Alexanderplatz

Alexanderplatz - or “Alex” as locals call it - was once the busiest square in Berlin. Originally a cattle market it was renamed after a visit by Russian Tsar Alexander I. Allied bombing destroyed much of the historic square during the Second World War, and it subsequently went into decline. Before the city redeveloped it, it was infamous for being one of the least attractive architectural areas in Berlin. The square now contains one of Berlin’s most recognizable landmarks, the enormous TV Tower (Fernsehturm) - one of the largest buildings in Europe - a shopping mall and other landmarks. Built in 1969, the 365 metre tower’s sphere contains a revolving restaurant. Two other points of interest built in Alexanderplatz in 1969 are the highly distinctive World Time Clock and the much-graffitied Fountain of International Friendship.