 |
| ||||||
Over in the east are Berlin, Germany’s famous capital, and Leipzig, a major sporting city where the DFB (German Football Association) was founded in 1900. Berlin lies in the middle of the state of Brandenburg, and is often wrongly identified as its capital. In fact the city is a state in its own right, and the capital of Brandenburg is nearby Potsdam. Leipzig’s history is characterized by music and politics as well as sport: formerly home to Bach, Mendelssohn and Wagner, it is also recognized as the starting point of the ‘peaceful’ revolution of 1989 which paved the way for the reunification of Germany. |
Berlin Ask a British person for a Berlin landmark and they’ll probably name the remains of the Wall or the classically-influenced Brandenburg Gate. But a more modern (and equally popular) sight is the spectacular Reichstag, re-designed by the famous British architect Sir Norman Foster. Clubbers are just as likely to name the many bars and clubs in the capital – though their stylish interiors have plenty of competition from open-air events devoted to the likes of sport (the Berlin marathon), classical music (Classic Open Air at the Gendarmenmarkt) and gay and lesbian culture (Christopher Street Day). If all that sounds a bit much try relaxing in the Tiergarten, a huge park/zoo hybrid, or shopping on Kurfürstendamm or Friedrichstrasse. Stadium and football team: Olympia Stadion, Hertha Berlin Travelling to Berlin: Berlin is served by two airports from the UK – the closest are Berlin Tegel (8km away) and Berlin Schönefeld (28 km away). Drivers can get there on autobahns A2, A9 or A13. You can also reach Berlin by using one of the direct train connections from most major cities in Europe. |
|
Leipzig Leipzig has a bit of everything. Trade fairs and fantastic shopping rub shoulders with museums, concert halls and jazz bars, all of them against a backdrop of Renaissance and Baroque architecture. It’s also a great centre for excursions in the Sachsen (Saxony) region – explore the Valley of Castles, visit the porcelain and wine-producing town of Meissen, or try your hand at bobsleigh at Oberhof, a winter sports centre in the Thuringian Forest. Events in Leipzig include Bach and Mendelssohn festivals, a famous Christmas market and a book fair that takes place around mid-March. Stadium and football team: Zentralstadion, FC Sachsen Leipzig Travelling to Leipzig: Drivers can reach Leipzig on autobahns A9 (Berlin-Munich) and A14 (Halle-Dresden). Rail connections include EuroCity (EC), InterCity (IC) and InterRegio (IR) services. Leipzig/Halle Airport is just 18km from the city centre and connected by rail shuttle. Now try answering the following questions. You’ll need to take account of the information on this page, and do some further reading at www.germany-tourism.co.uk. Pay particular attention to: Destination Germany Events
|
|
