Berlin—After the West Came East

Known as one of the most forward-looking, innovative, culturally provocative cities in the Western world, Berlin has transformed itself from the divided, somewhat forbidding symbol that it was before the Wall fell. In those days, West Berlin was the modern, more-or-less free-thinking friend to the US, while East Berlin was bleak and Communist and industrial. Now, East Berlin is super-modern and super-artsy, thanks to an influx of money, people, and creativity that swept in when the Wall came down. Visitors today are charmed by East Berlin's courtyard cafes and theaters, and its galleries and nightclubs housed in former warehouse buildings.

Must See: Germany's Once-Destroyed Berliner Dome

Almost completely burned due to a phosphorous bomb in 1944, the Berliner Dom, or Berlin Cathedral, has undergone extensive renovation.  It was not until 1993 that the renovations were considered complete, and the main nave reopened.  Today, this 19th-century cathedral is viewed as one Germany’s most striking and important ecclesiastical buildings.

Photo Credit: Berliner Dome (PhotoDisc)