Then And Now: Can You Recognise Berlin From These Photographs?

Berlin will never quite be complete; instead it continuously morphs its form. Here are some photographs of Berlin through its many phases of development, juxtaposed with recent photographs of today’s city. What has changed, and what has stayed the same?

Berlin has been through a lot, much more than most others cities can attest to. It has seen two World Wars, a fascist regime, a war of ideology that saw a great big Wall divide the city in half; the city has been defeated and rebuilt over and over again. Each day, new stories are built on top of old histories, adding new dimensions to a city in constant change and eternal becoming.

Checkpoint Charlie

The first images shows the American sector of Berlin’s most famous border control post, Checkpoint Charlie, taken in 1982. Checkpoint Charlie today is one Berlin’s most visited tourist attractions, where fake American guards make a buck from posing for photos with willing tourists. Almost nothing that stands there today is original.

Brandenburg Gate

A desolate Brandenburg Gate, shown from East Berlin in 1987 with the Wall still in front of it, compared to a modern view of Berlin’s most iconic landmark captured in 2016.

Potsdamer Platz

Today, modern, flashy buildings like the Sony Centre and enormous skyscrapers make Potsdamer Platz Berlin’s equivalent of Times Square. However, the first image shows a more stark picture over the square which was taken from the Berlin Wall.

East Side Gallery

The first image was taken in 1990, just after the restrictions of the Wall were lifted. The second is a scene of the remnants of the Wall, in what has today become East Side Gallery. The graffiti-covered wall, with cranes in the background that give insight to Berlin’s rapid residential and commercial development.

The BVG

The BVG is Berlin’s beloved underground and railway system. The first image in East Berlin is of the now defunct orange tram on line 84, taken in 1990, compared with today’s modern yellow trams of Berlin captured in 2016.

Altes Museum

The Altes Museum (Old Museum) is one of five museums that form part of the UNESCO heritage site at Museum Island. The museum was built between 1825 and 1828 and after being crippled by war, it began restoration in 1966. The first image is undated, although you can see the difference in landscaping around the museum from the second image taken in 2014.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.