Ten years after reunification, the transportation routes which had once been severed to separate the two parts of Berlin from each other connect the city again and closed transport stops and subway stations are in operation once more. Berlin is fascinating not only due to its diversity. It is a city full of contrasts. A few streets further, everything is totally different. Run-down welfare projects exit right beside luxurious shopping paradises, lush parks beside desolate alleys.
Berlin unites many different characteristics.
Sometimes it appears to be a large city, then again it seems to be a charming green and idyllic rural area. In some places it is loud and hectic, in others quiet and relaxing. The former border area, the barren land in the middle of the city at the Potsdamer Platz , is now in the center of the newly-awakened capital. Both administrative district and a meeting place for those who want to enjoy the new Berlin, the Potsdamer Platz is for many the landmark of this city. Berlin s cultural scene a rival to its diversity and attractions is hard to find in any other European metropolis also reflects its history.