Exiting the Berliner Dom it is time to return back to the hotel on a more circuitous route. Specifically we want to avoid most of Unter den Linden boulevard and take side streets to Checkpoint Charlie and then return from the to the Potsdamer Platz. But first we enjoy the river side views where we descended from the Dom including some nice views of the TV Tower. In fact as we will learn the next day we are really close to it but today we are too tired to try to walk to it.
Returning we first walk along the Unter den Linden boulevard passing by many of the majestic buildings we saw also the other way. But this time we walk on the other side of the boulevard offering us different sights than when we walked the other way. The one new thing of note we see is the Neue Wache memorial in the former Royal Guardhouse famous for years for the changing of the guard ceremony which has been discontinued since. But now it has a Memorial to the Victims of War and Tyranny.
The State Opera is also surprisingly popular with lots of well dressed people in front, maybe there is a show this evening? And then next to the former Hotel Carlton building we change our route and leave Under den Linden and continue southwards towards Checkpoint Charlie.
This area is in a way an extension of the Unter den Linden area with some beautiful buildings and interesting facades. We keep searching for interesting details, overall it is a nice walk and we are happy we deviated from the original route.
The most stunning location on the walk is the Gendarmenmarkt anchored on two sides by two similar churches, the French Cathedral and the German Cathedral. The French Cathedral was built to support the French Huguenot Protestants and houses a Huguenot museum while the German Cathedral features parliamentary history exhibits. We try to enter and visit the exhibit but unfortunately it is closing time so we are ushered out.
Between them is the Konzerthaus Berlin, an impressive building which houses, what else, concerts. And then after exploring the area thoroughly it is time to continue south towards Checkpoint Charlie.
However on the way we are distracted by a chocolate shop exhibiting copies of major German buildings made out of chocolate. Lecker!! We even buy some cocoa to try at home, and, spoiler alert, they are really good.
Afterwards finally we reach Checkpoint Charlie, made famous through many movies and even some music videos. Just the guardhouse is left and a sign showing that you are leaving/entering, the western sector of Berlin. It is quite popular for photos but there aren’t a lot of things to do here so we now change directions and start in the direction of our hotel deciding to visit the Topography of Terror exhibit on the way, if it is still open.
