Berlin: City overview

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As both proud bastion of the Prussian kingdom and the dark heart of the Nazi empire then finally as a divided symbol of the Cold War, Berlin has earned its place in the history books of Europe. The past still looms large over Germany's capital- a scarred and sumptuous landscape that continues to awe and inspire - but as a city reunited, reborn and rejuvenated, the streets are once again abuzz with a creative energy and style that is uniquely Berlin. Even before the jubilant collapse of the wall in 1989, West Berlin's isolation in the heart of communist East Germany was a draw for international artists who tapped into the city's pre-war reputation as a haven for decadence and cultural innovation. Superstars David Bowie and Lou Reed were soon followed by Australian Bad Seed Nick Cave, rubbing shoulders with homegrown cinematic talent Wim Wenders. When Berlin's wall came tumbling down, the traditionally liberal city's cool quotient notched a few places higher as revelers converged on what, for a while, was Europe's biggest party, helping give birth to a vibrant gay and lesbian scene. While low rents in what is one of Europe's greenest capitals have ensured a renewed influx of artists and musicians, the union of East and West hasn't been easy, plunging the city deep into debt and exposing bitter social divides born of years of separation. But teething problems seem to have subsided and the insistent sound of building work now echoes across Berlin as a shining new center rises from the derelict no-man's lands that once sliced through the fast-changing city's heart.

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