Berlin from above
You don't really know the German capital if you haven't seen it through birds' eyes. DW takes you on a tour.
The bird's eye
From above, Berlin loses its edgy grunge and takes on new charm. DW takes you on an aerial tour of the German capital. Seen from the top of the Park Inn, the TV Tower on Alexanderplatz feels close enough to reach out and grab. Below, the city transforms into a booming metropolis where ancient architecture meets new grey high rises.
All in one place
The Park Inn offers visitors views of Berlin's best tourist sites. To the right is the Berlin Cathedral; to the left is St. Hedwig's Cathedral with the Gendarmenmarkt behind it; and the Unter Den Linden boulevard stretches toward the white tented roof of the Sony Center.
Transformation
When seen from above, the architecture of Berlin's neighborhoods morph from old to new, concrete to glass, drab to colorful.
Church and state
Berlin's Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall) and the steeple of St. Nicholas' Church in the Nikolai Quarter are surrounded by newer buildings. Hard at work, construction crews and yellow cranes bring more change to the area.
Northern stretch
Here is the view from the top of the Flak Tower in Humboldthain Park. The northern section of city spreads out towards the horizon, the stretches of apartment blocks only briefly broken by smokestacks and church steeples.
Sea of red
The Neukölln Arcaden shopping center provides a close-up view of Berlin's Neukölln neighborhood, which has a large immigrant population. Red-roofed apartments stretch through the area, all the way up to the O2 Arena along the River Spree.
Seasonal hangout
In the summer, groups of people often sit on the roof of the Neukölln Arcaden shopping center, refreshing themselves with cold drinks and döner kebabs. In the chilly temperatures of early spring, it is usually abandoned and peaceful.
Omnipresent landmark
Berlin's flat landscape means the TV Tower on Alexanderplatz can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. Without the clear perspective from above, if you get lost on the ground, you can always use the tower as a navigational guide.