Berlin and Pergamon Museum



We are currently in Berlin for a couple of days en-route to Lutz and Kim's wedding at his sister Nicky's hotel. Much of Thursday was spent at the amazing Pergamon Museum on Museum Island close to our hotel. As the name suggests, the star attraction in the Museum was taken from Pergamon, an ancient Greek city north of Izmir in Turkey. The quality of the frieze sculptures was amazing as were many of the other ancient Greek and Roman statues displayed elsewhere. The Babylon Ishtar gate reconstruction also impressed us (2nd picture) highlighting the fact that much of the ancient ruins we see today would have been painted or otherwise colored in ancient times. Despite being an incredibly impressive and well laid out museum it was also one of the least visitor friendly ones I ever been in, with no toilets or baby changing facilities inside the museum (which could take 6-8 hours to see all the exhibits) and no refreshments available (or even any water fountains!). The staff were also well trained and within seconds you were rebuked if you lent against a wall or sat on the steps outside the (unmarked) area allowed for sitting or stood on the steps outside the (unmarked) area you were allowed to stand!!!

Despite the museum guards we are loving this city and Ruth is finding plenty of opportunity to practice her Turkish (which is fortunate given our lack of German speaking skills). We will be back.


Posted: Fri - July 6, 2007 at 10:54 AM          

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