From high atop the Victory Column, the goddess of Victory gazes triumphantly over the Greater Tiergarten, the second largest park in the city. Originally a hunting ground for Prussian rulers – many of the park’s sculptures are testament to this history – the forested area was made accessible to the public in the 18th century. Step by step it was turned into a landscaped garden. During the Second World War, many city residents gathered firewood in the park; by 1948, all the trees had been cut down and the Tiergarten was a desolate wasteland. In the 1950s, the historic park was magnificently reconstructed. Although basically a landscape park, it also includes baroque elements, an English garden with a teahouse and a rose garden. In summer, why not do as the Berliners do and sunbathe on one of the many meadows in this 210-hectare park or relax under a tree near the water?
