Home News Photo Essay: Tiergarten in Autumn
Photo Essay: Tiergarten in Autumn
Berlin's largest park is also it's prettiest. The Tiergarten park covers over five sqaure kilometers in the center of Berlin and straddles some of the city's most important and iconic tourist attractions. From the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate at the eastern end to the city zoo in the west, there's quite literally something for everyone in the park. But, while summertime in Berlin's parks sees lots of sunbathers (sometimes nude), Frisbees and Sunday picnics, once the weather starts to turn cold, Berliners don't tend to hide away inside. Rather, outside life flourishes — just under thicker jackets and blankets.
And on an autumn weekend in Berlin, there's few places more people visit than the Tiergarten park. Its meandering, dirt pathways, hidden ponds, and small hideaways make it a perfect spot for urban exploration — and it's right in the center of the city! With the leaves changing color, it's also one of the best places for photography at this time of year.
Here are 10 photo-worthy spots from Tiergarten in autumn:
1) Café am Neuen See: One of Berlin's most famous beer gardens, it's set inside the park overlooking a small lake. While there's lots of outdoor seating, there's also an indoor restaurant for when it gets to be too cold.
2) Siegessaule: The Victory Column monument at the center of the park, with a roundabout spiraling around it. The statue commemorates German war victories, and there's a small museum in the bottom floor and several hundred steps up to a great, panoramic viewpoint.
3) Brandenburg Gate: Germany's most iconic symbol, the gate was once the entrance point to Berlin.
4) Open-Air Lamp Post / Gas Lantern Museum: Close to the Tiergarten S-Bahn station, one of the pathways is home to almost 90 different gas-lantern lamp posts, each labeled with the era and location that they were used.
5) Berlin Zoo: The zoo is located inside the park; but even though it's ticketed, some of the exhibitions run right up to the park alongside the Landwehr Canal, where you can easily spot ostriches and other animals for free.
6) Rose Garden: A small rose garden and neoclassical promenade is located in the southeastern side of the Siegessaule monument — great for photos!
7) Goethe Monument: On the edge of the park closest to Brandenburg Gate, you'll find memorials to several famous German artists, writers, and composers — including a large monument to Goethe, the Romantic writer from 19th-century Germany.
8) Memorial to LGBT Holocaust Victims: While Berlin's most famous Holocaust memorial — the one to murdered Jewish victims of the Holocaust — is just outside of Tiergarten, there's a small memorial to its gay and lesbian victims located right inside the park. You'll find it just opposite the Jewish Holocaust memorial.
9) Haus der Kulturen der Welt (House of World Cultures): This is Germany's national center for international contemporary arts, and the site of many festivals, including the Berlinale International Film Festival each February.
10) Platz der Republik: On the fringes of the Tiergarten, this is the park just in front of the Reichstag. It's the site of many political demonstrations and protests but on quieter days, offers a clear and picturesque view of Germany's many government buildings located in the area.
Autumn is a great time to visit Berlin. Have you ever visited the city, or been to the Tiergarten? If so, what'd you think? If not, would you like to visit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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Master of Fun at Travels of Adam
Adam is a globetrotter and travel writer based in Berlin, Germany, who covers travel tips for music, festivals, art, nightlife, and gay travel in the best cities of Europe and the world. When he's not out exploring the coolest bars and clubs, he's usually enjoying the local arts and culture scene of a new city. You'll find him most often on Twitter — say hi! Follow him on Instagram for more as well.
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