Potsdamer Platz was once no man’s land. Divided between East and West Berlin, this former busy traffic intersection became a stranded empty space. But after the wall came down, the city wanted a public square which it could be proud of. A design competition was therefore organised. From no man’s land to Europe’s biggest building site, today, Potsdamer Platz (Potsdam Square) is home to modern architecture, business headquarters, retail plazas and wide-open public spaces. It is in this square that the divided city was able to work together once again.
Get a full view of the whole of Potsdamer Platz containing the original square, and the adjoining blocks, by taking Europe’s fastest elevator to the Panoramapunkt. On a clear day, you can watch the city from the open-air observation deck on top of the Kohlhof building. Soak up some of the best views of the city, including the Platz’s hard-to-miss Sony Centre and Debis Tower.
If the weather isn’t good, there is an IMAX Cinema in the Sony Centre, or go into any one of the Potsdamer Platz’s 30 cinema screens. For film fans, the Sony Centre also contains the Filmhaus, the Film and Television Museum, and, just a short walk away, you’ll find the Dietrich Place, home to Berlin’s International Film Festival.
Fashionistas need not walk far. The latest in European fashion can be found in the Potsdamer Platz Arcaden, a glass-covered arcade featuring more than 150 boutiques and restaurants. On a sunny day, take a stroll around the Tilla Durieux Park. With its manicured lawns, it resembles a huge piece of modern art. Kids will love the giant seesaw in the centre.
To find Potsdamer Platz, head to central Berlin, just south of the Tiergarten and Brandenburg Gate. Berlin Potsdamer Platz station, a major local and regional railway hub, is located underneath Potsdamer Platz.
