Tag Archives: historical

Gallery: Altes Museum (Old Museum)

The Altes Museum was built in the early 19th century to contain the Prussian royal family’s collection of art. As lovely as it looks in photos, in real life it is stunning. My traveling companion and I toured the museum for hours, studying the Ancient Greek, Roman, and Etruscan works. At 6pm the bells of the Berlin Cathedral began to ring the call to Vespers, so we ran outside to listen. Once out there, we saw a Syrian wedding party arrive in the Lustgarten out front. They danced and played music while the crowds gathered around and clapped. Later in the trip, I discovered that this exact location was used by the Nazi’s for rallies during WWII. In the image below, I would have been standing about where Hitler is standing as I filmed the New Berlin being celebrated.

Berlin Kundgebung zum 1. Mai 1936 am alten Museum im Lustgarten. Attribution: Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-P022065 / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Berlin
Kundgebung zum 1. Mai 1936 am alten Museum im Lustgarten. Attribution: Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-P022065 / CC-BY-SA 3.0

Syrian Wedding Party, Lustgarten, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger
Syrian Wedding Party, Lustgarten, Berlin. Photo by Scarlett Messenger

Theme: Cemeteries

Cemeteries are everywhere in Germany. Centuries of history combined with a culture built upon memorializing and remembrance give cities like Berlin some of their most beautiful greenspaces. People treat the cemeteries like public parks, so unlike the sterile flat lawns of cemeteries back home you have shady groves, beautiful statuary, and plenty of benches to sit on. It is common to see people having lunch or just hanging out with friends in the cemeteries. Cemetery photography has been a hobby of mine for years, so Berlin was the perfect place for me.

Theme: Architecture

Architecture in Germany is historically significant for its lack of consistency. You can have buildings ranging in age from 300 years old to last year on the same block. This patchwork effect is the visible scarring from centuries of war and division. Germans feel no need to maintain their reputation for a fairytale aesthetic; you often see 18th century buildings with neighbors or additions done in a completely modern style.

Gallery: Marienkirche

Marienkirche (St. Mary’s Church) near Alexanderplatz was first mentioned in 1292, making it at least the second oldest church in Berlin. While we were there, it was undergoing renovations, so I did not take many photos of the outside. Like almost every structure in Berlin, it was rebuilt after the war.