| Berlin is a place obsessed with the legacy of two world wars. In our opinion the Germans
have done a good job balancing between remembrance and progress. Many buildings were built
in new architectural styles, with glass and steel, to avoid recreating any building facades
that were popular with the Nazis. Vestiges of the drab communist style exist in East Berlin,
but these buildings are decorated much better than their counterparts in other former Soviet
controlled areas. The communists were interested in 'keeping up appearances' in East Berlin
since this was the most viewable spot of the Soviet world by Westerners. With these influences
Berlin displays the most architecturally diverse collection of buildings in Europe.
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| Old architecture: Berlin cathedral. |
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| New architecture: Sony center, PotsdamerPlatz |
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| Communist architecture: this concrete apartment building is very fancy by communist
standards |
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| Old and new architecture: the Reichstag dome looks ultra-modern sitting
atop the gothic style Reichstag building |