Berlin is a city that exists in the tension between its once glorious, and often dark, past and its relentless drive to reinvent itself. This becomes evident if you take the time to explore the city on foot.
There's no finer tribute to the golden age of Prussian power than the majestic Brandenburg Gate, now a symbol of a unified Berlin after years spent in the no-man's-land on the eastern side of the Berlin Wall. To its west is the Tiergarten park, the largest of the many green spaces in Berlin, and nearby is the Reichstag building, topped by British architect Norman Foster's glass cupola, a striking example of the city's ability to blend old and new. It's worth queuing for a trip to the top, which affords a 360-degree view of the city.
Originally erected opposite the Reichstag building, the Siegessäule victory column now stands at the Grosser Stern crossroads in the Tiergarten. Built to commemorate the triumphs of the Prussian army, the Roman goddess of victory surveys the city from its summit. 
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