Greeting From Berlin, Germany

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Berliner Dom on the Museum Insel

The National Galerie

At the Pergamon Museum.

The gate of Ishtar at the Pergamon Musum

Jürgen Knubben, Tête à Tête,  inspired by Nefertiti sculpture in the Neues Museum

Meticulously restored façades in Prenzleauer

At the Russian War Memorial in Treptower Park, old East Berlin

It has been ten years since I was in Berlin last.  Much renovation many buildings have been completed since then.  It is a vibrant, fun place with incredible culture and of course, much history.  Besides, my niece Sophia now lives here, so it was even more fun exploring the city.
Many neighborhoods have similarity with Brooklyn and seem to attract young families. There is a building height limit in many of Berlin's different residential sections, so that one never feels dwarfed by the buildings.  And everywhere, there are parks and playgrounds, people on bicycles and outdoor cafés.

One of the most intriguing projects currently undertaken in Berlin is the re-construction of the old Berlin Stadtschloss, the city's palace on the Museum Insel. From 1701 to 1918, it was the main residence of the Hohenzollern Kings of Prussia. The castle was heavily damaged during bombing in World War II and repairs were deemed too expensive. In 1950, what remained was torn down by the East German government and in the 1970's, the German Democratic Republic built the Palast der Republik (Palace of the Republic), its seat of government, on part of the site.

After Germany's re-unification, the modernist building was torn down and plans were made to re-construct the castle.  In fact, what is being built is a new structure with a façade that is an exact copy of the old Schloss.

Drawings of what the new castle will look like.

A sample section of the new castle (shown in red on the daring above) has already been erected to show the people of Berlin what the castle will look like.

One saved, original section of the old castle was re-purposed in 1963 on a building on the Museum Insel.