When I look back on my travel patterns, Berlin has been one of my second homes, yet in my repeated trips I have only experienced the TV tower from afar. In my past visits, I have seen all of the famous attractions so in this visit I decided it is finally my time to go up for a visit.
Before visiting the tower I watched it for years from below, because that was the thing which most fascinated me. The coating of the sphere, which in the light of daylight, very rare in Berlin, seems to have different colors. My experience as an art historian never abandons me and I always thought of a hypothetical sequence similar to what Monet loved to paint at different times of the day.
The TV Tower or Ferneshturm Berlin, in German, was built with a clear political message during the Cold War. It took a few years to be built and then was inaugurated in 1969. The general secretary of the socialist faction wanted to equip East Germany with its own television system and at the same time show technological superiority to West Germany. When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 the TV Tower became a symbol of the whole of Germany.
My visit took place on a Saturday and despite events in the city for the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall and consequently a city full of tourists. I decided to challenge fate and not to buy the skip the line tickets after consulting the website. This was a personal preference because I always prefer to experiment to give our best to our customers.
I arrived at the entrance and in a few minutes, I got my tickets by buying them at an open kiosk. There is also a normal ticket office if you are not interested in using technology. With tickets in hand, I followed the provided directions, and I arrived at the security check. It was fast and automated and then lead visitors to the entrance of the elevator that take you to the top.
Here you will notice two different rows for those who have bought a fast ticket or skip the line and who has the standard. It’s all very simple and the staff that welcomes you at the elevator is kind and smiling.
It is important to keep the ticket for the entire duration of the visit because it must also be used at the exit turnstile.
The tower stands at 365m high and the tallest building in Berlin! The lift reached an altitude of 200m in 40 seconds. The observatory deck is located at 203m and a restaurant is 207m.
After a speedy elevator ride to get to the top and I started looking around with the full 360 degrees experience. Berlin is at our feet, we would say!
The view is breathtaking, even on the most dreary days of Berlin, the main monuments of the city can be identified through the sixty panoramic windows. It is a tourist experience that does not require long a time frame and is maybe is also an attraction to experience even as a local.
Let’s say that if you had visited one time in your life a city like New York, the impact from the Berlin TV Tower is different but not less exciting. The difference lies in the fact that Berlin panorama is flat without architectural excess in height, but from this privileged point of view, it can be noticed immediately the imposing dome of the Duomo, il Rothes Rathaus, or the green expanse of Tiergarten, just no name a few.
Between one photoshoot and another, you can have a drink at the Bar If you want to have dinner at the restaurant you must book well in advance. The restaurant is famous for turning on itself, with a movement that seems almost imperceptible.
Visiting the TV Tower is a relaxing experience that fits well into a large metropolis that is sometimes chaotic.
The only downside is that the structure is not accessible to people with reduced mobility and also for the family with babies and strollers. All this is explained in detail also on the official website as something that they have tried to overcome over the years without results due to structural problems.
As an attractions expert in doitwell I really have a 360 degree-eye, to capture all the details, I like looking for areas of improvement to enhance the Guest Experience. In a society that increasingly aims to eliminate types of barriers, it is difficult to accept that in a European capital of one of the major attractions that the city offer is not accessible too. I wish there could be ways to have this attraction accessible to everyone. Al alternative could always be offered especially when the technology is at the forefront even with virtual reality or with something that stimulates the emotions.
I believe that the fundamental thing is always to open up to new horizons and make the most of technology. In our checklist of things to do in Berlin as an international company that encourages the Guest Experience we insert the TV Tower because basically, it’s like visiting Rome but not entering the Colosseum.
Rome and the Colosseum will be the highlights of our next article! Don’t forget to check our blog in the next few weeks!
