Day 17 - Berlin

We went to the Pergamon Museum this morning, and it was amazing.  We got there just after 9.30 to be early in line for tickets for the 10.00 am opening (we have seen big queues there later in the day) and found we could get straight in, which was brilliant.  We were very impressed by the reconstructions of massive archaeological structures – the Pergamon Altar, Market Gate of Miletus, the Ishtar Gate and of Babylon, and the Mshatta Facade.  The Pergamon Altar is to be closed from the end of the month until 2020 so we are very fortunate to have seen it.

Ishtar Gate of Babylon

Miletus Gate

Pergamon Altar

Frieze from Pergamon Altar

Part of the Mshatta Facade from an enclosing wall decorated with reliefs from a Jordan desert castle

There were also other stunning exhibits, including islamic art.

We purchased a multiple museum pass, so then moved on to the Neues Museum, where we saw the Golden Hat and the bust of Nefertiti (no photos allowed), as well as other Egyptian artefacts, and then we moved onto the Altes Museum, which housed lovely Greek and Roman artefacts.  We were getting a bit museum-ed out by then so the exhibits maybe didn't get the attention they deserved.

In the Neues Museum

After we left Museum Island we wandered a bit further afield and found the Berlin Rathaus (Town Hall) and St Nicholas Church.

Berlin Rathaus

We were back beside the Spree River so continued on and found a lock being used by a couple of tourist boats.

We took a scenic route home (ie we got slightly lost) and came across the Australian embassy but, fortunately, we had sorted ourselves out by then and didn't need to ask for consular assistance.

The weather was quite cool today but at least it didn't rain.

All in all we have enjoyed Berlin and are now looking forward to the next part of our journey.