Berlin Alexanderplatz and TV Tower
Just being on the Alexanderplatz in Berlin is a wonderful experience. Seems like every visitor and local somehow ends up on, and around, this square, either for shopping, sightseeing, taking pictures, meeting up with friends, drink a beer, play an instrument, sing a song, dance a bit or just like me, being here.
I love walking around the square and observing the people sitting around the fountain, walking over the square just like myself and taking photos of the old and new buildings, the light and capturing the atmosphere. And as the folk walk over the square the yellow metro (street car) crosses the square every few minutes in a never ending rhythm.
Alexanderplatz through the times
Alexanderplatz, called Alex by the locals, has its name from a Russian Tzar named Alexander in the 1800s, but that’s old history.
More recent history was quite turbulent as it was heavily bombed in WW2 and ended up behind the Iron Curtain in the Eastern Sector of Berlin which belonged to the German Democratic Republic (GDR).
Back then the square was accessible for cars but in the 1960s the Alexanderplatz belonged to the pedestrians and trams and that hasn’t changed since.
Fun Fact:
Alexanderplatz is the 4th most popular square in Europe and the most visited area in Berlin with over 300.000 visitors daily on average.
The Fountain of Friendship
The fountain in front of Galeria Kaufhof, in German the “Brunnen der Völkerfreundschaft” is called the Fountain of Friendship between Peoples and is built in the late 1960s to commemorate the 21st anniversary of East Germany.
Nowadays it’s a popular spot for young and old to meet, rest and to hang out. From here you have great views of the TV Tower and looking up the other side you can see folk in the Sky swing at the top of the Park Inn Hotel. My stomac tickles just writing about this!
The World Time Clock
The World Time Clock at Alexanderplatz is another unique landmark on the square where locals and visitors meet, take selfies, post TikTok and Insta Videos and where often musicians and other performers do their thing. The metal cylinder, the actual clock, displays the names of 146 cities around the world. Above the cylinder is a representation of the world.
Berlin TV Tower
Dominating the Skyline in large parts of Central Berlin is the famous TV Tower (Fernsehturm), west from the main Alexanderplatz behind the railway station. With 368 metres the TV Tower is the tallest building in Germany
Berlin TV Tower Facts:
Height 368 metres.
Completed in 1969.
Build time 4 years.
Diameter of the Sphere is 32 metres.
The Observation Deck is at 203 metres.
The Elevator takes you up in 40 seconds.
It IS located in Alexanderplatz.
The restaurant rotates 360 Degrees.
Max view distance around 60km on clear days.
Total weight over 30,000 tons.
And yes, the cross does show 😊
Symbol of East German Communism
Communist East Germany was proud to have built the TV Tower. After all, it is a symbol of power to build such a magnificent structure, in only four years, dominating the capitalist western part of Berlin. It came however at a cost as quite a few buildings had to be destroyed in the area to make way for this huge construction.
With the height of the TV Tower the East German TV Signals reached a much larger area than before and introducing colour tv at the same time. Today the TV Tower is still used to broadcast radio and tv signals.
Visit the Berlin TV Tower
The TV Tower can be visited and will set you back around 30 Euros. It’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in Berlin and visited by well over a million folk annually. It has a rotating deck with restaurant in the Sputnik like sphere. It’s best to book in advance.
At a little over 200 metres above the ground it offers amazing views over Berlin and further afield, up to 60km, in clear conditions. The sphere itself is 32 meters in diameter.
Role of the TV Tower in the Cold War
Needless to say the TV Tower was used to spy on the west of Germany, both visual and through interception of communication signals from the allied western forces by the Stasi and other security services.
Shopping on Alexanderplatz
If you’re like me you’re not visiting this wonderful square to go shopping but that doesn’t mean you can’t. There are many shops on the square and even more so in the nearby Alexa Shoppingmall, one of the finest in Berlin according to my 17 year old daughter.
The main shop on Alexanderplatz is of course Galeria Kaufhof, the big warehouse. Furthermore there are your typical souvenir shops, clothing stores, drug stores and a few cafe’s.
