12 Fun Facts To Know About Berlin
- Helen
- May 25, 2019
- 5 min read
Berlin today is a large and modern city. As the capital of Germany it has been shaped by its turbulent past. Often thought of as trendy, urban, sexy and cultural, Berlin is a destination popular with both young and old to visit.
Many visit Berlin for the historical and cultural sights that Berlin offers, some come for the night-life, others for the shopping. It is certainly true that Berlin is a city that has plenty to offer any visitor - a fascinating, fun and lively place to be.
Having spent some time recently in Berlin I learnt some fun facts about the city that I had not known before and thought you might like to know them too - giving you a bit more insight into this impressive capital.
12 Fun Facts About Berlin
1. 80 % of Berlin's City Centre Was Destroyed in World War Two
That's right - through both bombings and on the ground fighting during the years of World War Two around 80 % of Berlin's centre was destroyed.
600,000 apartments were lost, alongside palaces, churches, cathedrals and other monuments.
Following the war just 2.8 million of the original 4.3 million pre-war population continued to live in Berlin.
This was a depleted city in every way.
2. The Berlin Wall Was Actually Two Walls
When people speak of the Berlin Wall it is always in the singular...
However, the Berlin Wall was actually two walls.
The barrier that divided East and West Berlin during the Cold War was two concrete walls running parallel to one another with space between the two, known as the 'death strip'. This strip was observed by guards in watch-towers, patrolled by guard-dogs and included flood-lights and trip-wires to prevent people successfully crossing the barrier.
3. Berlin's Size Compared To Paris & London
Berlin has a population size that is around one million more than Paris but over a geographical area that is approximately 8 times greater than Paris.
Compared to London - Berlin had a population of 3.8 million compared to London's 8.7 million (figures from 2016) with London covering a surface area that is approximately twice the size of Berlin.
4. Berlin Has The Largest Department Store in Central Europe
The Kaufhaus des Westerns, abbreviated to KaDeWe in Berlin is a huge upmarket department store that covers 60,000 square meters, making it the largest in Central Europe and the second largest in Europe after Harrods in London.
The store is over 100 years old and something of a Berlin institution, surviving as it did through both world wars and the Cold War unscathed...
Today the gourmet floor is a key attraction to visitors and around 40,000 people are said to walk through the doors of the store each day!
5. Berlin Has More Canals Than Any Other City
Not many people think of canals when they think of Berlin, but Berlin does have 180 km worth of waterways and 1,700 bridges linking them around the city.
This makes Berlin the city in the world with the most canals.... Sorry Venice!
6. Berlin Is 'A City Of Singles'
Berlin might beat Venice hands down when it comes to canals but the one area that Berlin does not compete with is Venice's reputation as a city of love....
Quite the opposite in fact - Berlin is often referred to as 'a city of singles'.
Around half of Berliners live in one person households and over 40% of those over 65 years live alone (many through having been widowed or separated).
Lonely hearts in Berlin are common-place!
7. Berlin Is A Green Oasis
Many might picture Berlin as a built up metropolis with images of the concrete wall and post war, rapidly built buildings... However, this is far from true. Berlin actually has around 2,500 parks and green spaces spread throughout the city.
The large inner city Tiergarten is spread over around 519 hectares and a definite escape from the hustle of the city.
Alongside this are many other key large green spaces including Treptower Park and Schlosspark Charlottenburg.
8. Did JFK Declare Allegiance With Berlin Or Call Himself A Doughnut?
In 1963, John F Kennedy made a famous anti-communist speech when visiting West Berlin in which he famously used the line, "Ich bin ein Berliner"....
Now many would say that he was declaring America's allegiance to Berlin and its people.
In fact, however, to any German the American President has just declared himself to be a doughnut! In Germany a, "Berliner" is a sweet jam filled bakery item, very like a doughnut.
9. David Hasselhoff Is a Much-Loved Figure!
In Berlin, David Hasselhoff has some of his most loyal and dedicated fans.
In the 1980s, Hasselhoff was already a popular celebrity in Germany - famous for his lead part in the TV show KnightRider and for his singing (ahem) talents...
At the time that the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, Hasselhoff's song, "Looking For Freedom" had become an anthem amongst the people of East Berlin. When Hasselhoff performed the song at a celebration concert held at the Berlin Wall just a few weeks after it fell, he further secured his legendary status in the city.
Today, in Berlin is the world's only David Hasselhoff museum!
10. A City With Unique & Iconic Traffic Light Men - The Ampelmännchen
When you first visit Berlin as a pedestrian, one of the first things you will notice when crossing any road at a pedestrian crossing is the fun and unusual traffic light men.
The ampelmännchen of Berlin - translating to, "little traffic light man" are unique to the city.
When the city was divided between east and west, the pedestrian lights in East Berlin all used this working man design, while West Berlin had the traditional lights we see throughout much of the western world. When the wall came down, it was agreed that the entire city would adopt the Ampelmannchen design for the pedestrian lights.
Today Berlin is proud of this surviving symbol of East Berlin and the Ampelmann has his own iconic status and merchandise.
11. Berlin Is A City Dotted With Buddy Bears
As you travel around Berlin you will be struck by the number of colourful bear sculptures found all around the city.
These friendly looking bears stand proudly with their arms in the air and are each uniquely painted. However, what are they all about?
The bear has been a symbol on Berlin's coats of arms since 1280 and today the Berlin coat of arms depicting a black bear against a white background, holding his arms up, remains the city emblem.
The Berlin Buddy Bears are fibre glass sculptures first produced in 2001 for an exhibition in central Berlin, each painted in a design to represent a different nation from around the world.
The exhibition became hugely popular and they were soon seen as a much loved symbol of the city.
Since the original exhibition in Berlin itself, the bears have been travelling the world and exhibited in many other countries. The Buddy Bears have become a symbol of unity between Germany and the world and true ambassadors for their nation.
Luckily, some of the bears stayed at home to still be discovered around Berlin!
12. Berlin Has The World's First Vegan Sex Shop
How could it not end on a truly crazy fact?!?
Yep - within Berlin you will find what is thought to be the world's first vegan sex shop. The shop also defines its values as being feminist, eco-friendly and sex-positive - what more could you ask for...?
It is the little quirks of Berlin today such as this that make Berlin the truly unique city it is!
Website (in case you are interested!)
I hope that this has enlightened you a little more to Berlin as it is today...
Do you have any other unusual or quirky facts about Berlin?
Please share them if you do!
**To make my travels possible and affordable I do so through international house-sitting, using both Trusted Housesitters and Kiwi Housesitters**
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