"Berlin is an ever-changing city, a cultural blend of German-Prussian traditions and proud history, with an insatiable longing for new, daring architecture, art and music. Life in the German capital has always been on the cutting-edge from the wild days of 1920s cabaret and the horrors of World War II, to the menacing wall and the sudden reunification and reinvention of this metropolis. Culture, art and festivals have always been a means to cope with life here, along with the quirky, cheeky humour and slang of Berliners.
Walking through the streets of historic but hip Scheunenviertel, alongside scruffy buildings that haven't seen paint since 1920 and are still freckled with bullet holes, then suddenly coming across a brand-new glass and steel architectural gem by Helmut Jahn or Jean Nouvel is like taking a roller coaster ride through European history.Culture is in continuum here, as art galleries and boutiques sprout up next to sombre-looking museums loaded with high-brow art.
Due to the Cold War division of the city, there are two clusters of world-class museums, situated in what was once divided as East and West Berlin. The more historic centre on Museum Island is a massive, grey colossus started in the late 19th century, home to the famous Pergamonmuseum. Its West Berlin counterpart, the Kulturforum, near lush Tiergarten park, holds the Philharmonie, a tent-like showcase of 1960s architecture that shimmers golden in the sunlight, and the Gemaldegalerie, which has an exceptional collection of fine art. The Hohenzollern monarchs who amassed the city's treasures once lived nearby, in suprisingly playful palaces such as Schloss Charlottenburg, which has been restored to its former glory, reflecting the long-ago excesses that present a stark contrast to the grey post-war years.
But Berlin is at heart, a youthful city, especially at night when the latest European hip hop, techno, electro pop and other computer-based beats can be heard in its clubbing and bar scene. This is a city throbbing with new-found energy and life, shaking off its history to emerge at the heart of modern Europe."
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