Berlin is a capital city with a turbulent past, the crucible of a century of history. Reduced to rubble by World War II bombing, and starkly divided by the Berlin Wall during the Cold War, the city has survived and prospered through the courage, optimism and determination of its citizens. Today, Berlin has a population of nearly four million. The city is situated on the North German Plain about 100 miles south of the Baltic Sea and 50 miles west of the Oder River, the modern border between Poland and Germany. Berlin is one of three German cities that comprise a separate Land although it is completely surrounded by Land Brandenburg. Berlin lies between oceanic and continental stamped climate. During the summer-months daily-temperatures reach 22-23 °C (72°F), but there are also days with temperatures up to 30°C (86°F). In winter highest temperatures are between 2-3°C (35°F). Longer periods with snow and ice are not unusual.
Berlin is a city of cultural superlatives: three opera houses, two concert halls and eight symphony orchestras – more than in any other city in the world. Over 150 theaters and playhouses offer boulevard theater, classic opera, classics of world literature as well as the young creative Off-Scene. The Friedrichstadtpalast, Europe’s largest and most modern revue theater, four major musical theaters and numerous cabarets also provide top class entertainment every night. Berlin has over 170 museums – more than the number of rainy days in a year. They exhibit the unique and the extraordinary – the Egyptian Nofretete, the Greek Pergamon Altar, the painters of the Bricke and the Bauhaus, and works by Baselitz and Beuys. The Berggruen Collection shows works by Picasso and his contemporaries and the Hamburger Bahnhof, a former train station, houses the new Museum of Contemporary Art. The Jewish Museum, designed by Daniel Libeskind became an attraction to the public because of its distinctive architecture even before its official opening in September 2001.
