An epicentre of creativity, Berlin’s industrial architecture provides stark relief to the art that now adorns it, inspiring a new generation of storytellers to make their mark on the canvas of this historic city.
Berlin remains a fascinating destination for millions seeking to understand how history has shaped this once divided and war-torn neighbourhood. This vibrant city has so much more to offer than monuments and museums, with every street corner bursting with musical, artistic or architectural stories.
No two visits to Berlin are ever the same, as these stories constantly evolve thanks to the residents who take the canvas of the city and fill it with colour, imagination and life. On the banks of the spree, Hotel Indigo Berlin – East Side Gallery is an extension of this neighbourhood, offering guests an opportunity not just to observe but to join in and add their own stories to the city’s rich narrative.
For Berlin East Side Gallery, digital expert and fashion face Cloudy Zakrocki has contributed several objects to the Clues to the Neighbourhood campaign, with each representing her personal experience of the city she loves, lives and works in. Zakrocki’s Berlin is nonconformist, wild and raw, a city that bear hugs you, swallows you up and spits you out. However meticulously planned your itinerary, Zakrocki believes the best experiences are when you get lost and unexpectedly find yourself.
These are just some of the clues that will inspire visitors to wander.
Cloudy’s Clue: Jurassic miniatures
Experience: Know your diplodocus from you t-rex? The Mystical Spree Park is an urban oasis that will awaken your inner child as you step back in history with a guided tour
ENJOY AN URBAN OASIS WITH THE MYTHICAL SPREE PARK
Unknown to even Berlin insiders, Spree Park was built as an amusement park in the north of the Plänterwald in 1969, fell into decline following political changes and economic difficulties, and eventually closed its doors in 2002. The subject of urban legend, it was resurrected in 2014 by the state of Berlin so visitors can once again wander its grounds against a backdrop of retro fairground apparatus.
Cloudy’s Clue: An AI portrait
Experience: Get your portrait drawn by a seriously smart robot at Gallery Dixit Algorizmi home to 163, Mitte the only robot capable of recreating your portrait and the only one of its kind in the world.
SIT FOR ROBOT PORTRAITURE AT GALLERY DIXIT ALGORIZMI
Every April, Berlin celebrates the Gallery Weekend, an extraordinary exhibition that takes place in the centre of the city. Visit the art installation at Gallery Dixit Algorizmi where you can get your portrait painted by robots.
Clue: A wall of candied mice
Experiences: Visit the cute and authentic “Aseli” store in the renowned Hackescher Markt and travel in time into the 20th century through the authentic store design.
THOSE WITH A SWEET TOOTH WILL LOVE THIS CHARMING AND HISTORIC STORE
A visit to traditional Aseli store in the famous Hackescher district is like stepping back in time. Home to original Berlin confectionary since 1921 you can satisfy your sweet tooth; select a famous white marshmallow mouse from the candy wall panel and walk away feeling like a kid again.
Clue: Miniature Trabant car
Experience: Discover the east of Berlin in a Trabant car
AN URBAN SAFARI BY CAR
Trabant tours pass through the middle and the former east part of the city along the Karl-Marx-Allee and East Side Gallery, over Oberbaumbridge and through the quarter Kreuzberg.
The Trabant car (Trabant translates to “companion” in German). Produced without major changes for nearly 30 years, the “Trabi” car is often seen as a symbol of the country in 1989’s powerful fall of the Berlin Wall. Today, tourists embark on Trabi Safaris, guided tours in authentic cars that roll through side streets, parks, and along the river. Seeing Berlin by Trabi offers a unique perspective that feels deeply connected to the city’s history and thus, it’s art.
Clue: A piece of the Berlin Wall
Experience: East Side Gallery, the longest permanent open-air exhibition
MORE THAN A PIECE OF HISTORY
At 1.3 kilometres the Berlin East Side Gallery features more than a hundred paintings on what was the east side of the wall. Offering cultural and political commentary on the changes experienced in 1989 and 1990, Berlin East Side Gallery has protected status as a memorial and continues to be preserved by artists from around the world.
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