After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which marked the first step of the German reunification, Berlin began to thrive as the capital of Germany. Potsdamer Platz was the first location where the breaching of the wall and clearing of no man s land occurred, for the border crossing and, contrary to popular belief, only a month later did the Brandenburg Gate crossing open. Potsdamer Square became afterwards the site of significant redevelopment projects (the New Berlin) and this is where Roger Waters (ex-Pink Floyd) concert extravaganza “The Wall” took place. Berlin has nowadays a population of over 3,5 million inhabitants and it is the second largest city of the EU by population within city administrative limits, the first being London. In order to find out what make this city so appealing, here are top 10 reasons to live in Berlin.
1. It has a high quality of life – in 2012, lifestyle magazine Monocle ranked Berlin number 18 on its annual list of the most liveable cities worldwide. The rate of liveability takes into consideration factors such as safety and rate of crime, environmental aspects, eclectic culture, architecture and urban design, tolerance, health care, business opportunities (excellent startup culture), climate (temperate oceanic), economical and political stability (the the service sector is the major part of economy and primarily creative industries) and public transportation networks.
2. It is the most affordable capital in Western Europe. Although the rate of liveability does not take into account the cost of living, Berlin is pretty cheap when compared with other European capitals.For instance, the average weekly expenses for groceries is around $40, entrance to famous clubs and bars $4-$15 and the average rent is $220.
3. Berlin is a city-symbol for tolerance and peace – the Buddy Bears, or Berlin Bears are artistically painted fibreglass bears sculptures found in downtown Berlin, which stand as the symbol of Berlin. In contrast to this city event, the United Buddy Bears represents an international art exhibition which embodies the Art of Tolerance (the bears stand hand-in-hand and form the circle of tolerance) and which promotes the visionary message of international understanding, peace, love, harmony and tolerance among all nations, races, religions and cultures.
4. It is renowned as a center of popular culture and youth and this is why young artists in particular want to settle here. Its magnificent and versatile culture, with internally reputable cultural and media institutions, 153 museums, 700 art galleries, a diverse art scene with outstanding performing arts (50 theatres) as well as fantastic street art, makes this “City of Design” as it was awarded by UNESCO, very popular among people interested in art and culture. This is why singer/songwriter David Bowie called Berlin “the greatest cultural extravaganza that you could imagine”.
The Museum Island is located in Mitte, the central district of Berlin, on an island in the Spree River and it includes five internationally renowned museums, including Berliner Dom (Cathedral). Other museums include the largest erotic museum in the world, Pergamon Museum and The Jewish Museum. The East Side Gallery is an open-air art gallery, unique to Berlin and consists of 105 paintings by international artists, directly onto the remaining sections of its wall and it was established in 1990 as a memorial for freedom.
5. Berlin has an eclectic architecture, an exciting and sublime blend of old and modern. The iconic Brandenburg Gate ultimate symbol of Berlin; its glass dome feature offers amazing views of Berlin. The TV tower located at Alexanderplatz in central district Mitte is an imposing structure and you can view Berlin from its 204 metres observation floor. The Red City Hall has distinctive red brick architectureand it is located in Mitte too. Berlin architecture also combines in Potsdamer Square important hotels designed in the late 19th century, with Europe s largest newly building site, which includes Daimler-Benz, Beisham Center and the Sony Centre, completed in 2000. Berlin Victory Column is another symbol of Berlin a a popular tourist attraction; it symbolizes the German military victories in the past.
6. Berlin has a vibrant nightlife, strong gay culture and internationally acclaimed festivals. Berlin is also considered the Mecca of electronic and dance music and it is home to the most famous clubs in Europe, including Watergate, Berghain (for the partyscene) and Club der Visionaire (for a chill scene). Berlin international Film Festival ( Berlinale) is held annually in Berlin and it is attended by famous Hollywood stars. The headquarters of MTV Europe are also in this city.
7. It is one of the greenest it ranks eighth in top ten greenest cities in Europe. The Tiergarten is the largest park in Mitte. There are also plenty of bars along the river Spree, cafes and green spaces to enjoy and the canals, lakes and woodlands are excellent for recreation and relaxation time.
8. Berlin has a highly developed bike lane system.
9. Berlin is a prolific center of research and higher education in the EU.
10. Berlin is located right in the middle of Europe and therefore, it is very easy to get to other European cities.
