Berlin's Airlift

-
Image
On fine days, a popular destination in Berlin is the  Tempelhofer Feld .  This park, one of the largest urban open spaces in the world, was created in 2010 and occupies the area that until 2008 accommodated Tempelhof Airport. Opened in 1923 as the airport of the Reich Ministry of Transport, it was enlarged by order of Hitler during the years when he was in power, in anticipation of an increase in air traffic as part of his ambitious plan to turn Berlin into the 'World Capital Germany' ( Welthauptstadt Germania ). Tempelhofer Feld The airport's finest hour, however, came in 1948. In the city divided after the end of the Second World War, Tempelhof was located in West Berlin, the section of the city split between the Allied powers and isolated from the rest of the western world, an island in the middle of East Germany. In 1948, the Allies introduced a new currency, the Mark, into the German territories they occupied, without informing the Soviets, who, in reaction, closed  
Post a Comment

Cherry Blossoms in Berlin

-

Right on time, every spring, thousands of cherry trees bloom in the streets and parks of Berlin. 

The Berliners, taking advantage of the first proper sunny days of the season, follow these clouds of pink petals around the city. Social networks are flooded with photos of cherry trees in bloom, and lists of places to go see them: from Prenzlauerberg to Marzahn, from Wedding to Lichterfelde... Wherever you choose to go, you won't be disappointed! 

The blooming of Berlin's cherry trees is an event to be celebrated at the huge Gärten der Welt, in the Britzer Garten, or in Lichterfelde, in the Japanische Ecke. This is where the Hanami-Fest is celebrated every year. The word 'hanami' in Japanese means to admire the cherry blossom.

Cherry blossoms at the Gärten der Welt, 2019

The story of the Berlin cherry trees begins with the Fall of the Wall in 1989.

The Japanese donated cherry trees to the city as a symbol of peace and rebirth. In Japan, the cherry tree  traditionally symbolises rebirth. as it blooms so magnificently in Spring. The cherry blossom is called Sakura, and it was thanks to the Sakura Campaign, that more than ten thousand cherry trees have been planted in Berlin and Brandenburg. The first ones were planted as early as 1990 along the Glienicke Bridge, the 'spy bridge'. 

Along the former border between West Berlin and the GDR in the south of the city, between the Lichterfelde and Teltow districts, is the Japanese Corner with the Kirschblutenallee (the 'Cherry Avenue'), where more than a thousand trees have been planted in two rows. Although the traditional Hanami festival will not take place in 2021, you can't miss the blossoming: the foreseen date for it is on 24-26 April. 

As a proper reporter, I've been there just yesterday, and can't wait to be back in a few days,to see it in all its pink glory. 

Cherry blossom ready to bloom in a couple of days
Kirschenallee


To reach the Kirschblutenallee, get off at the Lichterfelde-Süd stop on the S25. Go straight into the park and turn right. Follow the path and you will suddenly find yourself surrounded by a cloud of pink petals. The Japanese corner is bordered by fields as far as the eye can see, inviting you to take long, quiet walks; the presence of the Mauerweg also means that you can enjoy a nice bike ride. 


NOTE: All photos are mine and cannot be used without my permission.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Berlin's Airlift

-
Image
On fine days, a popular destination in Berlin is the  Tempelhofer Feld .  This park, one of the largest urban open spaces in the world, was created in 2010 and occupies the area that until 2008 accommodated Tempelhof Airport. Opened in 1923 as the airport of the Reich Ministry of Transport, it was enlarged by order of Hitler during the years when he was in power, in anticipation of an increase in air traffic as part of his ambitious plan to turn Berlin into the 'World Capital Germany' ( Welthauptstadt Germania ). Tempelhofer Feld The airport's finest hour, however, came in 1948. In the city divided after the end of the Second World War, Tempelhof was located in West Berlin, the section of the city split between the Allied powers and isolated from the rest of the western world, an island in the middle of East Germany. In 1948, the Allies introduced a new currency, the Mark, into the German territories they occupied, without informing the Soviets, who, in reaction, closed  
Read more...»

Berlin: the Future and the Memory

-
Image
From being a humble fishing village to becoming a multi-ethnic metropolis, Berlin is a relatively young city with an intense and tumultuous history.  To walk through Berlin is to walk through time and breathe history at every corner. The city has a troubled past, and yet, just like a phoenix, it was able to be born again and again, always different and at the same time always the same, refusing to forget what happened before: traces of the past are scattered throughout Berlin. There are monuments and memorials as well as historical buildings or protected open areas, so that things of the past can never be forgotten.  Left: East Side Gallery; Right: Pieta by Kate Kollowitz Berlin is a very large city: almost 900 square kilometers in which you can find everything . There is everything you expect to find in a European capital: palaces, castles, and monuments; museums (170 in total, 5 of which, on the Museum Island, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites); 80 public libraries; the oldest zoo in G
Read more...»