has an eastern moorish style that resembles Alhambra. It was designed by Eduard Knoblauch. It was inaugurated with Otto von Bismarck in 1866. It was badly damaged during World War II., but was rebuilt afer the collapse of the wall in 1989. However, this is only the main part of the much larger original synagogue. It is possible to go inside, for an entrance fee. It is not like a synagogue inside, however, more like a synagogue museum.
The synagogue is now a Jewish Center.
The lobby of the synagogue.
A miniature of the synagogue
"The Eternal Lamp". Found by two building workers in 1989 when they cleared the building during renovation.
There is an exhibition inside the synagogue.
The stairway hall of the synagogue.
At the top of the synagogue there are great views of Berlin's skyline, but it was strangely enough not allowed to take photographs.
Monbijoupark:
Oranienburger Strasse, Fernsehturm and Monbijoupark.
Monbijoupark is a small park, situated between the north end of Oranienburger Strasse and River Spree, right next to Museumsinsel.
Palms at an outdoor restaurant at the bank of River Spree, next to Monbijoupark. Museum Island can be seen opposite.
River Spree with Monbijoupark to the left. Fernsehturm and Museumsinsel are also visible.
Terrace restaurant at Monbijoupark.
Fernsehturm seen from Monbijoupark.
Vintage Berlin.
Rundown buildings are still not very unusual, especially not in East Berlin.
Reinhardtstrasse:
A walk at Reinhardtstrasse, between Oraninenburger Tor and the government district (Reischstag).
The bunker at Reinhardtstrasse is conspiciuous.
The bunker, situated next to this glass building, has bullet holes.
Art at the wall of the bunker.
The castle like red brick building is the Charity Hospital (Charité-Krankenhaus).
Modern office buildings near River Spree.
Trabisafari, a tour for tourist in an old Trabant. The only Trabis you'll probably see! Here at the bridge over Spree with government buildings in the back.