Berlin Germany Insider Sigtseeing – TOP 10 Sights – Part 4 of 4Written by Marcus Hochstadt
What Museum Island means to UNESCO, is Erotic Museum for adults. But let’s see what (else) amazingly we will discover today.X. Erotik Museum This "museum" lies on corner of seediest-looking block in Berlin. The museum in its exhibits honors "queen of Rubber Willy" herself, Beate Uhse. It's a household name here in Germany. Her life is documented from her days at "Deutsche Luftwaffe" to pictures of her at helm of a large speedboat. This septuagenarian opened world's first shop devoted to "marital hygiene," ultimately championing right to sell contraceptives. Today she still heads world's largest sex-related merchandising business. Downstairs are video cabins filled with middle-aged men in raincoats and a "sex superstore." However, you start out on third floor and work your way down (there is no sexual pun intended). Eventually, it is hard to believe, that it has become fifth most visited museum in Berlin. The museum shelters 5,000 sexual artifacts from around world. Asian and Indian miniatures of erotic positions; African fertility masks; large carved phalli from Bali; or some Chinese wedding tiles from 18th and 19th century that were supposed to provide sexual education to a newly married couple. Life-size dioramas explore topics such as fetishism and S&M. Well-worth visiting. XI. Gendarmenmarkt Gendarmenmarkt is considered as Europeans most beautiful square, so a must see for every tourist. Here you will find three historical buildings; "Konzerthaus" (Concert House), "Deutscher Dom" (German Cathedral), and "Franzoesischer Dom" (French Cathedral). The square was laid out from 1688 to plans of J.A. Nering. It was originally known as Linden Markt, then Friedrichstädtischer Markt or Neuer Markt. Because square was used by a curassier regiment "gens d'arms," from 1736–82, complete with sentry boxes and stables, name Gendarmenmarkt arose. From 1777, square was developed according to unified plans drawn up by Georg Christian Unger. It was badly damaged in Second World War. On occasion of 250th anniversary of Prussian Academy of Sciences (Akademie der Wissenschaften), it was renamed "Platz der Akademie." In 1991, its previous name was restored.
| | Berlin Germany Insider Sigtseeing – TOP 10 Sights – Part 3 of 4Written by Marcus Hochstadt
Did you know that Berlin has more than 140 Museums? In this third part we will take a walk through medieval Museum's Island.I strongly recommend using S-Bahn to go there (station "Friedrichstrasse"). It's just amazing when you recognize how S-Bahn passes between two of five Museums. VIIII. Museumsinsel (Museum's Island) Considering that Berlin has more than 140 museums, this area is just a tiny part of it. But, consort of museums found on Museum Island is a unique cultural inheritance which unites five important museum buildings into a heterogeneous but harmonic ensemble on River Spree. The oldest museum complex in Berlin suffered more than 70 % destruction in Second World War. The painstaking work of restoration is a long way from being completed. The island contains following five edifices: |
