Humboldt Forum

Posted: August 30, 2022 | Author: tyamin | Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Berlin is at least 750 years old. It is the capital of unified Germany since 1991. During the Cold War, Berlin was a divided city. The Berlin Wall divided the city into the Eastern and Western halves. Both represented parallel universes. West Berlin located in the heart of East Germany was developed to reflect the best in the capitalist system. It was bright, new and modern. East Berlin was a city that espoused socialist values. Both parts shared the many historical sites that had been built in it, over the centuries.

The Humboldt Forum is one historical icon in modern Berlin that was once part of East Germany. It has an interesting history. The Berlin Palace exited in this place. This opulent symbol of the Prussians was something that can make any European monarchy proud. After East Berlin became part of German Democratic Republic, the East German leaders decided to raze it down and build in its place the Palace of the Republic to showcase the more egalitarian values of the communist system. After the Wall came down in 1989 and the two Germanys were reunited in 1991, the German Government decided to move the capital of the Federal Republic from Bonn, small town near Cologne to Berlin. Next they decided to renovate, and where necessary rebuild the City. Some of the hated symbols like the Berlin Wall was chipped away in a matter of days by a people of Berlin. The ugly watchtowers and the threatening barbed wires and obstacles were quickly removed. Some of the buildings were given overhauled and restored to their former glory.

As the city of Berlin underwent a major overhaul, it was decided to bring down the Palace of the Republic and rebuild in its place the Humboldt Forum. It was a major architectural effort and required colossal amount of money to first dismantle a huge building then replace it with another stately mansion. Great care was taken to rebuild it exactly in the manner that it existed before the times of the DDR. All the ancient statues were handcrafted by expert artisans and masons. The new architecture is modern yet it retains the essential elements of the former palace that was the pride of the Prussians. Although work is still going on in parts of the building, the main structure has been opened to the public.

Tourists, history buffs, lovers of architecture and urban engineering now throng to see building and see its many exhibitions of art, culture and history. For those interested in the official version take walking tours as the guides give a rundown of the history of the Forum in many languages. After a nice round of the place the weary travel can sup in the bistro or the restaurant that open up in the cobblestoned courtyard.

The Forum is located in the heart of the old city. It is next to the Museum Island, where a number of museums stand side by side. A leisurely walk down the canal on a lovely summer afternoon can be a very nice experience. You can reach the Forum walking after you disembark from the Hackescher Markt S Bahn Railway Station. You can come directly by taking the U Bahn and getting of the Museum Insel Station. As you stand in front of the Forum, you can see the Brandenburg Gate on one side and the TV Tower in Alexander Platz on the other side. You can take a stroll either way, after you have seen the Forum, depending on your mood.

Like all stately structures built with huge amounts of public money, Humboldt Forum has also generated a lot of controversy. Traditionalists have argued about the merit of tearing down one historical structure to replace another one. Others have questioned the wisdom of spending so much money to revive the glory of what could be termed as a decadent era of monarchy. Their thinking is that the money spent on this colossal building could have been spent in a more noble cause that could have benefited the humanity at large. You can add your two cents to this debate or you can just enjoy this extraordinary monument that show cases human ingenuity or the profligacy of the West.